deli_conker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh yeah, central Ohio as in Columbus...
Any other ideas...
- Thread starter deli_conker
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TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Here is an excellent puffer forum http://puffer.proboards2.com/ for specific questions you don't get answered here.
My puffers would eat frozen bloodworms, snails, live adult brine shrimp, and earthworms. They would not touch frozen shrimp or live BBS.
I kept a rubberlip pleco in with mine - no problem. I also kept tiger barbs with them without problems.
pH is ideally around neutral, but my tap is about 7.6 or so and they were fine for years.
I could not sex my puffers, so I had 4 and never did determine who was who. That seemed to be a good number for the 12gal.
If you fail to provide baby snails they indeed might need their teeth trimmed, and there are threads on this forum about that!
They like sand and silk plants, but they will not bother real plants either. Plenty of hidey holes, since they are very territorial and they will need to have spots where they can't see another puffer.
My puffers would eat frozen bloodworms, snails, live adult brine shrimp, and earthworms. They would not touch frozen shrimp or live BBS.
I kept a rubberlip pleco in with mine - no problem. I also kept tiger barbs with them without problems.
pH is ideally around neutral, but my tap is about 7.6 or so and they were fine for years.
I could not sex my puffers, so I had 4 and never did determine who was who. That seemed to be a good number for the 12gal.
If you fail to provide baby snails they indeed might need their teeth trimmed, and there are threads on this forum about that!
They like sand and silk plants, but they will not bother real plants either. Plenty of hidey holes, since they are very territorial and they will need to have spots where they can't see another puffer.
freshwatergal
Aquarium Advice Freak
Deli...sorry I couldn't have been more help
deli_conker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Everybody has been a lot of help. And I certainly appreciate it. I just can't make up my mind at this point. 
I know! I'll just buy a few more tanks that way I won't have to make up my mind. I can have them all...
Just kidding. Not ready for that degree of MTS yet...
When I do figure out what I want, I'll post some pics so all can see.
I know! I'll just buy a few more tanks that way I won't have to make up my mind. I can have them all...Just kidding. Not ready for that degree of MTS yet...
When I do figure out what I want, I'll post some pics so all can see.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh yes you aaaarrrreee.....
deli_conker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Right now I still kinda like the puffers. But I think it is because I still have a lot to learn about them before I choose what I want.
If I do have to feed them snails, how many would I have to do per adult puffer? How often would I have to do this? Are the puffers good enough at hunting them that the snails wouldn't be in there long or is there a possibilty that one snail could find a hiding place and grow big enough that the puffers couldn't take it down? Do I feed them snails while they are still juveniles?
I HAVE done research on the net, but many of my questions are still unanswered by what I have found. That's why I am asking them here.
No MTS. No MTS. I don't have enough room for any more than what I got, yet.
I am planning ahead for a 125 gal for my mbunas when I get to a more permanent location. Until then, I am going to have to be happy with what I got...
If I do have to feed them snails, how many would I have to do per adult puffer? How often would I have to do this? Are the puffers good enough at hunting them that the snails wouldn't be in there long or is there a possibilty that one snail could find a hiding place and grow big enough that the puffers couldn't take it down? Do I feed them snails while they are still juveniles?
I HAVE done research on the net, but many of my questions are still unanswered by what I have found. That's why I am asking them here.
No MTS. No MTS. I don't have enough room for any more than what I got, yet.
I am planning ahead for a 125 gal for my mbunas when I get to a more permanent location. Until then, I am going to have to be happy with what I got...
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
The puffers will find the snails. Oh, boy will they find the snails! I had some large mystery snails in the tank once, thinking that they would make babies and would be too big for the puffers, but my tiny puffers would attack their "foot" appendage and nip little bits out of it, and basically pestered them so much that I removed them to give them a break. I do think there are people who keep large snails in with their puffers and it works out okay, but I couldn't stand it! They are relentless and will hunt anything, anything that moves. That includes earthworms, live blackworms, adult brine shrimp, anything. You could probably feed them small fry but I never tried that.
I fed my puffers frozen bloodworms as their basic diet, with snails about every 2 days. I did not really pay attention to the number of snails I put in, because I would just harvest a bunch from my other tanks and toss them in - probably 8-9 for 4 fish. You can put one in per puffer to start, and see how quickly they eat them, and judge by that.
They are really fascinating fish, and one of my favorites, and I encourage you to give it a try, especially since they can be kept in a small tank.
I fed my puffers frozen bloodworms as their basic diet, with snails about every 2 days. I did not really pay attention to the number of snails I put in, because I would just harvest a bunch from my other tanks and toss them in - probably 8-9 for 4 fish. You can put one in per puffer to start, and see how quickly they eat them, and judge by that.
They are really fascinating fish, and one of my favorites, and I encourage you to give it a try, especially since they can be kept in a small tank.
deli_conker
Aquarium Advice Addict
How exactly do you harvest a snail? I have had only one snail (a long time ago) and trying to get him to let go of the glass was near impossible.. I cracked his shell trying... (so sorry).
As far as growing my own snails, I only have one other tank and it's got rift lake africans in it. I'm not too sure that I want to put any snails in with them. I like them as they are. Check out some pics in my gallery if you'd like.
Would it be prudent if I just put a bunch of snails in the 10 gal with the puffers or are they little piggies like my africans are (and eat as much as they can as quickly as they can)? I guess my issue is that I don't know how often I will be able to provide snails for them and I'm not too sure I can grow my own. This issue is based on the fact that I don't want to have to do any "teeth trimming"...
As far as growing my own snails, I only have one other tank and it's got rift lake africans in it. I'm not too sure that I want to put any snails in with them. I like them as they are. Check out some pics in my gallery if you'd like.
Would it be prudent if I just put a bunch of snails in the 10 gal with the puffers or are they little piggies like my africans are (and eat as much as they can as quickly as they can)? I guess my issue is that I don't know how often I will be able to provide snails for them and I'm not too sure I can grow my own. This issue is based on the fact that I don't want to have to do any "teeth trimming"...
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
It is good you are thinking about these issues before getting the puffers! The baby snails are not a bit hard to get off the glass. They come right off. You just pick them right up, no matter where they are. Many LFS will give you their baby snails, since most consider them a nuisance. I don't think you can keep your general snail supply in with the puffers, as they will eat them all up. You can keep a betta hex or other small tank and grow snails in it (even with a betta ) and have them at the ready. It might take a while for adult snails to grow babies, but once they do you will never be without. Again, this is another way the MTS gets rolling, since now you need a snail tank!
I don't blame you for not wanting to mess with your ARLC tank. The snails can get out of hand so easy. The cichlids will eat them too, but more likely if you smoosh them first, but it sounds like you don't want to get into that, and I would keep that tank snail-free. I tried keeping my snails in a goldfish bowl but the water needed to be changed so frequently that it became too annoying. Check with your LFS and see if they would be willing to give you baby snails on a regular basis.
) and have them at the ready. It might take a while for adult snails to grow babies, but once they do you will never be without. Again, this is another way the MTS gets rolling, since now you need a snail tank! I don't blame you for not wanting to mess with your ARLC tank. The snails can get out of hand so easy. The cichlids will eat them too, but more likely if you smoosh them first, but it sounds like you don't want to get into that, and I would keep that tank snail-free. I tried keeping my snails in a goldfish bowl but the water needed to be changed so frequently that it became too annoying. Check with your LFS and see if they would be willing to give you baby snails on a regular basis.
Chikadee
Aquarium Advice Activist
Yay puffers! 
I have decided to go that route as well. I originally wanted to get dwarf puffers, but my LFS has never even heard of them! They said it'll take 6 months at least to special order them, so I'm out of luck... I also don't have a PetSmart anywhere near me so I can't check there. Any other ideas for places to look? I don't want to get them online... it just seems a bit shady to me. I think I'm going to go with the Figure 8 puffers since they sell them at the LFS and are relatively peaceful. I plan to feed snails pretty regularly, but I'm not sure if I have to smoosh them first?
I have decided to go that route as well. I originally wanted to get dwarf puffers, but my LFS has never even heard of them! They said it'll take 6 months at least to special order them, so I'm out of luck... I also don't have a PetSmart anywhere near me so I can't check there. Any other ideas for places to look? I don't want to get them online... it just seems a bit shady to me. I think I'm going to go with the Figure 8 puffers since they sell them at the LFS and are relatively peaceful. I plan to feed snails pretty regularly, but I'm not sure if I have to smoosh them first?
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Figure 8's are brackish, and they will not do well in a FW setup, but otherwise they are very nice and bigger than the dwarf, which is ridiculously tiny! You will not have to smoosh the snails. I do that for my other fish that don't have the teeth that puffers have.
Chikadee
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have read so many contradicting advice about Figure 8's... Some say they are naturally freshwater, but thrive in brackish, others say the opposite. My LFS says they will do fine if I add a teaspoon of salt per gallon. Although they claim I can add any type of salt- marine, aquarium or table. I've read they should only have predissolved marine salt. I have no idea! I was just going to play it by ear and hope for the best... :? In any case, I know they are very light brackish fish, and high ph is more important than salinity... Is that true? I am so confused!!
deli_conker
Aquarium Advice Addict
I talked to my lfs this morning and they said they would be happy to give me snails for the puffers, if they could find enough to give to me. I will probably call a few other places as well to make sure I can give them a constant source of crunchy nutrition.
The nice thing is that the tank has already cycled. That is such a good feeling to have a tank where all you need to do is add the fish. I can now truly appreciate fishless cycling and/or bio-spira.
Speaking of which, a question about the 10 gal setup...
Right now I have multi colored gravel about 2 inches deep sitting on top of a ugf. A few decorations and plants with a penguin mini and heater. I was thinking about taking out the ugf to make the tank more accessible. I know this is really going to stir crap up and probably cause some serious damage to the biological filter bed. I have the bio wheel from the penguin floating in my 55 (to help speed it along) so there should be a decent amount of bacteria to help re-establish what was lost in the removal of the ugf. I got a bad feeling that it is going to be really nasty when I pull out the ugf... I'm probably going to have to do some serious water changing to get all of the muck out of the water. Does anybody have any ideas on how to minimize the difficulty of this task?
The nice thing is that the tank has already cycled. That is such a good feeling to have a tank where all you need to do is add the fish. I can now truly appreciate fishless cycling and/or bio-spira.
Speaking of which, a question about the 10 gal setup...
Right now I have multi colored gravel about 2 inches deep sitting on top of a ugf. A few decorations and plants with a penguin mini and heater. I was thinking about taking out the ugf to make the tank more accessible. I know this is really going to stir crap up and probably cause some serious damage to the biological filter bed. I have the bio wheel from the penguin floating in my 55 (to help speed it along) so there should be a decent amount of bacteria to help re-establish what was lost in the removal of the ugf. I got a bad feeling that it is going to be really nasty when I pull out the ugf... I'm probably going to have to do some serious water changing to get all of the muck out of the water. Does anybody have any ideas on how to minimize the difficulty of this task?
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