"Freshwater" puffers True or False

[PoseidonCichlid]

Are all the puffer species we see being sold as freshwater fish really much healthier and happier being raised in brackish conditions? Are there freshwater baby puffer species that need salt added as they get bigger? What's the real story about the best salinity (or none) to keep them in, please give species specific examples because there are a lot of species out there labeled "freshwater puffers". Thanks for the information.

 

[Conall]

It depends what species you're looking at; there are so many out there! I'll quickly go over the most commonly sold puffers

Dwarf puffers - Freshwater

Red-Eyed puffers - Freshwater

Amazon puffer - Freshwater (though will seemingly do alright in a salinity of up to 1.005)

Figure-Eight puffers - Brackish (around 1.005)

Green Spotted puffer - Brackish (1.005), although most people raise this as they age up to around 1.020 - 1.022.

Neither of the two brackish species will fare well in freshwater.

If you see a nondescript 'freshwater puffer' tag, my best advice would be to research exactly what species it is before making any purchases!

 

[PoseidonCichlid]

Fahakas

Can Fahaka puffers be kept in pure freshwater their entire lives with no problems or would they appreciate some salinity?

 

[44Paps44]

Can Fahaka puffers be kept in pure freshwater their entire lives with no problems or would they appreciate some salinity?

Freshwater, they get to about well over a foot long and need at least 125 gallons.

 

[Rivers2k]

Fahakas are not very active puffers in my experience. (except at feeding time)

 

[Bichir Bro]

Fahakas are not very active puffers in my experience. (except at feeding time)

Most of the large puffers tend to be not as active as "thrilling" as some hope them to be.


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[Pamiam]

Conall...is right on the money. I have had both true red eyed dwarf puffer and now I have malabar puffers (another dwarf species) and they are strictly fresh water

 

[QuakingAspen]

I am pretty sure that there are freshwater and brackish puffers, it depends on the specific breed.

 

[sam180]

I've had my two F8's in standard fresh water for months and they're doing great. My LFS said they can live in either fresh or brackish water with no problems.

 

[jetajockey]

I have a fahaka and he's constantly glass surfing trying to interact with people and movement outside of the tank. If I stuff him he'll sit around for a few hours, but he typically glass surfs any time he sees movement. Definitely need a big tank long term, as they get large. Mbu is another FW puffer but needs an even more massive tank.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

I've had my two F8's in standard fresh water for months and they're doing great. My LFS said they can live in either fresh or brackish water with no problems.

They can live in freshwater for a short period of time, but it significantly cuts their life span. It also makes them more prone to diesease. (Never listen to the stores) Even if they know what they're doing, at the end of the day they need to make money and they're going to tell you what you want to hear to make a sale.
Brackish really isn't that difficult and you'll see a change. Long term, they're going to live longer. They should live for years. They will be more active, and you'll see better colors.
It's your decision, but if you'd like to convert them I'd be more than willing to help with getting it started. There's also a lot of information out there on brackish tanks.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

Some other freshwater puffers, although a bit more rare, include the Avocado, Arrowhead, Hairy, Congo, and Palembang (Dragon) puffers.
Most of these listed are ambush predators and are absolutely intolerant of other tankmates.

The Arrowhead for instance, buries itself in the sand and launches itself out. Total predator. Also a more advanced puffer to take care of because they have to be trained to take frozen food in order to survive. 30gallons/individual, 6" adult size.

 

[Bichir Bro]

Some other freshwater puffers, although a bit more rare, include the Avocado, Arrowhead, Hairy, Congo, and Palembang (Dragon) puffers.
Most of these listed are ambush predators and are absolutely intolerant of other tankmates.

The Arrowhead for instance, buries itself in the sand and launches itself out. Total predator. Also a more advanced puffer to take care of because they have to be trained to take frozen food in order to survive. 30gallons/individual, 6" adult size.

The suvattii is my favorite puff puff out of the big boys.


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[lindenthaler.9]

The suvattii is my favorite puff puff out of the big boys.


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I'm buying one soon. Just waiting to move to the new place and get the tank cycled. And if they go out of stock by the time that happens.. Honestly I think I'd cry. I was so excited to see them in stock. I've been signed up to receive emails for when they come back in stock for awhile now.

 

[Bichir Bro]

I'm buying one soon. Just waiting to move to the new place and get the tank cycled. And if they go out of stock by the time that happens.. Honestly I think I'd cry. I was so excited to see them in stock. I've been signed up to receive emails for when they come back in stock for awhile now.

Yeah if I ever get to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank id do one of these guys or Shellie's.


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[lindenthaler.9]

Yeah if I ever get to set up a 40 gallon breeder tank id do one of these guys or Shellie's.


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I'm hoping to have one soon. But the Fahaka is my real dream. He's on my list for when I get into a permanent home.
120 wide being the actual ideal tank. A 125 is actually too narrow.. but it's gonna be the first new tank to go up. I'm literally going to have that tank in storage just waiting.

 

[Pamiam]

I am in total agreement with lindenthaler.9....I bought my bumble bee gobies at a local fish store...they said they could live in freshwater which is where they had them.

I knew better and slowly raised the tank salinity over a 3 week span to reach 1.004 to 1.005, which makes it brackish. The only thing I have to do differently from my freshwater tanks is add 3 tablespoons of instant ocean to a 3 gallon bucket, swirl the water to dissolve the salt before I add it to the tank.

My tank is 20 gal long and I use about 6 tablespoons of instant ocean per week. It really is not much money to care for them.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

I am in total agreement with lindenthaler.9....I bought my bumble bee gobies at a local fish store...they said they could live in freshwater which is where they had them.

I knew better and slowly raised the tank salinity over a 3 week span to reach 1.004 to 1.005, which makes it brackish. The only thing I have to do differently from my freshwater tanks is add 3 tablespoons of instant ocean to a 3 gallon bucket, swirl the water to dissolve the salt before I add it to the tank.

My tank is 20 gal long and I use about 6 tablespoons of instant ocean per week. It really is not much money to care for them.

My Orange Saddle Fugu puffer I bought was sold to me, by the manager, as a low end brackish puffer. She told me it could live in freshwater. I definitely knew better. At the life stage she was at, she should have been in full strength saltwater.
It's sad but they will tell you anything to make the sale. A more common example, the dragon gobies that are sold as freshwater (brackish) or the Columbian/ silver tip sharks that are sold as freshwater (also brackish- turn marine).

 

[lindenthaler.9]

To follow that up, even my Moray Eels I have, Gymnothorox Tile, are sold as freshwater eels.
I mean personally I think it would be common sense that a Moray is not freshwater.. but that's just me. These ones specifically start in brackish water and as adults turn marine.

 

[Homer8]

"Freshwater" puffers True or False

I am in total agreement with lindenthaler.9....I bought my bumble bee gobies at a local fish store...they said they could live in freshwater which is where they had them.

I knew better and slowly raised the tank salinity over a 3 week span to reach 1.004 to 1.005, which makes it brackish. The only thing I have to do differently from my freshwater tanks is add 3 tablespoons of instant ocean to a 3 gallon bucket, swirl the water to dissolve the salt before I add it to the tank.

My tank is 20 gal long and I use about 6 tablespoons of instant ocean per week. It really is not much money to care for them.

In this case they may have been right. There are 2 types of bumblebee gobies. Brachygobius doriae and Brachygobius xanthozona (there are a few more Brachygobius but these two look almost identical).

Brachygobius xanthozona has solid black stripes and does live in fresh and brackish

Brachygobius doriae is much better off in brackish

I believe both spawn during typhoon season where there brackish water turns to mostly cool freshwater.

I am currently trying to breed my 6 BBGs. My SG started at 1.005 and is now at 1.003. Today I will be doing another water change and bring it down to 1.002.


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