So my girlfriend wants a puffer

[darby]

Would it be ok to put it in my FW tank, while I get a BW cycling?

 

[Sarcothelia]

Just get it after the BW cycles. You can always buy the puffer then

 

[TraceyB4602]

Most puffers are sold in a freshwater tank. How long has the BW been cycling? I would say it's fine they really need Brackish when they are adults. I say if you wanted to get him go ahead but don't if you have fish he could eat, they may be small but they are vicious carnivores.

 

[darby]

The lfs doesn't have suffers very often, and I dont want to wait another 4-5 montlhs for them to be arpund again.

The tank I would put him in only had two platys and two Fantail in it. They are all larger than the puffer would be.

Also, what kind af snails would I need to have in the tank to feed it?

 

[Km84]

I fed mine tiny snails. They reproduce like crazy and are a built in feeder system ! Just be careful cause my figure 8 puffer ate everything insight!

 

[darby]

Any specific kind of snail? I just don't want them to overtake my tank. And, what snails can live in brackish water?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Would it be ok to put it in my FW tank, while I get a BW cycling?

Putting a puffer in a FW tank is cruel, irregardless of how any LFS treats them and anyone that says other wise certainly doesn't keep the welfare of the fish they have in very high regard IMO. So unless you're ready and the BW tank has been well cycled, I implore you to wait, even if it is 4 months.

That said, a puffer will tear your slow moving Fantails to shreds (I have them, so I know) and I don't know platys, but if they aren't fast and able to hide, you can color them gone too.

 

[Fruitbat]

I'll chime in with Mr. Limpet on the fact that puffers will shred your Fantails. Puffers are cute but they're notorious fin-nippers and can be relentless in their pursuit of their victims. I've even seen little puffers gang up on a small Rope Fish (a relative of the bichirs and a predator of no mean talent) and tear its operculum (gill cover) completely off its body. No matter WHAT your LFS says...puffers are NOT good community fish.

-Joe

 

[darby]

So the tank cycled super fast. I used a seeded filter, and put five ghost shrimp in with some nerites. Put the puffer in about a week ago, and it wasn't eating anything at all. Not even frozen blood worms. All of a sudden its going to town on the smaller snails. But I thought they crushed the shells. My puffer is sucking the snail out and leaving the shells behind. is this normal?

 

[darby]

Anyways, here's the tank.

 

[darby]

...

 

[Justin83]

very nice i like the dragon head and the little hut .. nice looking tank

 

[BeavisMom62]

Yeah, if the snail is too large to fit in their mouth and crush,they'll suck the snail out. when I used to keep puffers, I set up a 10 gal tank and went to Walmart for snails. They had pond snails all through their filter system and were thrilled to give them to me. Put them in the 10 gal, gave them lettuce, algae wafers and those seaweed sheets. They reproduced like crazy and I always had dinner for the puffs.

 

[darby]

very nice i like the dragon head and the little hut .. nice looking tank

Thank you.
I like the way it turned out too. We decided on an Asian/Zen theme for the tank.

 

[Justin83]

Its very fitting adds toh the whole sit ...watch your tank.. and relax thing

 

[BfishLpond78]

What SG do you have the tank at? How big is the puffer? Do you have a refractometer?

 

[leek86]

What sort of puffer did you get?

 

[darby]

Don't know what the SG is at. I have about two gallons of SW in the tank. It is a little over an inch big, maybe an inch and a half. No, I don't have a refractometer. What is that?

It is a green spotted puffer.

 

[leek86]

Refractometres measure the SG (specific gravity) of water, with brackish fish like this the SG is quite important if I remember correctly gsp's require 1.010-1.015.
Gsp's can live in brackish water all thier lives but are said to thrive in full marine once it is adult. Hope this helps

 

[Homer8]

you need a hydrometer or refractometer. GSP can get big and require a 25-30 gallon for just one. When they are fully mature they are usually saltwater fish but should be kept at least at a high brackish. you puffer is still young and should be kept in low brackish. you are probably better off returning it and getting a figure 8 puffer. they stay small and are brackish for life. you could be killing your puffer by dumping him into saltwater and not brackish. you need to do some more research.