Figure-8 puffer: fresh or brackish?

[Bioworldmaker]

Hi everyone!
It has been a while since I last posted here, but now I am back with a burning question - LOL

SO...
I've been reading and reading and reading about the figure-8 pufferfish, and no one seems to agree whether these fish require fresh or brackish water...

I was wondering:
how many of you keep your figure-8 in brackish and how many of you keep your f-8 in fresh water?



edit:

I am sure this question must have appeared here before, I just couldn't find it, so pls forgive me if it is repeated =)

 

[Toirtis]

The experts seem to agree that in nature they are FW to slightly brackish, but they seem to do best in capitivity in slightly brackish conditions.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Thanks for the quick reply =)

 

[ace1uno_00]

Well When i bought my figure eight puffers i was told they were brakish. In fact the tank that they came out of was a salt water tank. they were right beside a dogface puffer fish. But In my tank i have place them with cichlids. they can be either FW or brakish.

 

[Pufferpunk]

They can only be in FW if they have a very high degree of hardness. It is easier to put them in BW, at around 1.005. I have a friend & pufferexpert of over 40 years (Robert T Ricketts), who did a 20 year experiment keeping them in various conditions. His results were as I stared above & kept one for over 18 years in low-end BW.

Here is his article: http://www.aquasource.org/CMS/modul...s&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=103&page=1

Keeping F8s in different conditions than recommended, will result in lowered immune systems=disease=shorter lifespan.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Thanks for all the replies =)

So brackish it is =)

 

[andywg]

They are a brackish fish that spawns up river in Freshwater areas. That is why they can be caught in freshwater areas and people believe they are freshwater.

If they are not moved to brackish as they grow older then their kidneys (and I believe liver) will accumulate hard growths as the fish cannot osmo-regulate properly leading to a shortened life span and an increased succeptibility to disease.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

wOw...
I just came back from my favorite fish stores in town.

They had a green spotted puffer (which I believe to be brackish) living in full SW for the last 6 years!

1.030 According to the guy from the store! Very salty water.
That makes me wonder...
The fish looked very happy and very healthy... And it was huge, at least 6in.

What do you guys think about that?

 

[Pufferpunk]

Mine have been in SW for the past 2.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Pufferpunk, how is your fish doing in SW?
I wonder if the F-8 would tolerate SW as well.

 

[Pufferpunk]

As mature fish, GSPs do best in SW. Mine are great! For longevity, F8s are best kept in low-end BW (1.005).