Newbie wanting puffers and a pleco

[Sealink31]

Hello, I'm new to the aquarium world and would like to get a 29 gallon long tank with 2 spotted puffers and a pleco. I'm just wondering what species of pleco would go with the puffers?
Also, I know that you're supposed to get the tank set up and running for about a month before getting any fishes, what should I be doing with it during this time?
Thanks!

 

[Purrbox]

Since the majority of puffers need Brackish or Marine conditions as they mature, a pleco wouldn't be a good tankmate for them long term.

You need to cycle your aquarium (build up beneficial bacteria to convert Ammonia to Nitrite and then Nitrate). There are a variety of methods that you can use. Fishless cycling is favored by many, and involves adding an ammonia source (pure ammonia, raw shrimp, fish food, etc) and waiting until you see the ammonia spike then go back to 0 (continue dosing), nitrite spike and go back to 0, and finally the nitrate rising. Once you see Ammonia and Nitrite steady at 0 and Nitrate rising, your aquarium is ready for fish. This could take as little as 2-4 weeks especially if you seed the biofilter with material (filter material, gravel, decor, etc) from a healthy aquarium, or it could easily take 2 months. It's the test results that are important and not the length of time.

 

[Sealink31]

Thanks so much, that really helps! Since the puffers need a little bit of salt also, should I have that in the water already when I start the cycle?

 

[Purrbox]

Please keep in mind that you can't use Aquarium Salt for puffers. Since they need brackish to saltwater this requires the use of a marine salt mix and a specific gravity meter to get the correct levels. If the fish you are buying are currently in freshwater, you'll want to cycle your aquarium that way and then over time, slowly convert the water to the correct specific gravity. You'll need to do additional research to determine what levels are appropriate for the puffer at what age. On the other hand, if the fish you are buying are already in brackish or marine conditions, then you'll want to find out what specific gravity they are currently living in and cycle your aquarium with water mixed to match the same parameters.

 

[mike47517]

purrbox is right a good tank mate for a puffer would be another semi aggresive fish that likes salty water.

 

[mike47517]

puffers arent relly good starters though.

 

[bazil323]

I believe you are talking about green spotted puffers, right? If so, then you need to know that they will eventually need full saltwater as adults. Most lfs sell juveniles as freshwater, so check with your lfs. In my opinion, it is easier to cycle the tank as brackish (start at 1.002-1.004), and then acclimate your puffer by drip method. YOu set up a bucket, place the puffer in the bucket with the water from the lfs. Then rig up a way to hang a bag of the tank water above the bucket. Poke a tiny hole with a safety pin into the bag so that it slowly drips water into the bucket. After about an hour or two, the bag should be mostly empty. Then take out a cup of the water from the bucket and throw it out. Replace it with a cup of water from the tank. Do this every 15 min for an hour. Then your puffer should be good to go into the tank. You will need marine salt mix for this. You will aslo need a hydrometer that goes down to 1.000 or a refractometer. You must feed the puffer only frozen or live shrimp, clams, oysters, mussels, bloodworms, krill, mysis shrimp, etc. You must give them a variety of foods or they will be unhealthy and bored.

Puffers and plecs do NOT mix. The puffers are far to agressive to be in the same tank as a plec. Plus, gsps (green spotted puffers) like you want will have too much salt in the water for the plec. The plec will be hopelessly miserable and will likely die within months if not sooner.