Thinking about setting up a 10 gallon w/dwarf puffers

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At the LFS my husband fell in love with the freshwater dwarf and figure 8 puffers. We have a spare 10 gallon, but no equipment. I would preferibley like to buy everything online, and i want a planted tank.. I need the hood, lights, stand, pump, filter.. everything, so i am open to all suggestions and website references. If you could, don't just tell me i can find it on "Big AL's" but show me a picture or a link, otherwise, ill never find the rights stuff.. LOL. Anyway, i was thinking 3 to 5 dwarf puffers in the 10 gallon and if possible an algae eater and bottom feeder that the puffers can get along with.
Also, i know i should keep snails for them to snack on , but otherwise, i know nothing about the species.
TIA
 
Figure 8 puffers will require a bigger tank and brackish water so stick with the dwarf puffers. 3 is a good number for a 10g especially 2 females and 1 male. They prefer snails and it's good to set up a seperate tank for snail breeding. Mine is just a large fish bowl sitting in the bottom of the stand. Puffers will also learn to eat frozen food but rarely will eat any dried or flake foods.
Filters-
On 10gallons you could use a whisper 10:http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22121;category_id=1721;pcid1=2885;pcid2=

penguin 100:http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=31761;category_id=1721;pcid1=2885;pcid2=

or aquaclear mini: http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22131;category_id=1721;pcid1=2885;pcid2=

It comes down to preference. The whisper filters have a simple design and cartridge for a good price but no biofiltration. Penguin filters come with biowheels that allow alot of room for bacteria and bio filtration but they also tend to produce more nitrates. Some people love them and some people hate them. The aquaclear mini I haven't used. I belive they use foam for bio and mechanical then carbon cartridges for chemical. On the aquaclear you can adjust the water flow in case it's too much for your puffers or during feeding time.

For a heater I would go with http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=31731;category_id=1733;pcid1=3231;pcid2=
The stealth heaters are practically indestructible and mine has never lost accuracy. A bit more expensive than the others but worth the money.

Unfortunately I can't find the 10g hood on bigals but drfostersmith.com does have it. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3792&N=2004+113030+2146963271
With that hood you can buy screw in fluorescent bulbs from places like walmart or hardware stores in various wattages. So if you want plants you can easily get up to 30 watts or more. If you want to stay low wattage you can get smaller bulbs or stay with the incandescents the hood comes with. Don't put higher wattage incandescents in the hood. They will overheat the water and melt the plastic.
 
awesome, thank you so much for the information and for finding the stuff! I really appreciate it :)
 
why would a dwarf puffer not mess with an otto, but would mess with say, a cory cat, or a small pleco.
 
Mine completely ignore them, even when they are near the snails. I've never heard of them bothering otos. Check out that website, lots of good reliable info.


Kim
 
A ten gallon tank is only worth about $5-$10 without equipment. You might be able to get a better deal, and a better tank, by buying a package (starter) system that includes a new tank.
 
I don't like the equipment that comes with a "kit" its always generic, i would like to get my own filter, hood, lights, stand.. etc. Besides, i already have the tank and im not gonna do anything else with it, it's to big for QT (i like to use something small to sit on the counter for QT)
 
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