Sorry for the 2nd topic so soon, but a light question:

[Jessica]

I edited my last response in my first thread, and then when I tried to add this question onto it, I wasn't allowed because of a 12 hour rule. I'm supposing I won't be able to post under this message unless someone answers first, so I'll try to cram my questions for the day in here:



Look what I just found:

That white plastic around the bulb just broke apart when I touched it. I didn't have to pull at all:

Naturally, I'm assuming it's not safe, so I'll have to buy a new light thing.


Do they come with the bottom half, the clear plastic contraption they sit on and the light shines through? My plastic is all crusty and scratched, so I may as well get the whole setup if they sell it as such.


For one question I missed earlier, I have no idea what brand of filter I have.

It has crusty stuff all over it too, so I'll probably be buying a different one of those also.

Any suggestions?

And why do I have crusties, and what is it? How do I avoid it in the future?

Thanks,

Jessica


.....


Someone at work told me I have to buy a water tester for a fresh water tank. I thought that was for salt water only. Am I wrong? What do I need to test for? Will the tests depend on the fish I eventually get?


.....


My fish decision is a LONG way off, but sometimes I see stores with the cutest little green spotted puffers. Are they a fresh water fish? How many can easily live in a tank of my size (about 30 gallons)? Can you put anything else in with them? Do they swim the whole tank, or just in the top/middle/bottom?

I want an active tank, but not a tightly stocked one.

 

[bman]

Welcome to AA.

Whoa, that's a lot of questions! (but that is how I started out too)

I would buy an entire new light, I do not think they sell the guts to those.
Crusty stuff on the filter? MAybe a pic would help, but it probably may mean that you have hard water and there is calcium buildup on it.

You should buy a FW test kit. You will need to check pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels until the tank is cycled, and periodically after that.

Dwarf puffers ARE fresh water fish, and should do OK in your tank. I have read, however, that they are aggressive towards other fish. Maybe someone else with some experience with these fish can help better.

 

[rich311k]

You can buy a new hood and strip light. I prefer the glass hoods over the plastic ones. If you know what brand tank you have you can look online for the options and pricing will be much better than buying at a LFS.

I would suggest the aquaclear line of HOB filters. Very nice units. Plenty of room to be flexible with your filter media choices.

You will need a test kit. The Aquarium Pharmacueticals master test kit is very good. You will need to test for amminia, nitrite, nitrate, PH and KH. You can get this online for a good price as well. Check out bigalsonline.com for the hood, light strip, filter and test kit.

 

[penpitt]

green spotted puffers are a brackish fish that will eventually require marine conditions. They get to be about 6" and the 30 gallon is the minimum size tank recommended for them. They are best left as a singleton or if the tank is big enough a species only

 

[7Enigma]

penpitt,

Very interesting. Do they then (in the wild) travel through brackish streams towards the ocean? I'm quite intrigued with how their needs change throughout their lifespan.

Mod's, how about a fish profile for the puffer?

 

[rollin_22]

yes they do travel through rivers and streams that are brackish to get to the ocean to spawn

 

[SerLunchbox]

The word you use to describe puffers in the wild is catadromous.

They live in freshwater (can be at that point of brackish water which, but most culinary people like me is still considered a freshwater) and then moves to the ocean to spawn.

Anadromous is like pacific salmon. They live in saltwater but spawn in freshwater.