figure 8 puffer help

[lloyd1]

im thinking of getting sum fighure 8 puffers but wanted a bit of help first please
1.how many can u keep together in a 3 foot tank and can u keep them with cichlids.

2.how big do they get

3.what to feed them

4.do these 1s puff up to and are they hardy easy fish to keep

thanks alot hope u can help me along my way

[andy007]

Hi

The first consideration is that Figure 8's are really a low salinity brackish fish, and do better health wise at salinity levels of 1.005 - 1.007.
They are fairly territorial, but less so than T. Nigroviridis.
Each Puffer should be allowed around 15 gallons each.

[lloyd1]

wat does it mean when people say brackish water i have a matured filter and was gonaput sum cichlids in there with them to if ok too

[andy007]

Brackish simply means that there is a salt content in the water. You attain this by adding aquarium salt and testing with a hygrometer. Not all fish are tollerant to salt at those levels though.

[lloyd1]

can they survive with out salt in there my cichlids include yellow labs powder blues will they be ok

[andy007]

Take a look here Brackish-water aquarium - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not sure about cichlids, although i do understand that there are some which will tollerate a brackish aquarium.

[andy007]

They can survive in freshwater, but you have to ensure you get them from somewhere that has kept them in freshwater. I'm not a fan of keeping brackish fish in freshwater, as its not a kin to their natural environment.

With those African Cichlids i would say no to brackish as their natural lake has virtually 0% salinity.

[alburglar]

Not all of them require brackish water, there are some true freshwater species and some that are true brackish but do fine in fresh water. They are pretty crap fish tho, they lurk and hide all day, and at night kill anything that moves in the tank!

[alburglar]

other members of the puffer family are much more fun, this is my nile puffer "booey"!
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[gal gecko]

Originally Posted by alburglar

Not all of them require brackish water, there are some true freshwater species and some that are true brackish but do fine in fresh water. They are pretty crap fish tho, they lurk and hide all day, and at night kill anything that moves in the tank!

Your having a laugh aren't you! Figure 8's are one of the best little puffers, mine were anyway, one of them had sooooo much personallity it was unreal.
My Green Puffers are funky little thing but are no where as friendly as the figure 8's.

They eat Bloodworm and Snails- they are so fun to watch terrorising snails they kinda go cross eyed
For me the Figure 8's were more tolerant of other tank mates.

If you want a freshwater puffer find some Dwarf Puffers- only grow about 2cm, but they have so much attitude its unreal, saw one picking on my Pearl Gourmi which is about 10 times their size.... quite funny to see such a little dude give so much spark lol.

And yes Figure 8's do puff.... they are puffers.... but it is not recommended to make them do so... it is very very stressful for them, especially if they puff up on air.

I love Figure 8's wish I could get some more!!