New Puffer

[hudson]

Just bought my first puffer. It's a figure eight. It's my first brackish fish so I did a lot of research before I bought him, and I know the basics for his care. Just wandering whether anyone has one and if you have any tips that you may have learned from experience.

Any info would be appreciated.

[Shane Tesser]

All puffers have a passion for snails! They can be nippy with other fish, and the beaks are pretty powerful, so if you choose tank mates, choose wisely! I have a couple of indian puffers. In the tank i have lots of java moss, they seem to really love it. They cruise around through it as if its home. Maybe try some, could work for you. Great fish, best of luck with them :)

[MartinW]

I believe puffer teeth never stop growing so hard things like snails are important to wear the teeth down.

[Youkai]

Don't dangle your fingers in the water.... ;)

When I had puffers, I kept them at a specific gravity of 1.012 using marine salt. The tank was furnished with lots of driftwood and slate, which they loved. They ate every frozen food you can imagine, as well as pelets and well...anything!

Very cool fish, but they most certainly can't go with other fish.

Enjoy them!

[hudson]

Shane, My guy is pretty small he's only about an inch long and he's in a twenty gallon tank, what would you suggest for a tank mate. Or should I just leave him by himself till he atleast gets a little bigger.

Thanks to everyone who responded

[deadpinkphish6]

Well I know I'm new to this particular forum, but I too had a figure 8 puffer, and I had him in a 55 gallon tank along with a clown knife, rope fish, elephant nose, and some other big fish who could hold their own, and the puffer was a mere 2 inches. I was always one to mix fish that shouldn't be mixed but they always got along, luckily. I noticed that mine liked a place to hide usually like I had big coral in my tank (fake) but he always like the hide in the hole next to the hole that my clown knife hid in.

[Shane Tesser]

I have mine with rosy, gold, and oddessa barbs...they seem to do quite well as they are all fast moving fish and not aggressive towards the puffers..but mine are true freshwater puffers...or so all the info i can find on them says....but as for a brackish...i would leave them as a single species fish personally..but someone else might have an idea :)

[17730turtlegirl]

like deadpinkphish6 i have a knack for mixing unmixable fish and it usually turns out all right you can also ask some people in the store where you got it what will mix