figure 8 puffer compatibility?

[Fishypoon]

I read that figure 8's are better able to tolerate freshwater for a longer period of time and are not as tempermental as their spotted counterpart. I was planning to put a small one into a 33g tank that will be hosuing clown loaches and german blue rams..is this a good idea?

Thanks!

Kit

[fatpuffer]

Each puffers have their own personality. One cannot generalize the temperament based on other people's previous experience. So my answer for that is maybe; you can try it but you may likely have casualties.

Fig. 8 are low end brackish fish (sg 1.005ish). they can tolerate freshwater but are more susceptible to ich, parasites, etc. Their life span is cut drastically in half. For example, a puffer keeper of more that 40 years experience, kept fig 8 in both brac and fw. The results were that the fig. 8 lived for about 8 years or so on average and the brac water fish lived for more that 10 years...on average. His oldest was 18 years old.

So you you want to have the happiest fat, active puffer, go for the brackish condition. OR you can go for a c. asellus or south american puffer. similar to fig 8 except that it is truly a fw fish. like many other reports, some say they can keep them in a community setting, other not.

good luck with your puffs.

js

[Rainmaker69]

I would either keep it in a species tank by itself or maybe with another in a large enough tank. Puffers have a bad reputation for aggression with other fish. My GSP came to me from a co-worker who put one in his community tank. Everything was great for about 5 days, then all his other fish started losing fins, scales, and getting bruised from his bites. He is now in full marine conditions with two 3 strpe damsels, who are mean enough to hold their own against him.

[vantgE]

My understanding is that puffers are a no go, but relatively often you get some that work for a little while with plecos, otos, or birchers, KEY POINT "little while" eventually you'll be missing half a fish, not that i've lept these guys but have been trying to work a dwarf puffer tank into my current lineup