BluePenguin Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Hi Guys, This is about brackish setup - didn't know where to post this - After much thought and research I decided to go with a brackish puffer tank (instead of a full-blown marine setup)... I'm too much of a beginner and feel this is the best start... I also downscaled considerably (33gal tank): I'm ready to start preparing the aquarium, and I plan to have set it up as close to a mangrove estruary as possible... Any recommendations on plants (where are these type available in Calgary?) I also read that I could use twigs coated in polyutherane to mimic underwater roots - any thoughts? What about the substrate? Anything else I should keep in mind? I don't have particular puffer species in mind yet - but they will likely have to be kept just by themselves... Thanks! -Bluepenguin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatpuffer Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) Wai's sometimes have mangrove pods for sale and that's pretty much all i know about plants in brackish water. Puffs on the other hand, I know just a bit more. You can house a green spotted puffer in a 30gallon for life. However, that is only one puffer. You may be able to put in smaller fish such as gobies as scavengers. You can start this puff in fw and slowly increase the salinity to brackish. As adult, around 4 inches, you can slowly increase it to marine condition. They live in salt water as adult so that would be a good process for you to enter marine tanks. I do have a small gsp around 1.5 inches that i acclimatized into marine. He was given to me and my brack setup at that time was unstable. It took 48 hours of slowly drip-acclimatization. He is doing well in marine tank. Your choices of puffs are : green spotted puffer (T. nigriviridis; max size 6 inches) or ceylon puffer (max size around 8 inches). Unless u want to go light brac 1.005, those are the only two the would live in ur tank for life...even the ceylon (t. fluviatilis) may be a little cramped. If you want to venture to light brack...Figure 8's (t. biocellatus) will work...maybe 2-3 in a 33 gallon. Get a big cannister or aquaclear filters...they are messy! Js Edited February 9, 2006 by fatpuffer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 (edited) The only puffer that stays brackish for it's entire life is the figure eight. A 33 would provide a nice home for 2 or 3. You could also add some bumblebee gobies, knight gobies, mollies or something. You would be aiming for a SG of 1.005 I've seen some pretty nice tanks done with slender pieces of mopani to simulate the root system of this kind of tank. Very cool when done well. For plants, you can have Java fern, java moss and some types of vals. All pretty easy to come by. Edited February 9, 2006 by midgetwaiter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Thanks guys, Yes the figure 8 puffers seem like a good idea, I was thinking of having 3-4. Would you recommend adding a few scats to this mix, or are they incompatible (and too crowded)? does this mean that other puffers need full-blown marine in the later course of their life? Are there any other brackish (or purewater) species aside from figure 8 that I could keep? I don't foresee going full-marine in the future (space/considerably larger committment ...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midgetwaiter Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I'd say that Scats get too big for a 33. They are really really messy buggers. You could kee a few types FW puffers in there, problem being that most FW puffers are super agressive lurkers, they make for boring tanks. A group of dwarf puffers or a lone Bronze puffer would be cool and they spend most of their time out and around. Riverfront has Bronze puffers right now. does this mean that other puffers need full-blown marine in the later course of their life? Yes they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted February 10, 2006 Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 mmmmpuffers I agree with the above posters. A light brackish tank will support 2-3 F8's and some variety with Bumblebee Gobies and some hardy plants. I stress hardy, as once you get up to 1.005 SG, even those will start to die off or cease to grow. Other than that, there are no real puffers that stay brackish water for their life. If you'd like to slowly graduate to a marine tank, a GSP or a Ceylon would be a good choice. They do get larger, so I would only house it as a singleton if the 33g is going to be its home for life. If you'd like to upgrade the size of the tank, Scats, Monos, and Archerfish all graduate to full marine conditions eventually(and they grow very big!) Freshwater puffers are fairly common. Most common being the dwarf puffer. You've got several options in a 33g, with dwarf puffers, irubesso puffers, and all the lurker species(arrowhead puffer, humpback puffer, brown puffer, fang's puffer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluePenguin Posted February 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2006 Thanks guys I'm thinking that I will eventually upgrade the tank to something in the 50-70 gal range, but this is really my first stab at fishkeeping - need to start small !!! I will let you know what I got and post pics of the setup this weekend - very excited!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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