nathan7294

aww i like the green spotted puffers......

pinkfloydpuffer

Green spotted puffers are much bigger and have more stringent requirements.
They need 30gs, and much higher brackish even up to saltwater as they age.

nathan7294

ill look at the figure 8 puffers then

pinkfloydpuffer

They are really neat looking

nathan7294

ya can i put other fish with my figure 8 if i got 1? 15 gallons os alot of room for one fish

pinkfloydpuffer

15 gals is the minimum for one f8 puffer. Puffers need lots more room than your average fish. They are very messy and get very fat
And putting other fish with him, especially in only 15gs, would probably end with the other fish getting killed.

nathan7294

but ive also got a great filter ive got a 30 gallon bio-filter in there

pinkfloydpuffer

That's good. You'd need 150GPH flow from your filter for a puffer. They are really messy fish.

nathan7294

idk exactly what the GPH is....do i need to get different gravel for them?...i know ill need some more plants

pinkfloydpuffer

It's best to have aragonite. That will buffer the pH for you. But you could just get a small bag of aragonite or crushed coral to add to the filter.
Lots of plants and caves and places for them to swim through will be lots of fun for the little guy.

nathan7294

ive got a log and whats aragonite?

AlyeskaGirl

I came across this suggestion for tankmates for those fin-nippers.....
Semi Aggressive Fish: Danios, Red Tail Sharks. Zebra danios get 2 inches and chace other fish for sport, lol The thing about danios is that they are always on the move.......and like to jump!!!! lol

pinkfloydpuffer

It's a kind of substrate. Usually used for SW aquariums.

By fin-nippers do you mean puffers? If so, those tank mates would not be a good idea, especially since the puffer is brackish, and those fish are not.

nathan7294

i kinda like the red tail sharks

nathan7294

she was talking about my tigers i have now
and how much does it cost cuz i dont have alot of money

pinkfloydpuffer

Oh, ok. lol
You could probably find a smaller bag for less than ten dollars. And if you know anyone who has any in their tank you could ask them if you could have a handful.

nathan7294

im probably the oly person with fish in a 20 mile radius lol and ive got about 70 dollars for everything if i want a puffer

pinkfloydpuffer

Here's a 5lb. bag for $6.99
http://store.seacorals.net/caocdilicasa.html
And at your LFS you might be able to find something comparable.
Did you say you already have a filter?
If so, I think you can make it just fine.
If you can look at local listings, like craigslist, maybe you can find a good deal.

nathan7294

ive got a filter and a heater...3 fake plants and a log....and how do u feel about buying fish online because the only puffers ive seen at a fish store are 3 hrs. away

pinkfloydpuffer

Well, there's always the risk that they'll show up half dead. But if you think they're a reliable dealer then I think it'd be ok. I like to pick my fish out though, so I can watch their behavior and see if they're eating, etc.

nathan7294

ya i like to pick them out too..i'll probably go to the petstore and see if they can order one for me or something

pinkfloydpuffer

Yeah, that'd be good. They oftentimes will.

nathan7294

i guess i need a test kit too...and how do you change the water without stressing out the fish too much? i changed some of it the other day and the fish were freakin out

pinkfloydpuffer

Do you have a gravel vacuum? Or a python?
Those are the best ways to change the water.

And yes, you'd definitely need a test kit. You can get the API master test kit from drsfostersmith.com for less than $20 I believe. It's reliable and takes good readings.
drsfostersmith has great prices, so I'd suggest looking there. Or at petmountain.com or thatfishplace.com.

nathan7294

i dont have any of those...i used a garden hose...and ill look at those.

pinkfloydpuffer

Gravel vacuums are cheap. Only a few bucks.
Pythons on the other hand, are very pricey indeed...

nathan7294

ill go with the cheap 1 lol
i dont even know if ill get a new fish anytime soon...im tryin to save up for something else

pinkfloydpuffer

Good plan. You don't really need a python for smaller tanks.

It's good to be prepared with knowledge though, so good job

nathan7294

live or fake plants?

pinkfloydpuffer

With brackish you can try java moss/java fern. But not many plants like salt. I have java moss and fern in my brackish tank.
Either will work fine though.