Figure-Eight Puffers?

[Cichlid Woman]

Do you folks know anything about figure-eight puffers? I've got one. (It's a long story ...)

The web sites I've researched say it's vicious and will eat the tank, it's a great, nonaggressive community-tank puffer, it's a carnivore, it's omniverous, etc., etc.

I am thoroughly confused by the data. Has anyone actually had any experience with this fishie?

If it's aggressive, I'm giving it away tomorrow. I've got breeding kribs in there!!

Thanks in advance,

-- Pat

[JamisonBWolsh]

It LOVES to fin-nip! can anyone answer if this particular puffer needs salt in the water?

It does get to 6inches...

[Dangerdoll]

I believe figure eight's are brackish puffers. While I don't know much about them, I did find a website that indicates a community set-up... check it out, hope it helps:

http://chunkypuff.net/projectpuffer/t_biocellatus.htm

[JamisonBWolsh]

here is some links:

http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/profiles/blfw0082.htm
just facts..
http://chunkypuff.net/projectpuffer/t_biocellatus.htm
this one has an opinion...

http://members.tripod.com/~parrotzfreak/oliver.html
facts..
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/mb/mb71.html
some opinions

[JamisonBWolsh]

here is another thread with 30 replies on this type of fish..



http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&threadm=3c2e4faf%240%24200%24ba624c82%40nntp01.dk. telia.net&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fsourceid%3Dnavclient%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26q%3D%2522figure%2Beight%2Bpuffer%2522

[Decz]

Cichlid Woman, I just read an article about puffer fish in a magazine that I just picked up. It talks about the figure eight specifically, as well as many other freshwater puffers. If you want, email me, and I can scan the article and send it to you.

decz@spl.at

[RTR]

Decz - if you ae refering to the the Dec Aquarium Fish mag article, it has even more incorrect information than ususal.

CW - FW and BW puffers are carnivores. Some species are more aggressive than others, but none, nada, zero are trustworthy - especially as adults. Figure-8s are among the milder BW puffers and are quite hardy when properly maintained. But under the best of circumstances they are not community fish.

My experiences w/Fig-8s:

http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/8puffer.shtml

[JamisonBWolsh]

RTR- Isnt there one Freshwater Puffer that is not aggressive and WILL NOT nip fins. A long time ago I was thinking about getting it..but didnt. The one Im talking about is a pure FW puffer, grows larger. Thats all I know about it. It suppose to be a really nice puffer. Its not a common puffer. hard to get.. Now THATS all I know about it.

[Cichlid Woman]

Thanks, folks,

I checked out a lot of those sites before I asked you guys, and you see the problem--contradictory information. Maybe it's one of those individuals-within-a-species-variation thing.

The one I've got is spending all his time about a quarter of an inch from the breeding pot in which the kribs appear to be making babies, when he's not swimming up and down the side of the tank in the same area. (I suspect they're at the wiggler stage right now, and have not yet emerged from the pot.) The puffer isn't nipping at anything, and swims away when the male krib charges him, but then settles right back down to the vicinity of the breeding pot, which is in the corner of the tank.

Aha! ... update: I just did an experiement. I netted him and redeposited him way over on the other side of the tank, in the opposite corner. He stayed there for about a minute and a half, and now he's right back over by the krib jug again, swimming up and down in the water column (the power filter's about 18" above that spot). This is what he was doing last night, and he looks harmless enough, but I'm nervous.

About the fish himself: does he really need brackish? And will he eat flakes, or is this a frozen-food-only kind of fishie? I've tried to check this out but, again, found contradictory info. Even if he works out in the tank temperament-wise, I don't want to keep him under conditions that are bad for him. I don't have salt in the tank because I've got lots of cories, and I feed flake food most of the time. He ignored the flakes this morning, but then again he also ignored the frozen shrimp last night, too.

Any info would be really appreciated. Thanks,

-- Pat

[Cichlid Woman]

Oops, P.S.:

Decz, thanks, that was Aquarium Fish magazine, and I've got the article. And JamesBWalsh, the article makes reference to such a pure fresh-water fishie, but unfortunately that's not what got dumped into my lap on this occasion ...

-- Pat

[RTR]

Any article that gives Tetraodon nigroviridis and T. fluviatilis as FW and the former as a good community fish is based on dry lab results without actual personal experience with the fish, most likely repeating all the bad info you have already seen on the web and in old books. Figure-8s are also not FW, and are risky as community.

If you want better info, see the Aqualog monograph by Klaus Ebert. It is better than all the other sources combined.

No, a Figure-8 does not have to have BW, but in FW it will be prone to disease (Ich, eye probs, fungus) and will not be likely to grow to normal size and will definitely not live a normal lifeapn.

They are carnivores, some have been reported to eat flake. It is not a satisfactory diet for them and the their teeth will overgrow resulting in starvation. They need lots of snails, shrimp with shell, and shellfish.

Keeping one of these fish with a breeding pair of Chiclids is, quite frankly, ridiculous, but it is your tank and your choice.

[Cichlid Woman]

You might be right.

He's paying no attention to the kribs now, and is ranging happily all over the tank, but I'm worried about the BW vs. FW issue and the feeding issue.

Gonna have to think this one over carefully.

Thanks for the response.

-- Pat

[Decz]

Originally posted by RTR
Decz - if you ae refering to the the Dec Aquarium Fish mag article, it has even more incorrect information than ususal.


great, another subscription well spent :rolleyes:

[JamisonBWolsh]

The subscription wasnt a waste of money. Each article is an opinion. If a species of fish is said to be aggressive, an individual might be different. take for an example the red tail shark. You can get REALLY mean ones or you get nice ones.

With FISHKEEPING, there is no one true method. Its a try and see basis. One peron can say one way of taking care of a tank is the best. Another person could say no..its done this way...

Its what works for you that counts

[Cichlid Woman]

The puffer is now in a better home. After a couple of calls to lfs, I found one with a brackish tank set up who was willing to take it, and I got a $10 credit to boot! (For the puffer and the female extra krib I had--I couldn't catch the extra male!! Planted tank ...)

Thanks for the info, guys. Learning about the puffer's brackish and eating needs convinced me he didn't belong in my tank. Sure was a cute little bugger, though!

-- Pat

[rjl420]

Cichlid Woman-

if you ever want to add a puffer to your tank, look into Tetraodon travancoricus (http://puffernet.tripod.com/travancoricus.html), the true freshwater dwarf puffer, and Colomesus asellus (http://puffernet.tripod.com/asellus.html) AKA south american puffer, among others. they are well suited for community tanks.

[FishmasteR2002]

I just bought a spotted puffer for my 20L. He seems to be doing fine in there. I have him in there with guppies(3), Dwarf Gouramis(2), Harlequin Rasboras(2), a Forktailed Blue Eye, Flying Fox, Pl*co, and a small Convict Cichlid. He is so cute. I will try to take pics later on tonight. :)

[rjl420]

FishmasteR2002-

I'm not sure that is the best stocking for that tank, if your spotted puffer is a green spotted puffer (Tetraodon nigroviridus or Tetraodon fluviatilis) it will prefer brackish water and isn't the best of tankmates for most fish as they trend to get aggressive with age. check one of the above sites. the freshwater dwarf puffer,Tetraodon travancoricus, would be fine however, if thats what you have.

not to mention, the convict doesn't belong in that tank either.

sorry for the threadjack Cichlid Woman

[Cichlid Woman]

That's okay ...

I really like the looks of the colomesus. Thanks for the link, I bookmarked it. (It was kind of neat having a puffer in there.)

If one doesn't turn up, maybe I could get an lfs to order one ...

-- Pat