Figure 8 Puffer

[harmony]

Figure 8 Puffer - BW Question

Hello,

I'm currently cycling a new brackish tank intended for a figure 8 puffer. My question is this: What is an ideal salinity level for fig 8's? I've read they can live in anything from fresh to full SW, but do best in brackish. Right now the tank is at 1.005 -- is this too high/low? The tank is not live planted, and I intend to house just a single puffer and no other fish.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Considering that most lfs sell F8s in FW (ask yours, of course), 1.005 should be easy to acclimate your fish to in a few hours. Mine are at 1.008-10. I am now acclimating 2 F8s in a bucket w/a small hose dripping tank water into it. In 5 hours, I've gotten the bucket up to 1.005. I think I'll speed up the drip a bit, or I'll be up all night.

 

[harmony]

Thanks for the tip Pufferpunk. The local fish store near me that usually carries them keeps them in fresh... hopefully it will be a smooth transition for the little puff! I've got a supply of live snails waiting for him! Or HER for that matter... is there a way to tell their gender? I know there are ways to tell with the dwarf puffers, but I haven't read anything similar on the fig 8s. I'd like to be able to give it an appropriate name when I bring it home.

 

[RTR]

For Figure 8s, stick to gender-free names, only another Figure 8 knows.

 

[olaf]

This weekend I saw 5 F8P in full SW 1.025 They were at a Fish Store (Not Local). They said that the puffers were shipped in full SW. They said that is how they have been coming in lately, and they haven't had any problems with the health of the puffers.