figure 8 puffer in saltwater?

[gio28]

i randomly read this thread about figure 8 puffers (brackish) being able to live happily in full saltwater. is this true? i've been really wanting a puffer that can be in a 36 gallon tank and these guys only get 3". im really curious if it can be kept in a reef tank and be happy and be a good tankmate. is it reef safe?

 

[outsdr2]

Hi my understanding is that by adulthood it is full marine. another thing I never knew was that puffers are messy eaters. but they more than make up for that in personality.

 

[lion_crazz]

Yep, they are a brackfish fish that lives their adult life in marine water. If you are going to try and convert one early, make sure you do hours of acclimation.

 

[red crab]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/3077697
Yep, they are a brackfish fish that lives their adult life in marine water. If you are going to try and convert one early, make sure you do hours of acclimation.
brackish is awesome go for it. you should buy that in brackish and covert it salt you can do it by slowly adding salt water the bag you get it in. it should take about 3 to 4 hours. you should talk you fish store about how to do it. I did with black molly's LOL

 

[gio28]

i love how they look like they are smiling at you. but it has to get along with community fish and be reef safe...ill look into that. im glad they can be in saltwater

 

[mr.clownfish]

is a figure 8 puffer the same as a leopard puffer?

 

[gio28]

it is close to the spotted puffer...which might also be called a leopard puffer

 

[ca161406]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078218
it is close to the spotted puffer...which might also be called a leopard puffer
if u keep the sg low they will be fine. fig 8s aren't generally marine fish but the GSPs do really well. i have two in my reef tank
if you have any acclimation questions shoot me a pm

 

[gio28]

do the GSPs get big? i have a 36 gallon so if they get 6+" then i prob cant have one. and do they eat snails and shrimp?

 

[ca161406]

Originally Posted by gio28
http:///forum/post/3078256
do the GSPs get big? i have a 36 gallon so if they get 6+" then i prob cant have one. and do they eat snails and shrimp?
ive had mine for 2 years and they're about 2.5"
and yup, any puffers gonna make a snack outta shrimps and crabs.
i got mine from wal*mart when they were the size of an almond

 

[sepulatian]

I am not sure where people are getting their information from but brackish fish go between fresh and salt. They live in fresh as juveniles and go into brackish/salty as adults. They do not live in full salt as adults or you would find them sold as saltwater fish captured in adulthood. For those that don't know, brackish water is found when rivers run into oceans. It is semi-salty water. If you are going to convert a brackish puffer into saltwater then do it very slowly, as in months. You will need a conversion tank. It cannot be done in a matter of hours, unless you happen to get one puffer that will live through anything. When they are acclimated into salt, they do best at an SG of 1.015 but can live in 1.022. If you have a system containing inverts that need a higher SG, your happy medium will not be found. The inverts or the fish will die early.

 

[mantisman51]

A little late again. Puffers are a passion of mine. Sep is 100%+ correct. Figure 8 puffs are brackish as adults. 1.015 sg is the max before they will have a greatly shortened existence. 1.008-1.010 sg is the ideal range. Putting them in true SW 1.022-1.025 sg will destroy their kidneys and shorten their lives. I responded (late) because Sep is the only one who seems to get it. GSP's are found in marine environments for short intervals, but are brackish, also-though they seem to live a little longer in SW than figure 8's. My f8 lived for 4 years in brackish-1.008 sg.

 

[spottedpuff3r]

Sorry to say sepulatian but your actually wrong. Brackish fish normally spawn in freshwater then at around 1 1/2-2 inches convert to brackish then later on live in marine conditions.
But from my own experiences, all freshwater fish can tolerate SOME salt. But the term "Brackish Fish" means they can tolerate freshwater and marine water, because I'm sure there's no area besides our tanks that stay at an SG of 1.005-1.010...
Oh and sorry for bringing this forum back from like four years ago, I felt I should just correct something that I'd seen like 7 times while doing research. LOL!!!