CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Adam -
have you ever heard of a Dog faced puffin? if so are they salt water, brackinsh, or fresh (probaly not the latter). I saw one at a huge fish store about 10 years ago, and what can I say I ve been in love ever since!


Also would a 40 gal tank be a decent size to start "my first salt water tank"? I know I would not be able to put many fish in there because they are teritorial, but I don't want to go with anything smaller because the water chemestry would change more abruptly.

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Candice

Yeah that's a dog faced puffer and they are fairly popular and easy to get ahold of in the hobby. I couldnt find much on a quick search but if my memory is correct then they get about 10 inches long and would be fine in a 40-55 gallon fish only tank. They eat shrimp and inverts, so you will have to do alittle extra work in cleaning the tank. The are not brackish water fish though there are some puffers that get fairly large that are. There is one at a LFS here that is selling for $125. The dog face is definately a tropical saltwater fish though. You are right in wanting to do a somewhat larger tank, though I would suggest a 55 instead of 40 as the price isnt that much differant and you can do more with it.

Adam

just another quick question: my lfs has 2 tanks housing med.spotted puffers. 1 is a brackish tank and the other is freshwater. When I asked if they are brachish or fresh he said it doesn't matter, they are happy in both. Whats up with that? as Im sure that can not be entirly true!

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Candice

That is true....kind of. Many tidal fish swim up fresh water streams to over winter or to breed. They usually spend quite a bit of time as juviniles in freshwater, but as they mature they always move out to the ocean. This is how people get "freshwater moray eels" there is technically no such thing and what they really are is snowflake morays aclimated to freshwater.. they will get sick and die prematurely if they are not switched to a brackish setup as they age. They same is true for all "freshwater puffers" they will do ok in freshwater for a while but I would be willing to put money on the fact that the brackish fish will vastly out live the one in fresh. Buy them both and do an experiment.

hmmm. . . .it sounds like your reccomending 2 more tanks. . . .So if the other half has a problem Ill just say "they said I have to". lol

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Candice

Sure you can just tell him that it was an "experts" advice... this pumps my ego a bit and makes it sound better to him I can throw a fancy title in front of my name or temporarily slap a PhD on for a few days... just long enough to get the tanks set up and make them unreturnable I am willing to do anything to help a fellow aquarist.


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Save the animals, eat a PETA member!

Adam

do you think a ten gal (one for each of course) would be adequet to house the puffers? Any other advice would be helpful.


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Candice

I, unfortunately, am not an expert of puffers, I have always thought they were neat fish though. I believe most of the "freshwater" varieties stay rather small like in the 6" area, but I am not totally certain. I would think a 10 gallon tank for 1 of them would be fine, though take this with a grain of salt. You might want to do a search on the net for brackish water tanks, or see if your LFS has a good book on these tanks. I will see if I can find anything for you, and get back to you later if i find anything.


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Save the animals, eat a PETA member!

Adam

Ok I checked in one of my books and it gives plans for a brackish tank. It recommends you use 1.5 oz. per gallon of aquarium or sea salt to get a specific gravity of around 1.005-1.01. Here is the info he gives on green pufferfish (tetraodon fluviatilis). Generally green back with black spots; white or grey underside. The body of this species is covered with many relatively small spines.
Length: 7 inch.
Ease of keeping: Fairly easy.
Diet: Chopped meat, flake.
Breeding: Egg depositor
Swimming level: Midwater

(Source: The Complete Aquarium ; By: Peter W. Scott)

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Save the animals, eat a PETA member!

Adam

Thanks a bunch Adam

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Candice

By the way i told the other half your an ichiologist

lol ok sounds good... always wanted to be someone important :Þ

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Save the animals, eat a PETA member!

Adam