davidb Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hey all, I have several freshwater tanks and lots of amphibian tanks and really want to get a brakish tank with pufferfishes. Does anyone know where you can get green spotted puffers or figure 8 puffers in Auckland? There is an auction for a Jebo 338 tank on Trademe with 2x green spotted puffers and a mono- I would have thought one would have needed a tank alot larger than 40L for these three fish. What do you guys think? I was thinking I could start from scratch with a 120L tank with 3 puffers or a 180L or so tank with 2 puffers and a couple of archers or mono's or scats? Any Input would be great. Thanks alot David B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbles Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hi, I had a brackish tank with a GSP before I went full marine. I spoke to a LFS employee at the time who said that they won't be stocking them anymore as demand wasn't that high. However, they could place special orders if asked to. Go talk to someone at Hollywoods or Jansens to see what they can get you. Worth noting: make sure you pick carefully, my GSP was a little angel up to a point and then wanted to kill everything in sight. Had to get rid of him in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 Hollywoods in Albany has one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted October 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 So you don't think it is a good idea to get the jebo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted October 31, 2006 Report Share Posted October 31, 2006 http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/bracki ... tml#163721 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I'm looking at maybe getting a Aqua 1 AR620 (About 90 Ltrs). Would this be sweet for 3 puffers (Green spotted puffers or figure 8 puffers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html 90l = 23US gallons The above site recomends 55gallons for three GSP or Figure 8 Puffers. 55gal = 208litres You must remember that these fish can be very aggressive, they will take a bite out of anything that swims by, and may need to be converted to full marine as they mature. They are also terrirorial, which accounts for the large space required for them, rather than fish load, so a shallower but longer tank may be a better option, allowing them to establish a territory for themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bychineva Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I have two GSP...they were once brackish...i started them off in a 30L tank then they are now full marine.100l ..but they are very aggresive ...i was told by hollwood they can fight...its only share chance if they are compatible with eachother...and they do have a nip at everything... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Nice looking tank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bychineva Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Nice looking tank! Thanks...slowly adding softies into it ...just making sure they wont bite them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted November 3, 2006 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 I agree nice to see some thing differant. Great tank :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 and with very little lighting and just some small additives from HK. still looking good b. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bychineva Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 thanks...just using..some iodine and strotium a protein skimmer..and compacts...more soft corals will go in next week..will post pics ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hey guys thanks for the advice. I think i will just get 2 gsp's or 2 figure 8's and a 150L tank or something so I don't have to bother upgrading the tank when they grow. What do you recommend in terms of filters, powerheads etc for the fish when they are brakish. I know you need the water cycled 10x an hour so do you think 2 external filters would do the trick or should I think about getting a sump? Oh yeah and do I need a skimmer or does that wait till the puffers are fully marine? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bychineva Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 you can survive with an external filter with carbon and sponge in it...but if you do have other livestock...ie corals then i would recommend a skimmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 but I cannot get corals until I go full marine can I? i was thinking that while the tank was brakish I would have lots of rocks and wood and maybe some long stringy plastic plants if they looked realistic enough and then I would have dim lighting in order to go for the mangrove effect. I would then be able to hide a wave maker or something at the back to get the water moving. I would use a sand base and maybe 1 internal power filter and one external canister filter if it was big enough. Then when my puffers needed to go marine I would get some live rock, soft corals, a sump and make a tricle filter from pump to sump, and maybe add a carbon filter in the sump. Having a sump would tidy up the tank also because I would be able to stick heaters and a skimmer etc in there. Well thats my plan. Tell me what you think. Thanks alot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Cant the puffers go full marine if you adjust them when their young or arent they able to do this at a young age? You could just run it at full marine from the get go, with a wet dry filter(either one you build in your sump or an external one) or a cannister filter. I'd build a sump and put a wet/dry waterfall part in it with bioballs, that will set you up and you wont need other filters. You can run carbon in the sump baffles in a bag. If you want to add live rock and corals you can later on, you might be best to start with a bit of rock though. You can still put wood/mangrove stuff in there, just put the liverock in the sump if you dont want it to be seen. Skimmers heaters ect can all be added to the sump. If you are thinking about full marine you could go fish only tank - there are some amazing fish available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 well that is what I would have liked to have done from the word go but I wave been reading that it takes quite a few months to slowly increase the salt concentration, because of course you have to start with the salt concentration which they have at the shop... or am I wrong? living in a brakish environment I would have thought they would be able to adjust quite easially to the changing salt concentrations with tidal fluctuations... or am I wrong again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 I'll have a read around, but with most brackish things the transition can be done over a day. I was just thinking that maybe jouveniles can't be converted to full marine until they develop a bit later. I was totally stocked - when I was in Australia at a nature reserve mangrove thing I saw a little puffer crusing around in very shallow water, I had never expected to see one outside a tank. I suggest keeping GSPs at low-end BW when juvenile <2", (in a specific gravity, or SG of 1.005-08), at 2-4", medium BW (SG 1.010-15) and adult >4" SW (SG 1.018-22). You must use marine salt. You will need a hydrometer to measure the salinity. It takes a cup of salt/5 gal of water to raise the SG .005. If the puffer you purchase is in FW at the store, then you should start out your tank in FW and raise the SG .002/week, until you reach the desired SG. This is so you don't destroy the good nitrifying bacteria as you add salt. SW bacteria are different than FW, so you need time for the SW bacteria to develop as the FW bacteria dies off slowly. If the store keeps their puffers in BW (congratulations, you've found a store that really cares about their fish), cycle your tank at whatever SG the puffers are living in at the store. If you already have an established BW tank and are buying a puffer kept in FW at the store, you need to acclimate it very slowly. Whenever I change a fish over from FW-BW, BW-SW, or visa-versa, I use a drip system. I put the fish in a bucket below the tank I will be moving it into, covered by water from the tank the puffers were living in, about 1" over its head. I tie a knot in an air hose until it drips enough water into the bucket to raise or lower the SG in the bucket .001/hour. Im still trying to find out whether its ok to keep the younger ones at marine salinity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 oh great thanks alot. i was thinking would it be best to: a) wait round til someone has a good tank/sump combo on trademe b) get one custom made c) neither of the above. Haha I don't want to spend too much money-being a student, oh and do you know how much puffers normally sell for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Well from what I've been reading it would appear that you can convert jouveniles to full salt. I cant find this written anywhere, it seems people want these as fresh water but are forced to make them more marine as they age. The slow transfer between salinites is for the filter to catch up NOT the fish, I havent found any info about how long this should take if say you bought at an aquarium(fresh) and transfered it to marine. It does look like its possible, perhaps others will know for sure. As for buying a tank I think either here or TM. No question about it, go second hand. A full system with sump shouldnt be too hard to find, making a sump is super easy - just buy a tank and silicon in some dividers. Trademe is weird there are some people who set totally unrealistic prices and stay there forever, and there are others who have been forced by their wives to get it out of the garage for whatever $ they can muster. I got a 280L tank for $100, a 120L tank for $30 with an 80L free (both new tanks) , and now a complete marine setup 450L for $700. Just wait it out for say a month and there will definately be a bargin in here somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 As for buying a tank I think either here or TM. No question about it, go second hand. A full system with sump shouldnt be too hard to find, making a sump is super easy - just buy a tank and silicon in some dividers. Trademe is weird there are some people who set totally unrealistic prices and stay there forever, and there are others who have been forced by their wives to get it out of the garage for whatever $ they can muster. TM is ok if you know what you are looking at, and the size/shape doesn't matter too much, but to be honest once you start looking at setups with skimmers, sumps, lots of plumbing, pumps, drilling holes, etc, the cost of the tank is a pretty minor cost. For me the option of having a new tank made to just what I want is better. It seems to be that the going rate is $1=liter or less at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bychineva Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 i did my transition in 2days.....gsp are very hardy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 the only 2 tanks in Auckland on trademe at the moment are http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 329500.htm which is a bit expensive- It is prob worth it but i'm not gonna pay $1200 for a tank for my puffers, is that a refugium in the sump by the way? the other one is this: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 701216.htm 640 litres is waaay to big though- I could have 6 puffers in there :lol: It would also require a strong stand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted November 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 oh what about this one? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 173864.htm it is 180 litres, and has 2x fluval 204's= 1360 L an hour. If I got an internal filter I could bump that up to 1800L an hour... what do you guys think? or would I be best getting a sump? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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