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I do not like the way this tanks looks and need ideas! So far it's got puffer color gravel, a dark lava rock, and a few floating plants. I can't really see the three Puffers! I've never liked colored gravel but may go that way. I think more plants and lava rocks, but isn't there something I can do to have the Puffers show more. This is also the bottom tank on a ten gallon two tank stand, so when I look, I'm looking down at it. The top tank has white gravel black river rocks and a Betta and white and gold snails, shrimp and nice plants. Any ideas to make the Puffer tank stand out?

Darker substrate, and more light (not that I know puffer lighting requirements ). I'd stick darker colored plants and broad leaves rather than something like hornwort or wisteria that looks busy all by itself. What kind of background is on the tank ?.

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The background is just a run of the mill one, it's ok as far as backgrounds go. I was thinking micro sword for some of the plants. What about black gravel?

Black gravel should help...one word of caution that no one ever mentioned to me...when I switched one of the office tanks to a black background it made the whole tank appear darker. I'd love to add more lighting to it but I'm limited. I think you'd be safe with the gravel, lighter colors tend to stress the fish, so dark is generally prefered. Any chance we can get a pic to work with ???

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Where are the puffers hiding?

My puffer tank has flourite and a long, low piece of driftwood with java fern attached. I also have java fern growing in the substrate and moneywort. Mine don't go into the plants but swim around the open portion of the tank.

If you have puffer colored gravel doing a change there might help. Plants are always nice but maybe not get any that get too bushy or shrubby so the puffs can't hide.

Off topic but I have a dual 10g stand, do you have any problems with cleaning the bottom tank?





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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Just use caution when getting black gravel, as some had metal in it. The best way to tell, is to run a magnet near it. In the store, take one of the magnet algae cleaners and see if it tries to pull towards the gravel.

The reason this is not good, is that the metal will get sucked up in your filter and stick to the magnet in your impeller, and can cause it to go bad very quickly.


HTH....

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There is always a bigger fish...

Black gravel may be a little extreme, I'd say dark natural colored gravel.

The puffers aren't hiding. They swim though the lava rock. I have java fern but they are just some daughter plants I dropped in.
Sometimes I do have a problem getting my gravel vacuum to work on the lower tank. It seems that if I start with the lower tank then do the other 4, it works better.
I've only had the puffers about a week. They ate blood worms within an hour of going in the tank. I took over an hour getting them in the tank so they were ready for a meal.
I have the natural colored gravel now. The puffers are not even1/2 inch. About the size of a piece of gravel.
I'm really thinking of that black gravel since I have the white gravel in the top tank. Maybe I could find white stones. It's too bad the puffers eat snails , I have white ones that would look cool. I'll try the magnet if I can find the black gravel. Thanks guys and hugs to you.

I would remove the lava rock due to the sharp edges. The puffers pectorial(sp?) fins are constantly going and if they were to scrape up against the sharp edges it could damage them and you increase the risk of infections from any lacerations on their bodies.
I would imagine they would be dwarf puffers in that size tank in which I would suggest multiple driftwood structures/piles that would break up the line of sight from side to side and front to back to help the puffer's establish their territory.

As for snails, check the lfs' for pond snails. They breed like crazy and are needed to keep the "teeth" in check. I have heard that the MTS' shell is too thick and can break a tooth. I keep a 30gal Rubbermaid set up with pond snails and have a hard time with the population explosions.

Good luck
Dave

Last edited by nydiroth at 07-Dec-2004 09:00