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I've got a dilemma. My crayfish just died (long, sad story), so now I've got nothing to eat my puffer's leftover brine shrimp and other goodies! My filter works great, but personally, I just love to have that symbiosis in my tank, so I need a scavenger or two (plus I like watching them).

As of now, it's a 10-gal with a figure-8 puffer, 3 zebra danios, a blue platy, and a raphael that hides all day long. The raphael cleans house at night, but I want something I can watch all day. I need some suggestions on something small, fun to watch, stays on the bottom, and doesn't overload my tank.

Also, now that my cray is gone, the tank is safe for slow algae eaters, and I'd love to get something else to munch on algae (even maybe a snail?). My cray was just too cool, and now my tank is kinda depressing without him.

Any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Id nix the F8(Its brackish and nippy) and the raphael(gets too big). Then i would up your danios to about 5. As for scavengers apple snails do well. Good Algae eaters are pygme cories and panda cories and otos. Cories should be kept in schools of 6, while otos like at least 3.


HTH

*If you want to find out more about F8s and their habitat, go to the puffer forum. Pufferpunk is very knowledgable and will be happy to help.

Last edited by katieb at 02-Mar-2005 21:23

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

My F8 has actually been a great addition thus far. He was a gift from a friend, and I couldn't turn it down. He hasn't been nippy at all, but I know this could get worse with time. I'm always watching him, so I'll know if he gets into any trouble. Also, I've read about them being brackish, but I've read in more places that F8's prefer freshwater too! He seems to love it in there, but I'm not sure now...

I know the raphael will get bigger, but I've got plans for another tank in about three weeks. He'll be getting transplanted most likely.

Also, the cories and otos you said should be in larger groups. I really don't want to add that many fish at once. Are there any loners I could add that may be fun?

Also, that apple snail sounds good, but will my puffer eat it? And will the snail eat of my other fish? My friends have said that some of their fish have disappeared from the tank after the addition of apple snails - any truth to this?

Thanks again!

Fig 8s are found in both light brackish water marshes as well as full fresh in it's natural habitat. They should do fine in freshwater, though a bit of salt wouldn't hurt. They also tend ot be on the mild side of the pufferfish spectrum. Also, there are certain species of preadatory snails in the same family as your standard apple, but none which are commonly available. The figure 8 will eventually nip the snail to death once he finds out it's edible. I wouldn't risk it.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 02-Mar-2005 21:54

Thanks for your help. I figured the snail wouldn't be a good idea. Now I just need to find something else to munch on my algae and something else small to eat off the bottom. Any good ideas?

IMO, I'd get rid of the danios, add another platy or two, and some bumblebee gobies. Slowly afterwards, dose a bit of salt every day until the salinity is that of mildly brackish water--thus, you get the bottom feeders, the algae eaters (platies--plus, you should get considerably less of that green stringy stuff/brown hairy stuff you usually see in freshwater tanks), and a slightly happier pufferfish. If not, I guess you could always go with ottos.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 03-Mar-2005 11:14

I actually really like your idea of converting to a brackish tank. I only have one proboem with that, however. I've got nowhere to put my danios as of now. I won't be buying my second tank until the last week in March. I'm not sure what I would do with them at all.

I really like the idea of the gobies, however. They sound like they would be really neat to have. Do they need to be kept in groups? Or are they more loners? Also, the platies like to eat algea? Mine never seems to go for it at all. The brown kind is starting to spread across the glass now...

The brackish water sounds better for the puffer, plus, just like you said, I have that green fuzz algae, and I don't like it at all.

I guess I'm just a little apprehensive changing over the tank. I've never considered adding salt at all, so I might have to have my friend help me with it if I do it. Are there any other really sweet brackish fish that would work well with my future setup? If I find a brackish fish I like, I'll probably make the change.

Thanks again for all your help! As a beginner, I really appreciate it!

"Also, the cories and otos you said should be in larger groups. I really don't want to add that many fish at once. Are there any loners I could add that may be fun?"

There are Bristlenose and bulldog plecs

"Also, that apple snail sounds good, but will my puffer eat it? And will the snail eat of my other fish? My friends have said that some of their fish have disappeared from the tank after the addition of apple snails - any truth to this?"

Your snail is no danger to other fish, but like other posters have mentioned he may very well become lunch himself

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.