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Figure 8 puffer
Figure 8 puffer is among the most colorful pufferfish species, and it maintains lovely markings from birth to adulthood. It has deep brown coloration on the upper part of the body with a white underside. You will also find yellow spots and lines throughout its body. Figure 8 puffer fish is a perfect puffer species if you want to try out keeping puffers in brackish water.
It is suitable for beginner puffer keepers due to its entertaining, friendly, and personable nature. This article is the one for you if you are wondering whether you can keep figure 8 puffer fish in freshwater.
Origin and Distribution
Figure 8 puffer fish is a brackish water fish. In the wild, it is commonly appear in fresh and brackish streams and estuaries of Southeast Asia in countries like the Malaysian peninsula, Borneo, Thailand, and Sumatra. Figure 8 puffers do not breed in captivity. Most of the species in home aquariums are from the wild.
Can Figure 8 Puffer Fish Live in Freshwater?
What is best habitat for figure 8 puffer?
There is a controversy on the best habitats that is suitable for figure 8 puffer fish. Figure 8 puffer fish may fare well in freshwater, but they can still tolerate brackish water or even the ocean. In captivity, it is best if you keep them in low-end brackish water or very hard freshwater. If you keep figure 8 puffers in freshwater, their immune systems are compromised, and it can lead to disease and early death of the fish.
However, they live longer in brackish water. Since it is hard to achieve very hard freshwater, adding marine salt to the water may be best for the hobbyist.
Setting up a Tank for Figure 8 Puffer Fish
Figure 8 puffers sources are from the wild. They are usually sold in freshwater at local fish shops. When you are purchasing figure 8 puffer, it is best to use a fishless cycling technique in your tank using the specific gravity used for keeping them in the store when you bought them. You can check the specific gravity used at the pet store by bringing your hydrometer or refractometer.
Once your fish is comfortable in your tank, you can start raising the specific gravity slowly (.001 to .002 weekly). By increasing the specific gravity gradually, you will not disturb the biological filter bacteria in the tank that you just cycled. When you are raising the specific gravity, use marine salt and measure with a refractometer or hydrometer.
Add pufferfish directly from freshwater to brackish tank
You can also add your figure 8 pufferfish directly from freshwater to the already established brackish tank. What you should do is drip-acclimate the fish in the water using an air hose that Knott to drip the tank water into the freshwater. You will keep doing this process until the salt levels in both the bucket and the brackish tank are the same.
Figure 8 puffer fish are tropical fish, and the best water temperature for them is around 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a substrate of crushed coral or aragonite sand to keep the water pH at about 8. It would be best if you also kept in mind that puffers do not have scales or gill covers and are very sensitive to toxins in a cycling tank. Ensure that you place your figure 8 puffers in a fully cycled tank with no ammonia or nitrites. The best specific gravity for figure 8 puffer fish is around 1.005 to 1.008.