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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water

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27 Feb 2007 04:28 #1 by tazdogue (tazdogue)
Just wondering if anyone had any experiences or information on brackish water aquariums? I am thinking about setting up a tank for some green spotted puffer fish and have read that they would be healthier in brackish water. So any information would be a great help. I've search the net and have read conflicting reports about the puffer fish but the general opinion is that brackish water is the way to go.
How can tell if a puffer fish is male or female?
As puffers can be agressive to each other i was wondering do males go better with females or is it just pot luck?
Any information on puffers or brackish water would be greatly appreciated.


Glen

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27 Feb 2007 05:40 #2 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
Hi Glen,

I assume you are talking about Tetraodon nigroviridis. You cannot sex puffers from external characteristics. So it's a bit of pot luck.

Where did you see it in Cork? The ones they had in North Main Street recently were Tetraodon fluviatilis, I think.

Brackish water tanks are quite a bit of effort since you will have to add salt and make sure you hit the salinity just right. A bit too much salt and you'll have a saltwater tank. So you will have to invest into a hydrometer.
Forget about plants, some Vallis on the outside.
The number of species commonly available are quite limited. I have seen bumblebee gobies available from time to time but puffers might consider them a snack for in between meals.
Mollies are another option but again can be snack size.
Have a look at this link, quite informative and they give you set-uo examples:
badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html

Holger

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27 Feb 2007 07:33 #3 by JohnH (John)
...A potential member for the Munster Fishkeepers?

John

Location:
N. Tipp

We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.


ITFS member.



It's a long way to Tipperary.

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27 Feb 2007 08:03 #4 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
hi John,
potentially, swamped at work at present. Once Q1 is over I might get around to do something about it gain.

Glen, are you interested to start a club down here and where in Cork are you.

Holger

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27 Feb 2007 09:15 #5 by Sushi (Sushi)
I'm interested in setting something up....... if the offer is open to students?? We aren't ALL wasters, just get a bad reputation from a small minority!! :oops:

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

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27 Feb 2007 09:33 #6 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
Sure it is. Was one myself for longer than I care to remember. Those postgrads drag on forever :lol:
I'm not into something deadly serious society, more into a friendly get together. If you motorless and want a trip to Fins and things in Midleton, I'm going there at least twice a month on either a Saturday or Sunday, give me a call on 087 2305102.

Holger

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27 Feb 2007 14:06 #7 by Sean (Fr. Jack)

call on 087 2305102.

Holger

now that I have your number all the heavy breathing Darth vader prank jokes will start. :lol:

That would be a ecumenical matter!!!

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28 Feb 2007 05:26 #8 by tazdogue (tazdogue)
apistodiscus - Cheers for the link, i found it very helpful. It was Tetraodon fluviatilis i was talking about alright. I did see them in the north main street and in Sullys (i was in there the other day and he said they are installing a huge fish area in the coming weeks but i still wouldnt buy in there as i dont particularly like the place for my for various reasons).
I dont mind getting the salt and the hydrometer i was just wondering if it was something that others have any experience with? I would love to set up a puffer only tank with one or 2 in it.
Does any one out there have any Tetraodon fluviatilis and what are your experiences with them?
Im relatively new to the game but keep me up to date about the club, i could very well be interested alright . Im in the southside of the city.

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28 Feb 2007 06:03 #9 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
I wouldn't buy in Sully's either. The quality of fish is pretty poor and he's too expensive anyway. North Main St. is a bit of pot luck as well. I've been talking to him about his central filtration system that isn't exactly the best idea he ever had. He's got a serious issue with whitespot at times. he also managed to kill a whole load of discus just before Christmas. I bought two of them right out of the box when they came in and they both are doing fine and growing. I told him what to do when his fish got sick...
Anyway back to your brackish water set up. Here goes what I know about puffers:
You'll need plenty of snails, puffers have to wear their teeth down. Some of them are not exactly sociable creatures, however, mating can involve some biting as well. Salinity and other water issues are well explained in the link I posted earlier.
Oh, before I forget, never ever haul them out of the water. Blowing up with air is potentially lethal. Even bad them under water when you buy them, and don't eat them :D Their liver contains a poison that makes strichnine look like baby food. No antidote by the way. Several people are killed in Japan annually from eating puffer. It's a delicacy over there and they have special chefs to prepare the fish.

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14 Mar 2007 04:59 #10 by tazdogue (tazdogue)
Anyone else have any experiences with these?

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14 Mar 2007 06:04 #11 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
What, the eating of pufferfish or brakish water set-ups? :D tell me what you want to know and I can ask around a few people I know who have or had brakish water aquarium.
I have bred bumblee gobies before if that is any help.
Holger

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15 Mar 2007 04:38 #12 by tazdogue (tazdogue)
Any info at all. Is the brackish set up harder to keep then the tropical or it a case of just getting the sea salt?
What are the hints for the puffers?

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15 Mar 2007 05:26 #13 by apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
Replied by apistodiscus (apistodiscus) on topic Re: Green Spotted Puffer / Brackish water
Essentially it's not harder to maintain than any freshwater set-up. Ok besides adding the salt and checking salinity.
You have to provide the proper water conditions for any species you keep and it's always easier to add something to the wwater than take it out.
For example, say you live in a hard water area and intend to keep discus. You will need an RO unit to get rid of the hardness and then cut the RO water with tapwater or add special salts since you do not want to risk a ph crash. You, on the other hand will only have to add salt to your water and watch the salinity. No risk of a pH crash.

there is a puffer forum on the web. here's the link:
www.thepufferforum.com

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