Pondering Puffers

[Zangetsu]

I recently set up a 55 gal tank which you can follow the build of --->Here<--- (http://aaronkaiser3.weebly.com/55-gal-fresh.html). I have researched dwarf puffers and am considering adding some. I know these little guys are rather aggressive and territorial, but I would like to keep some other fish if possible. Any suggestions? Also, anyone know if they would be as aggressive to say, a newt?

[invadertoast]

From what I've read they do best in a species only tank. Maybe you could set up a seperate 10 gallon and make it a designated dwarf puffer tank. I only have experience keeping a single one, in his own tank with no other fish.

I wouldn't keep them with a newt, they require different setups and the puffers are curious about everything. The newt would probably end up getting bitten.

Maybe somebody with more experience keeping them can chime in here, I'm just going off my experience with a single puffer and what I've read about them.

[angelcakes]

From what I've read they do best in a species only tank. Maybe you could set up a seperate 10 gallon and make it a designated dwarf puffer tank. I only have experience keeping a single one, in his own tank with no other fish.

I wouldn't keep them with a newt, they require different setups and the puffers are curious about everything. The newt would probably end up getting bitten.

Maybe somebody with more experience keeping them can chime in here, I'm just going off my experience with a single puffer and what I've read about them.
agreed with you there:19:

[RainMan]

Puffers are a waste of tank space in a 55gal IMO. Because of their aggression and because of the brackish conditions some require, they are a species only fish. Actually they don't get along with others of their own species either, unless kept in a really long tank. So they are a fish best kept alone. I would keep a single dwarf in a 10gal perfereably a 20gal tank and 20+ is best for a single large puffer (6").

Plus do a lot of research... because some puffers are actually supposed to be slowly acclimated to full marine conditions. And on the opposite side there are complete fw species.

They are a cool fish... but they are not as easy to take care of as the LFS would like you to believe.

[Zangetsu]

From what I've read they do best in a species only tank. Maybe you could set up a seperate 10 gallon and make it a designated dwarf puffer tank. I only have experience keeping a single one, in his own tank with no other fish.

I wouldn't keep them with a newt, they require different setups and the puffers are curious about everything. The newt would probably end up getting bitten.

I wasn't really planning on getting a newt, I was just curious. Anyway, are there any other suggestions then besides puffers for the tank? I was thinking about a PA coldwater stream theme with maybe some sculpins, dace, darters, and maybe a YOY brown or brook trout. The good part about those fish is that when they outgrow the tank I can take them down to the stream and let them go (or eat the trout, or use the dace for bait...:c3:). Unfortunately, they aren't the most colorful fish, except when the male darters are in breeding color. Also, keeping the water cool enough in the middle of the summer would also be a challenge... ( i would rather this tank not be "normal" in any way, like a school of tetras, a gourami, or anything else you could find at petco or superpets.


Plus do a lot of research... because some puffers are actually supposed to be slowly acclimated to full marine conditions. And on the opposite side there are complete fw species.

They are a cool fish... but they are not as easy to take care of as the LFS would like you to believe.

I was only considering dwarf puffers, which from what I understand are full freshwater fish. Also, I know they are difficult to keep, but I figure if I can keep a healthy reef tank then I should be able to take care of a couple dwarf puffers (thats not to say that I haven't done any research, and that they aren't hard to keep).

[Tolley]

firstly your tank looks amazing.

secondly dwarf puffers really are dwarfs. People have trouble find these guys in 10 gallon aquariums. they max at 2-3cm.

thirdly I'm not sure and probably wrong about this but if you get a wild fish used to living in captivity surely the change back to the wild cold be bad for the fish? i dunno im probably wrong. Also wild fish could bring diseases into your tank.

Last thing, ok so you would prefer not to have common fish like tetras cories.... why not go to your local lfs and search and see if theres anything tht catches your eye. you never know.

[Zangetsu]

thirdly I'm not sure and probably wrong about this but if you get a wild fish used to living in captivity surely the change back to the wild cold be bad for the fish? i dunno im probably wrong. Also wild fish could bring diseases into your tank.

Well, I would try as much as possible to duplicate natural conditions. Also, I would like to think my education would allow me to make a sound judgement call on this issue. I have a decent amount of experince with diagnosing fish disease when it comes to those kinds of fish, and have a very good grasp of their behaviors, diets, tendancies, ect... Anyway, it was just a thought. Oh, and thanks for the compliment. Its hard looking at it with no fish or plants. I can't wait until the water clears up and it is cycled.

[xBSD]

I would keep a single dwarf in a 10gal perfereably a 20gal tank and 20+ is best for a single large puffer (6").


I have two Dwarf puffers in a 10g and both are males, they get along very well for the most part. The only instance of aggression between the two is when I drop a single snail in their tank, one usually chases the other away and that's it, no biding or shredding. If there's plenty of food for both, they'll ignore each other and just eat the food.

Of course, personalities differ amongst puffers and mine could just be an exceptional case; the tank I have them in is a medium density planted tank with a prominent piece of bogwood sort of dividing the middle part, plus there are short sections of black plastic pipe for them to hide in, should the aggression get out of hand.

But no, I'd never keep these guys with other fish unless it's a very large tank and the puffer(s) can find a secluded spot where other fish don't go near, which is very hard to do. And they are known to shred fins of other fish during the night.