mbu puffer

[Lucy Anna]

hey everyone! I'm new on the sight and am asking for some experienced wisdom. I found this amazing mbu puffer, though he is very bizarre it is a young one and it has a temperamental nature bit into a glass water thermometer and broke it. Quite funny though he newly bites too, i think it maybe as fed him by hand the past few days of having him and so associates the hand as food, so using a different feeding method, though is this nature normal? He is happy in a big tank, i'm moving me other smaller fish rainbow and siemese fighbting fish into a new tank as they are not comfortable all together (lol shop people were telling a fib it seems saying they would get along) would some large angel fish be ok to put with him? thank you for your time in reading this and any help you could give me would be appreciated.

[salman]

I'm not 100% sure, but puffers prefer to be in a species tank only.

[Rue]

This is a huge fish...needs lots of room...I'd suggest 120g or more...probably NOT a good 'pet' overall...it also has some special needs...esp. with regards to keeping it's teeth worn down...

This site has some info., although I think their tank size suggestions are too small...but it will help you get started on researching your puffer...

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[Rue]

Here's another response by an experienced fishkeeper you might like to read:

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I'd raise that to 80% daily, until you can get that tank cycled or your puffer will definitely not make it. They are extremely sensitive to those toxins, because they are scaleless & have no gill covers. What do you mean by, "matured for a month"? If you just let the tank run for a month, that's not cycling the tank. Or were there other fish that would equal the bioload of that puffer in there for that month & the water parameters were perfect (0 ammonia & nitrItes, <20 nitrAtes), then removed, when you placed the Mbu in there? How big is the tank? That puffer will grow VERY quickly, needing at least a 300g tank in 2 years, upgrading even larger after that. If you don't understand the facts of cycling a tank, you may not be ready to house such an exotic fish like the Mbu. Please do a search for "fishless cycling". If you insist on keeping this fish & are prepared to buy it much larger tanks & huge filtration systems (including veggie refugiums, to keep the nitrates down), in the very near future, then you can instant cycle the tank with Bio-Spira. Do an 80% water change, before adding it to your filter.>
I have a fully functioning filter and I regulate the amount of food he eats (around 2 cockles or 1 mussel a day) but the water gets dirty so quickly that I'm worried about his health. What can I do to keep the levels stabilized so I don't have to change the water so often and why is this happening? I use Amquel to reduce the levels when I don't have time for a water change.
<You're going to have to MAKE time for this! Eventually, plan on a 1,000 gallon tank for this beautiful, 30" tank-buster. Forget about Amquel, it is just inhibiting the cycle. Bio-Spira is the only way you're going to save this fish. You may have to search around for it but more shops seem to be carrying it. To dechlorinate, use Prime.
Please read this Mbu story, written by a puffer keeper of over 50 years: [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]
I know it sounds like I'm being really hard on you but personally, I think these fish only belong in public aquariums or in the wild, where they have room to grow & swim. ~PP>
Thanks, M

[kimmers318]

Mbu puffers get HUGE....check out this profile
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That forum recommends 1000 gallon tank for a full grown mbu. As for tempermant, they are generally very aggressive and will not play well with others, most fish in their tank will become dinner sooner or later. I have read and seen pics from one owner whose mbu shares a tank, but he is quite laid back. It could be that being well fed helps. You might want to get ahold of some long feeding tongs or tweezers for him to associate his food with so you don't eventually lose a finger. He may be little now but he will become a tankbuster quite quickly.
Good luck!