noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
can anything live with a puffer? i know they eat everything. i have a 30gal that i keep one puffer in. wanted to add something... was thikning damsels(2) any suggestions?
puffer tankmate
- Thread starter noodus
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tripper
Aquarium Advice Freak
What kind of puffer do you have? That will determine what you can keep with it or whether or not your tank is large enough to hold one.
noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
porcupine puffer, sorry i didn't metion that.
while i think a very small porcupinefish will be okay in a 30 gallon for a while, he's gonna need a bigger home eventually. they look really cute, but he'll probably try to take bites out of your damsels. i'd just leave him in there by himself. then you don't have to worry about dealing with the nitrates of an overstocked tank.
noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
how bout a snowflake ell or a urchin maybe a lobster?
Fluff
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree he's going to outgrow that tank and will need a 90g tank eventually. Also, although he may seem lonely by himself, it would be best to keep him that way.
tripper
Aquarium Advice Freak
The snowflake eel is a messy eater like the puffer and I think you would have trouble keeping your nitrates down with them both in there. You might be able to do an urchin but the puffer may take a bite at it. Same is true for the lobster. That puffer will eat just about any invert.
If you really wanted something else in there I think you could get away with a damsel or two. Puffers don't typically go after fish as much as inverts.
tripper
If you really wanted something else in there I think you could get away with a damsel or two. Puffers don't typically go after fish as much as inverts.
tripper
noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
thanks for the replies people no inverts... maybe 1 or 2 damsels... maybe
DragonForce
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Valentini puffer would be a good candidate for your tank.
G
Guest
Guest
Hey check out my tank mates in my signature.
You know what, though, those nitrates are killing me right now.
By the way, the puffer cr-aps like a human, you know? It really messes up my water for a good few minutes. And they eat so much too. I normally feed 2 - 3 cubes of brime shrimp to the whole tank when they were all smaller.
But now, the puffer alone consumes 3 - 4 cubes itself. Everyone else just eats off of the crumbs. I usually end up feeding 5 - 6 cubes per day in the tank, which is also what is messing up my nitrates.
I will soon end up with a 120G because of this. It's easier to handle nitrates that way. I say get a bigger tank for the puffer already. However, you can use this experience with the 30G tank as practice.
You know what, though, those nitrates are killing me right now.
By the way, the puffer cr-aps like a human, you know? It really messes up my water for a good few minutes. And they eat so much too. I normally feed 2 - 3 cubes of brime shrimp to the whole tank when they were all smaller.
But now, the puffer alone consumes 3 - 4 cubes itself. Everyone else just eats off of the crumbs. I usually end up feeding 5 - 6 cubes per day in the tank, which is also what is messing up my nitrates.
I will soon end up with a 120G because of this. It's easier to handle nitrates that way. I say get a bigger tank for the puffer already. However, you can use this experience with the 30G tank as practice.
LittlePuff
Aquarium Advice Freak
Feed the puffer every other day.
Kim
Kim
noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
thank everyone i'm looking to get a bigger tank.... thanks a lot people.... what have i got myself into...
G
Guest
Guest
Noodus, here's a compatability chart that may help.
IMO you are maxed out with 1 porcupine puffer in a 30g or soon will be.
Also, avoid brine shrimp as it has little nutritional value. Try mysis shrimp instead. Brine is OK for an occassional treat, but is probably better to skip all together. It is the equivalent of feeding twinkies.
The problem with puffers and some of the other aggressives is they are messy eaters. Since their behavior pretty much rules out a clean up crew thus leading to the nitrate issues as mentioned above.
If you cannot get a larger tank in the foreseeable future you might be best off returning the Porcupine and trying a different route for stocking.
Here is a good site for comparing types of fish and their requirements:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=15
HTH,
Also, avoid brine shrimp as it has little nutritional value. Try mysis shrimp instead. Brine is OK for an occassional treat, but is probably better to skip all together. It is the equivalent of feeding twinkies.
The problem with puffers and some of the other aggressives is they are messy eaters. Since their behavior pretty much rules out a clean up crew thus leading to the nitrate issues as mentioned above.
If you cannot get a larger tank in the foreseeable future you might be best off returning the Porcupine and trying a different route for stocking.
Here is a good site for comparing types of fish and their requirements:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/categ.cfm?pcatid=15
HTH,
ellisz
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have kept porcupine puffers and dog puffers with Damsels and clowns with no problems. I had a dog puffer and a percula clown live together for a few years.
Porcs can be real gentle and then some are mean as fire. The last one I had I would not put my hand in the tank without securing him! My first one was the coolest fish ever
Porcs can be real gentle and then some are mean as fire. The last one I had I would not put my hand in the tank without securing him! My first one was the coolest fish ever
noodus
Aquarium Advice Regular
ok so i'm getting a larger tank have my options changed? or are they the same? no more 30 gal, it's now a 75.
LittlePuff
Aquarium Advice Freak
Needs to be a 90gal Minimum. A porcupine wii get to 18-20"
Kim
Kim
G
Guest
Guest
I've heard of really good stories about puffers surviving on 75G tanks. But I've heard from experts that a good sized puffer tank would be somewhere in the 100+ gallons with a good amount of filtration and high water tunnover. I mean, right now, my puffer is like 3", but when it cr-aps, it's really big! It messes up my water since my tank is way too small for them. 
LittlePuff
Aquarium Advice Freak
You could "servive" in a closet. :x
Kim
Kim
G
Guest
Guest
That's if Puffers are psychologically smart enough to feel claustrophobia. :x
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