African butterfly fish and Amazon puffer fish

[oscarbuffalo]

Could these fish live peacefully together? I'm looking into a 20 or 30 gallon freshwater aquarium. What size would i need for an African butterfly fish and a group of Amazon puffers? I am also looking into elephant noses and rope fish, but they need a bigger size aquarium. If they cannot live together, what tank would you recommend?

 

[pip walters]

Although amazon puffers are more peaceful than some, I wouldn't recommend this mix. Butterflies are a generally sedate species.

Also, as they obviously come from different parts of the world, they would never encounter each other in the wild, so you just never know what might happen.

I know people are going to think 'wll you could say that about most community fish', but I have always thought that many problems with fin nipping, aggression etc could be partly due to the fish not being natural 'neighbours'

 

[oscarbuffalo]

Thanks for the help, what fish would you recommend for living with a amazon puffer? I don't want a tank bigger than 20 or 30 gallons. Would a rope fish be able to live with a amazon puffer?

 

[pip walters]

A rope fish should be ok, although I would be concerned that the puffers might nip at the fins whilst it is 'hiding' as rope fish tend to do during the day (they are nocturnal feeders). Apart from that, rope fish have very tough 'ganoid' scales.

Also, be careful the greedy puffers don't out-compete the rope fish for food.

Personally, I would keep any puffers in a species only set up

 

[oscarbuffalo]

What size tank would house a small group of amazon puffers and what size would house a rope fish? Also how often do you trim the puffer's teeth?

 

[flitabout]

You don't you feed them snails and other shelled inverts and they wear them down themselves.

 

[Terrance]

A 29g tank would restrict the activity level for a group of amazon puffers according to avid amazon puffer keepers. After studying these fish, I would also not suggest putting them in no tank smaller than a 55g. If you do it, then I suggest not adding any other tankmates.

Trimming varies, but generally at least once yearly.

Post if you need other advice about these fish.

 

[oscarbuffalo]

Ok, thanks for your help.

 

[bettaowner]

I've seen a 60 gallon tank with some harlequin rasboras and an amazon puffer. They would do best alone but fast and hardy species like danios could work