So, I have a 55 gallon planted, with a 7 inch leopard sailfin pleco, 3 black phantom tetras, a red finned shark, and a black skirt tetra. I really want a puffer, and was thinking of a pea puffer. do you think this is a good idea? everywhere I have read that the pea puffer is a schooling, peaceful puffer, but Im a little skeptical.
Pea puffer
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astronomicallee123
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Puffers are definitely best kept in a species only tank. I myself am getting a setup ready for them! Some people have success with oto's and types of shrimp. I am just keeping them alone. Be sure you have enough filtration for them also, they're messy! A good rule is 8-10x your tank size for gph. So if you have a 30 gallon tank, 240-300 GPH is optimal for them.
bettaowner
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A pea puffer would get lost. A better choice would be the amazon freshwater puffer. They're peaceful and are 2-3 inches long.
Alec18
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No do not. I have two and they have nipped most of the fins off of my seven other fish. They need to be kept separately.
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bettaowner
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Not all fish have the same personality. How big was the tank and what were the tankmates.
Alec18
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I exchanged my puffers six times for a new one and they have all been the same. And it's a twenty with a bunch of tank mates
I have never ever herd of them being described as peaceful but I do agree all fish seem to have their own personality...I have a dwarf puffer, kept on his own after reading experienced keepers recommendations.
He is happy to be king of his own tank although I have herd that with enough space they can be successfully kept with their own kind. I personally would not keep these guys in a community.
He is happy to be king of his own tank although I have herd that with enough space they can be successfully kept with their own kind. I personally would not keep these guys in a community.
really bad sources you are reading.
amazon puffer is a better choice, but they can be nippy as well. If these puffers are not in a school, then they can be very shy and timid. My bro has one amazon in a 29g - I see a very timid fish. Any sudden movement makes it swim and bump into glass or shoot through the water like a bullet. A lot of other sources online has seen these behavior.
My thoughts of amazons in a community tank:
Even if you stick a group of amazons in a community tank, then they run risk of overeating. They will eat their own food as well as all the other food you feed your other fishes. You end up with an obese puffer and other fishes will be starving. If you see other fishes not eating too much, then you might try to feed more and that may end up with polluted water - too much poop and food.
Also amazon puffers teeth grow very fast. Manual trimming is required at least once yearly.
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