Betta and spotted puffer fish

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Josh505

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Sep 7, 2013
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9
I have a 50 Gallon community fresh water tank. I have a large variety of fish in it which includes 4 tiger barbs, 2 mollies, 1 Platty, 1 dwarf gourami, 1 guppy, a rainbow shark, a spotted puffer, and a peacock eel. When i first got the tank i was worried about putting my puffer with my guppy together because i heard puffers nip at long flowing fins. But i had also heard that if the tank is large enough they will more than likely be okay. I have had the tank going for about 4 months now and all my fish get along. I was wondering since my i have such a large tank would a betta and puffer be okay together?
 
well for starters, your puffer is probably still a juvenile, and has a good chance of getting more aggressive as it ages. bettas and gouramis are both very territorial and almost always ends with them fighting.
 
Oh okay! Well i feel bad for my betta cause he's stuck in a small tank but i guess hes just better off in there. Thanks!
 
Just out of curiosity do you know the exact type of puffer you have?
 
Most of the freshwater spotted puffers you see for sale are green spotted puffers which need high end brackish to saltwater tanks as they mature. If it is a dwarf puffer it is freshwater but would still probably nip at a betta. And yes, bettas and gouramis do not mix well. Both are labyrinth fish and they can get very territorial with one another.
 
have you researched the care of the green spotted puffer? when they mature they will require brackish, and eventually marine setups
 
Yes i have i was planning on eventually switching to brackish because i did the research after i got him. But im not sure if all of my fish would be okay with that.
 
the only ones that will be able to live in brackish and marine are the mollies. you might as well get a 40 gallon tank for the puffer, it will be worth it
 
the only ones that will be able to live in brackish and marine are the mollies. you might as well get a 40 gallon tank for the puffer, it will be worth it

I agree. You will probably enjoy him more if you aren't worried about him eating the other fish. Plus you can bypass the brackish a tage by setting up a new tank for him as a saltwater tank and slowly drip acclimate him to the new salinity. This is way easier than a slow transition to brackish and you dont have to worry about cycling over again as you change the salinity.

Gsps are great little fish. I love mine to death.
 
You guys have really got me thinking! I might have to do that. thanks for your help!
 
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