Tank mates for a dwarf puffer and goby?

[Maillis]

The guppies in my 20 gallon aren't very interesting and I've been thinking about replacing them with something else but I want to keep the dwarf puffer and the candystripe goby that are in there. I have 2 concerns however; 1) I think my goby has been using the guppies as a food source because I haven't noticed any population growth in a while, and 2) I've been considering a pair of smaller cichlids but I don't want anything that'll see my puffer as a snack.

Any suggestions?

[Menagerie]

This may be a dilemma. Gobies are brackish water fish and love live foods. Dwarf puffers are freshwater and are often best kept in a species only tank. In addition, the puffer may be snacking on the guppies. Dwarf cichlids are generally docile, but the puffer may nip at the cichlids.

[Maillis]

From the information I've been able to find about my goby he's actually a freshwater fish that only spends time in brackish/saltwater as a larva/fry and then swims back upstream to live out the rest of it's life so he's fine in freshwater. The puffer doesn't bother the guppies anymore, snacked on a few tails when I first introduced them but after that got bored and usually just begs for bloodworms. I don't think he'll nip any fins of the faster swimming cichlids.

[michealprater]

You can keep puffers with african cichlids?

[SerLunchbox]

From the information I've been able to find about my goby he's actually a freshwater fish that only spends time in brackish/saltwater as a larva/fry and then swims back upstream to live out the rest of it's life so he's fine in freshwater

When a fish does that (like eels) the marine life is considered catadromous. This helps to know when you are interested in breeding them as it is something that is needed to start the breedign process.

**edit**
When the fish lives in salt water and then breeds in salt water, it is called anadromous. The best example of this i can think of is the 5 species of pacific salmon and the 1 species of atlantic salmon.

[amphibianboy528]

Well,
as far as i know most gobies sre barckish and it would probably be better in BW.And I think the puffer with the dwarf chiclids are bad.I saw the LFS put the puffers with some fast comet goldfish and they swarmed on it and ate it whole.

[chrism]

get more tanks! that way you can keep all the fish you want without having to get rid of any

As far as i knew gobies were brackish too, but i guess this is just one of those debates

I certainly wouldnt go with the cichlids either... it is a tough situation...

Are there any nice looking snails that you could add, im thinking along the lines of something that breeds quick enough not to matter if it gets eaten... sort of like the guppy... i dnt know... just a thought

[michealprater]

I think cichlids would kick the crap out of a puffer, just to be blunt.

[Pufferpunk]

I saw the LFS put the puffers with some fast comet goldfish and they swarmed on it and ate it whole.

I don't believe that. I have dwarf puffers in w/SA cichlids, corys, SA puffers & a C irrebusco puffer. With enough cover, I think a smaller cichlid would be fine.

[amphibianboy528]

Originally Posted by Pufferpunk

I don't believe that. I have dwarf puffers in w/SA cichlids, corys, SA puffers & a C irrebusco puffer. With enough cover, I think a smaller cichlid would be fine.

but the species was unkown,i don't really know the kind of species.

[AlonelyCody]

I used to have a dwarf puffer and he was in a tank with a BGK and they did really well together. nether one bothered the other. and both the Puffer and the BGK would nip at feeder guppies that i would put in the tank for them. (O:

[Pufferpunk]

I thpught you were referring to dwarves. That would have sounded a little impossible.

[kukerdan]

If you want some interesting fish without conflict< try (if you can find em< they are rare) one of these guys.....


1. purple spotted grudgeon
2. marbled goby
3. sleeper goby


the grudgeon is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FISH.

He has such a personality, he doesnt bother any fish, but doesnt take any crap either, he will jump out of the water if you wiggle your finger above the tank, he lets me pet him, and somtimes pick him up.

the marbled goby is a charactor, and a ball to watch, he climbs up on top of my tallest plants and perches him self there, hes a picky eater, and wont touch fish food, so i have to drop ghost shirmp in once in a while, which he devours without any restraint. He also likes to nip at the big fish, and actually ate a baby auratus chichlid, hes very slow moving and lazy, but he caught that fish because hes smart, and hes an ambusher. Hes about 3 inches, but can get over a foot....

the sleeper goby is a great fish too, when i sit in front of the tank, hell come out of his hiding spot (he likes to cram himself in my sunken ship)
and come to the edge of the tank to watch me, hell make him self noticed if he thinks im not watching him, and when i feed him, he comes right to the top and scarfs down food....


all very interesting fish, all compatible with yours

[Pufferpunk]

I don't believe any of those fish are BW. Also it's: gudgeon.

[kukerdan]

its not a brackish tank.... and neither is th e one in this topic