Puffer fish in new tank
- Thread starter LeeLee
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Welcome to AA! I will leave the puffer questions to the folks that have experience with them,
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
LeeLee said:Hello! I'm new to the forum and to the "fish hobby"! Would like to know how Puffer fish do in a new tank and how they get along w/ everyone else
Welcome to AA! I'd suggest maybe sending Mr. Limpet a private message on this site. He's had experience with freshwater and brackish puffers.
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
LeeLee said:
Are you going on the app or the site?
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
LeeLee said:Hello! I'm new to the forum and to the "fish hobby"! Would like to know how Puffer fish do in a new tank and how they get along w/ everyone else
Welcome Aboard!
It really depends on which puffer you're talking about. I have GSP (green spotted puffers) and they're the most aggresive of all IMO. I have a young pair of GSP with bumblebee gobies and shrimp. The puffers will make motions towards tank mates, but so far no losses (1 month in tank), although I can't always see the shrimp
.Here's a link to my GSP tank/build: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f70/new-tank-build-29-gallon-gsp-adventure-147269.html
johnanthony74
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
hi there and welcome to AA
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
If they're Green Spotted Puffers, they need to be in brackish water (BW) and I can't say if the others are BW fish. Can you ID which type puffer you have and give us some info on your tank setup please?
GSP will go after anything they can, they're hunters by nature. BBG's (bumblebee gobies) have a sour face/warning colors and GSP tend to leave them alone in my research (so far, so good) and (for me anyways) having young puffers, they acclimate to the tank/mates better than older ones. As they get older, there can be issues and most will say that each GSP needs to be alone. Myself, I'll adjust as needed down the road (ie more tanks or MTS
lol)
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
LeeLee said:
You should research FW puffers, they're mellower and less complicated than BW, but just as cute (it's the only fish I know of that smiles at you lol). I'm doing BW as prelude to SW and because my GF wanted them
.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
LeeLee said:
The 3 catagories of water, fresh, brackish, salt.
Subaru4wd
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I have been wanting to get some puffer fish. I have 2 tanks I can put them in... ones a 36gallon bowfront, the other is a 88gallon tall. Both are freshwater tanks, which do you think would be best for puffers?
my 36 gallon has community fish in it now, the 88 is still being setup. How many puffers do you think will safely live together? Can you mix the species? My buddy has one and it seems pretty well behaved, but everything I read about them are they are fin-nippers and aggressive.
Do they preffer smaller tanks? Or if I put a couple in my 88 gallon would they be safe?
my 36 gallon has community fish in it now, the 88 is still being setup. How many puffers do you think will safely live together? Can you mix the species? My buddy has one and it seems pretty well behaved, but everything I read about them are they are fin-nippers and aggressive.
Do they preffer smaller tanks? Or if I put a couple in my 88 gallon would they be safe?
uh.oh...
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have a South American Puffer. Sap for short. They're a bit hard to find now, and I'd like to get 2 or 3 more because they do better in a small group, but i'm stuck at the moment. Anyways, the Sap is a FW puffer that only grows to about 1.5 inches or so. Feeds on Bloodworms and snails in the tank. Pretty social/tolerant of my other fish too. He did kill/eat a dwarf gourami, but I blame my roommate for not feeding him correctly while I was on vacation.
As to your questions: GSP are brackish, so if you made the 88g tall a brackish tank you'd be ok with them. I've heard in adult hood they prefer full salt water though, so IDK what your plans are, but you'll have to consider the adult state. They're also around 4-5 inches, or at least that one as the LFS was a mutant...
They're also suggested to be in a species only tank, because of their aggressive nature, so you might not be able to keep any other fish...but i bet if you found some of their natural co-habitors in the wild you could keep them. Another important thought is to the decoration of the tank. In the wild the SAP lives mostly in the direct current of the rive they're found in, so they appreciate current in a tank. Not sure about GSP or the dwarfs. They also need a heavily planted tank, or a least a lot of line of sight blockages. This keeps them from getting too stressed out, or too bored.
The SAP, and the dwarf puffer for that matter, can be fin nippers, and a little aggressive, but in my case it only relates to their hunger. Fed=happy=no missing fins. I've got Gold barbs, balloon mollies, lyre tail mollies, tetras, a SAP, botia, cory cat, and albino pleco together atm in a heavily planted tank, they do fine. They biggest worry is actually boredom. All puffers suffer mightily from an addiction to excitement i suppose. Mine just pace the glass most of the time. Feeding they perk up, and I know the sap loves when i start redecorating. Thats the only time he'll come and explore the rest of the tank. Other than that its back to the corner.
As to your questions: GSP are brackish, so if you made the 88g tall a brackish tank you'd be ok with them. I've heard in adult hood they prefer full salt water though, so IDK what your plans are, but you'll have to consider the adult state. They're also around 4-5 inches, or at least that one as the LFS was a mutant...
They're also suggested to be in a species only tank, because of their aggressive nature, so you might not be able to keep any other fish...but i bet if you found some of their natural co-habitors in the wild you could keep them. Another important thought is to the decoration of the tank. In the wild the SAP lives mostly in the direct current of the rive they're found in, so they appreciate current in a tank. Not sure about GSP or the dwarfs. They also need a heavily planted tank, or a least a lot of line of sight blockages. This keeps them from getting too stressed out, or too bored.
The SAP, and the dwarf puffer for that matter, can be fin nippers, and a little aggressive, but in my case it only relates to their hunger. Fed=happy=no missing fins. I've got Gold barbs, balloon mollies, lyre tail mollies, tetras, a SAP, botia, cory cat, and albino pleco together atm in a heavily planted tank, they do fine. They biggest worry is actually boredom. All puffers suffer mightily from an addiction to excitement i suppose. Mine just pace the glass most of the time. Feeding they perk up, and I know the sap loves when i start redecorating. Thats the only time he'll come and explore the rest of the tank. Other than that its back to the corner.
BfishLpond78
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Subaru, i have a drastic opinion/idea. I have a 36 Bow as well, it currently houses one GSP or green spotted puffer. Only one cause im moving in the next few weeks and dont want to add anything else till later. If i were you, and really want a puffer I would suggest moving your FW community im guessing, into the 88 gal and have the 36 for the puffer. Puffers tend to be aggressive no mater which species you get. At first they may not be aggressive but i have read over time they will become more prone to nipping and possibly eating tank mates.
I think it would be nice to have maybe a puffer only tank cause of their personality (puppy like) always greeting you when you come home and their colors, if you get a GSP. And of course like Limpet said, they smile at you every time...LOL. But its my opinion cause i will eventually have a big FW planted community tank when i move.
I think it would be nice to have maybe a puffer only tank cause of their personality (puppy like) always greeting you when you come home and their colors, if you get a GSP. And of course like Limpet said, they smile at you every time...LOL. But its my opinion cause i will eventually have a big FW planted community tank when i move.
Mr. Limpet
Aquarium Advice Addict
GSP are BW only, so as mentioned you'd have to convert one tank. Dwarf puffers (pea puffers?) are FW and stay fairly small, but like all puffers they can/will get aggressive if the opportunity presents itself.
I have 2 GSP with a 6 pack of bumblebee gobies and from all my research, they can co-exist even as the puffers reach adulthood. Right now they don't even go after my ghost or AES shrimp, so I have high hopes that they'll be used to the arrangement and stay civil as the get older. If they do great, if not I'll have a perfect excuse for needing to setup a second BW tank lol.
I have 2 GSP with a 6 pack of bumblebee gobies and from all my research, they can co-exist even as the puffers reach adulthood. Right now they don't even go after my ghost or AES shrimp, so I have high hopes that they'll be used to the arrangement and stay civil as the get older. If they do great, if not I'll have a perfect excuse for needing to setup a second BW tank lol.
Reefstark
Aquarium Advice Regular
Depends on the species of puffer
