Puffer Compatiblity and Fighting Question

[mummy5]

Hi, we have 2 fresh water puffers (figure 8 and a spotted)
Our blue widow (normally quite) has non stopped attacking them! There fins and tail are looking tatty! We put some shrimp in (which they all loved except the puffers) I don't want to get rid of the puffers but my widow is not playing nice! Any ideas/solutions (serious proper ideas not stupid comments please)

 

[severum mama]

What is a blue widow?

Figure eight and green spotted puffers are actually brackish water fish, not freshwater. They will not thrive in freshwater conditions in the long term.

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[mummy5]

Blue widow is a coloured widow, the puffers are fine in freshwater they just live longer in brackish! 5/7 years fresh water and 10+ brackish. But thanks for your concern xx

 

[mummy5]

Sorry coloured widow tetra

 

[mummy5]

Yeah the puffers are great it's just the blue "tetra" it's being being a total *** lol x

 

[severum mama]

Blue widow is a coloured widow, the puffers are fine in freshwater they just live longer in brackish! 5/7 years fresh water and 10+ brackish. But thanks for your concern xx

Brackish water fish should live in brackish water. Both of these species do well in high end brackish to full marine conditions as adults. I have Auriglobus modestus, which are freshwater puffers... Yours are not freshwater puffers.

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[absolutangel04]

How long have you had these fish, how big are they all, what all is in the tank, and how big is the tank?

 

[mummy5]

Had them 3 days, tank is 60g, there's 2 tiger barbs, 2 red tail sharks, the puffers (2), a med Plecoptera, a tiny Plecoptera and 2 coloured tetras.

Oh and 2 platys

 

[mummy5]

Sorry, we have had all the fish (not puffers) 4/5 weeks

 

[absolutangel04]

I am sorry for being a buzzkill, but I strongly suggest you re-think this tank as a puffer home. They are really not good community citizens in the long term. In this case, you have a tetra attacking them. That is odd, but it could end in your puffers getting stressed to death or else in them biting back and killing your tetra. GSP especially can do quite a bit of damage to other fish.
Also, you have said they do fine in freshwater, but isn't the fact that they die prematurely in freshwater a sign that they don't actually do fine in it? I have personally never met a person who tried to keep a gsp in freshwater and had it live anywhere near 5 years.
You have a nice size tank with some other community fish, I suggest re-homing the puffers and replacing them with something that can live out its full lifespan in your tank.

 

[mummy5]

Hmmm ok. I will look into getting another tank for them and sorting out a brackish set up, thank you for your advise (the shop had them in fresh water and said that they would be fine, I also googled it and got roughly the same answers, but I will take what you said into advisement) they def need to be separated though as it's not nice seeing them unhappy and nibbled!

 

[absolutangel04]

Generally, tetras tend to be peaceful, and they usually are less combative in larger groups. Many species can be nippy when alone. However, you can certainly find a really jerky one sometimes. I have had a few in my time that were just rather mean! I suggest maybe some more of his kind to focus on to reduce bullying to other fish.
One thing to keep in mind, many fish stores usually want sales. While it is great to find a good lfs with good advice, make sure your own research is done so they can't accidentally mislead you. Also, you will find many posts online about how those puffers (gsp in specific) are fine in fw but most of those posts are from people who did NOT keep the fish it's full lifespan. I have seen a bunch of them posted by people who JUST purchased the fish, but virtually none from people who have actually let the fish live out it's lifespan in that situation.
If you read pretty much any profile of the fish from a reliable source, you will see brackish to full marine recommended with age (generally, brackish after the fish is about 2 inches).
Spotted Green Puffer, Tetraodon nigroviridis, Green Spotted Puffer
The Puffer Forum • The Puffer Library » I. An Introduction to Green Spotted Puffers
Green Spotted Puffer Care
If you have more questions about changing up your setup let us know. Glad to know you are open to moving things around if you need to.