Puffy doesn't like his new tankmates

[Madame_X]

I added two female Florida Flagfish to my 29 gallon tank to help combat recurring algae outbreaks in the tank. They immediately went to work and I think they're going to be a big help--but my little South American puffer isn't fond of them.

He has never bothered the danios or shown any aggression toward them whatsoever. I have seen him occasionally nibble on an oto that happens to be hanging out on the glass, but they'll swim quickly away when he does it.

The flagfish, however, seem very curious about the puffer. He bites them and they come right back and sort of look at him, swim right underneath him, etc. Its almost like they're saying, "Is that all you've got? We're not afraid of you." It also seems that the puffer might think they're eating his snails. When they eat algae from the gravel, he swims over to them and goes into "hunting" mode like he does when he hunts snails, and at some point will bite at the flagfish to get them to go away.

The guy at the LFS said flagfish were pretty smart and would probably stay out of my puffer's way. He really has been pretty mellow (as puffers go) with the other fish until now. But he clearly does not like having them in his tank.

I got female flagfish specifically, as I have read the males can be territorial but now I wonder if they'll wise-up and stay away from the puffer.

Anyone have experience with flagfish? I could use a little insight into their personalities...

(BTW: Yes, I know puffers are aggressive but up until now I have been very successful in selecting tankmates that give him his space. And SA's are less agressive than other puffers.)

 

[Menagerie]

I can only say that I have fish with personality disorders :? . When I bought my shell dwelling cichlids and lots of shells, they did not care for their shells and instead allowed the brichardi to nip at them. I had to get another tank for the personality challenged shellies. Now that there is no threat in the 10 gal tank and just shellies, they hide all the time
Your flagfish may not be the sharpest tools in the shed. How long have they been in the tank?

 

[Madame_X]

They've only been in the tank for a day and a half.

I don't get to see my fish much Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday because of school (lights off when I leave for work and when I return from school at night), but my husband swears that the puffer and the flagfish are now hanging out and swimming together peacefully. 8O

I'll have to see for myself.

 

[cdawson]

Puffers are territorial and unpredictable, one second they can be perfect docile and the next the terror of the tank.
Just remember, they are predators and are pretty much at the top of the food chain where they come from. Although Sa puffers are generally peaceful, there is always an idividual that will kill anything or harass anything that moves.

 

[Madame_X]

I'm definitely going to keep my eyes on the situation. I don't want to put the flagfish in imminent danger. I had hoped they'd just steer clear of him like the rest of his tankmates do (there's plenty of room in the tank to do just that). He generally stays on one side of the tank unless he's hunting snails.

Puffy has never killed another fish but I haven't seen him continually strike at another fish the way he did with these, either. My husband said he looked at them closely last night and they had no shredded fins or wounds, and all seemed to be content.

I'm hoping they worked out their pecking order and that's all it was. Will have to watch and see.