What can live with a Dwarf Puffer?

[malfist]

So I'm going to be setting up a 20 gallon tank soon that's going to be primarily for growing plants. It's going to be heavily planted with high lighting, all the goodies for plants. The fish are not the primary purpose of this tank.

However, I'd like to keep some in it, at least. At the very least to give the plants a source of nitrogen. I was planning on keeping a bunch of shrimp in it, but I saw someone talking about a dwarf puffer and I remembered the one I had eons ago and though, "I put a dwarf puffer in there!"

Can I, or should I house any other animals besides a single dwarf puffer in the tank? If so, what could I add?

 

[rockyofhockey]

Well u could def put a beta ghost or red cherry shrimp would work. Neon tetras would look great too

 

[malfist]

And the puffer won't bother them?

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[rockyofhockey]

A dwarf puffer might eat ur shrimp I u decide to put them in there night a dwarf puffer would be a unique fish and would prob look good with a 20

 

[graucow]

From what I know any fish with long fins are not a good idea. The only thing I know that can go with them is shrimp that are bigger than they are and Otto cats. In my puffer tank all I have is Otto cats and my to dwarf puffers

 

[rockyofhockey]

I wouldn't put a betta with the puffer tho keep those separate and puffers can be pricey

 

[graucow]

Dwarf puffers aren't really that much, they are sort of small and can't be kept with to many fish, also they fight a each other sometimes but mine fight and are always fine, but if you want a dwarf puffer there's isn't much that can go with it

 

[rockyofhockey]

I went to this exotic fish store today and they had figure 8 puffers that were going for 20 each

 

[malfist]

They probably weren't the dwarf puffer, it's freshwater. The other puffers are salt. Is there anything that can go with it? Or could I keep more than one? There should be plenty of hiding spaces in the plants

 

[graucow]

Yeah some puffers can be a lot but from my expirence dwarf puffers aren't I got both mine for around $7

 

[rockyofhockey]

It was a completely a freshwater store

 

[graucow]

Yeah you could keep more than one for sure, some say that up to 4 will fit in 20 gallons, but I don't know if I would go over three or even two, also they can go well with Otto cat fish and if you find shrimp that are larger than they are, plecos would probably be fine to, also any fish that moves fast and doesn't have long fins although the puffers will try to nip at the fins of most fish so the fish may be unhappy

 

[graucow]

It was a completely a freshwater store

Figure 8 puffers are brackish water they can live in fresh when they are young but not when they mature

 

[Smudger]

I've heard horror stories about dwarf puffers that put me off buying them when my cycle finishes. They might go fine with neons excetera but months down the line you wake up and all you're tetras ... Dead! most people however say that otos are fine like the previous comments but that's about it

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[GreenLily]

You could have 2 or 3 dwarf puffers in one tank, since they only get up to an inch long. The only problem is that they are pretty territorial, so you would need to provide a lot of hiding places for them to get away from each other. I strongly urge you to not put any other species in the tank with them. They are carnivorous and they will try to eat other fish. They will not stop tormenting or "nipping" fins. Also, they require small snails in their diet, like ramshorns, the kind that are considered pests in aquariums are perfect for them. You can even ask your LFS if they will give you some for free, because they usually don't want them either, but a dwarf puffer will love these, and are very picky eaters- they will rarely eat flakes or any other kind of packaged food. You could get away with frozen mysis shrimp or krill.