Need ideas for tankmates for a Mbu puffer.

**Honda12** · 08-21-2006, 3:30 PM

I have a 6in mbu puffer in a 90gl right now. He will be moveing to a 180 I have cycleing in a month or so. I would like to find some good tankmates for him, and I'm open to Andy suggestions

Currently he will attack and eat anything smaller than him he can catch. Anything bigger than him he can catch, he eats the fins off.

I picked up 20 scissortail rasoboras to go with him and they are slowly disapearing. I am assuming he gets them at night. So what I am looking for is something fast, that is constatnly on the move. The scissortails just kind of hover in the corner.

Thanks for any ideas. But if he ends up haveing to be alone, than so be it. I would at least like to try some different fish.

**eman b115** · 08-21-2006, 3:36 PM

aren't those puffers just as aggresive as fahakas....Because I cant put anything in with my 5" fahaka; and he grows really fast...

**Gr8KarmaSF** · 08-21-2006, 3:36 PM

redhooks are pretty fast...

get them large enuf and they MIGHT make it...

how did your gar do with him?

**Honda12** · 08-21-2006, 3:40 PM

Originally Posted by eman b115;480188;

aren't those puffers just as aggresive as fahakas....Because I cant put anything in with my 5" fahaka; and he grows really fast...

Actually fahakas are a lot more agressive than mbus. Oddball has a bunch of fish in with his mbus, and I have seen many pics of mbus with tank mates. I was just unfortunate in that I got one that doesn't get along with other fish he can catch.

**Honda12** · 08-21-2006, 3:42 PM

Originally Posted by Gr8KarmaSF;480192;

redhooks are pretty fast...

get them large enuf and they MIGHT make it...

how did your gar do with him?

I have given thought to them or silver dollars. I just have a feeling that that they will be too big, and he may end up cornering them. Looking for something smaller.

I woke up one morning to find the gar with no fins, but he is now in a different tank healing up nicely.

**Hilly** · 08-21-2006, 4:06 PM

It's all down to the individual personality of the particular Mbu, some may tolerate tankmates others will not. You could find that he lives happily with some tankmates his entire life, or one day after years of peace in the tank you may come home to the remains of a fish buffet. No real way of telling without trying and seeing what other fish he doesnt see as a snack.

**redtailfool** · 08-21-2006, 4:09 PM

No slow, stationary bottom dwellers. Yes to active mid and top swimmers.

**Gr8KarmaSF** · 08-21-2006, 4:42 PM

giant danios or rainbow fish perhaps?

tiger barbs???

**Oddball** · 08-21-2006, 8:25 PM

I have a pair of mbus in with a bunch of active FW tarpons and a shoal of black and albino irridescent sharks. No nips on any fish, so far. Pretty peaceful, but active, 650 gal.

I also have 1 mbu in a 120 gal by himself because he nips at everything.

**Honda12** · 08-21-2006, 8:28 PM

Originally Posted by Oddball;480434;

I have a pair of mbus in with a bunch of active FW tarpons and a shoal of black and albino irridescent sharks. No nips on any fish, so far. Pretty peaceful, but active, 650 gal.

I also have 1 mbu in a 120 gal by himself because he nips at everything.

Yeah, he will probably end up being by himself. But maybe I will get lucky and he will stop eating the rasboras I have with him.