Electric Blue Jack Dempsey aka EBJD and SA Puffer...

[Leptar]

quick question... but first....

I have a 29g tank that i plan on using to acclimate and monitor 3 EBJD's that i have coming... Other then a couple of albino bristlenose the other tank occupant is a small SA Puffer (Colomesus Asellus). I chose this tank because it is the most stable of all my tanks, planted and at one point up until 2 days ago housed 50 1/2-3/4" convicts... ammonia and nitrates were @ 0, water was always crystal clear and the ph stood @ 6.7.. Emperor 400 filter with the 2 fillable cases loaded with established substrat pro and using bio3 replacement filters...

The EBJD's are 1" - 1-1/2" in size.. Once they put on atleast a 1/2"-3/4" for me i will rehome them to either a 55, or 65g tank...


So you see my plans, my question is am i risking it with the Puffer in the same tank? It is quite passive, when i first put the puffer in the tank he did hunt down and kill tiny convict fry but left them alone and hasn't nipped any fins in a month...

55 is not set up yet and the 65 currently has JD growouts...

TIA,
Paul

 

[Jason_S]

i wouldn't risk it...never know when the puffer might change his mind and decide those little ebjd's look tasty. sa puffers aren't known really for their aggression, but doesn't mean they won't try to eat smaller fish.

 

[Steveo1987]

i wouldn't risk it...never know when the puffer might change his mind and decide those little ebjd's look tasty. sa puffers aren't known really for their aggression, but doesn't mean they won't try to eat smaller fish.

To true, one bight and its game over for them EBJD's!

 

[Rockbass6]

Relocate the puffer, may cause stress, and at that size keeping stress to a minimum is better safe than sorry. No need to take a chance.

 

[Steveo1987]

Think everyone is of the opinion that you should relocate the puffer mate!!

 

[Medusa LA]

I don't think the puffer will give them problems if you've got enough line of sight breaks in the tank.

Puffers aren't aggressive, they're simply carnivores - anything they see as a food source is going to get picked at.

 

[Steveo1987]

I don't think the puffer will give them problems if you've got enough line of sight breaks in the tank.

Puffers aren't aggressive, they're simply carnivores - anything they see as a food source is going to get picked at.

EBJD's are fragile at the best of times so with a SA puffer hovering around and picking on them, that isnt gona be a good idea?! Puffers are best kept in a species tank imo & e!!!

 

[Leptar]

plenty of hiding spots in the tank... I've been watching them very closely.. puffer isn't that big that a 1 bite and game over they are all the same size...



I have only heard good things about these batches of EBJD's and that is the only reason why i picked 3 of them up... fragile, not these guys... 2 of them ganged and killed a small convict that i couldn't get out of the tank... my bristlenose pleco's are in hiding... all 3 of them will wipe out a blood worm cube in about a minute...

So majority says seperate...
I am going to give it the weekend... one of the EBJD's has a nipped fin because of the convict...The puffer has a spot on his side as he was assaulted by the con's... Right now the only time they get close is when they feed, other then that the puffer is buzzing around the upper part of the tank or on top of the slate cave the JD's are in and out of the caves or in the vegetation.

thanks again...
Paul

 

[Newt]

I'm going against the majority here to say I think it will be alright for now. If anything the EBJD will be rough on the SA puffer.

SA puffers are actually pretty docile puffer fish and should be kept with in a group. I've kept them with SA cichlids before and had no problems. If kept as a group they seem to stick together and will pretty much ignore other fish. The only reason I got rid of mine was that I got tired of trimming their teeth every few months. Even with a diet heavy in snails their teeth grow really fast!

 

[hairdog]

Oh, hell no. puffers are nippy fish and will stress out ebjd. not to mention puffers will need brackish water eventually to do well.