Puffer input

[magpie]

Please bear with the long post.

I've been moderately looking into puffers for a while because they've always interested me. I currently have a 5 gallon Betta tank, a 10 gallon shrimp tank, and a 65 gallon tank that has African butterfly fish, Congo tetras, rope fish, and 3 Polypterus- Delhezi, Moke, and Polli. There are also two plecos.

We will be moving in about a year and after that I will be upgrading to a 180 or 200-ish gallon tank. The plan will be I think to put the Polys into that tank, add more including possible lower jaw species, and some 'less aggressive' cichlids including a Polleni.

From what I've read, it sounds like I don't really have a puffer option for my tanks and I would have to set up a separate one - likely brackish - for a puffer. I am nervous about tooth care and so have written off SAPs. I definitely want the large tank dedicated to a poly community, so one of the larger puffers is not an option.

But.... my LFS is wet spot. They have T. Schoutedeni available at times, and from the limited information I can find online, these are smaller freshwater puffers that can live with other fish.

If you've made it this far in my post, you know where I'm going with this. Do you think that I could keep this species in my 65 gallon tank? I think it would be too small for lower jaw Polys and Pollini. But I think it might be able to live happily for life in the 65 gallon with rope fish and other smaller fish, maybe upper jaws.

My tank is fairly heavily planted, and I know they like to explore plants. But I also have a lot of MTS snails to stir my substrate. I am pretty sure that these puffers eat whole snails and I'm worried that the MTS may hurt them because these guys are pointy and in a hard shell.

Input on any of this? Advice on any others that may be suitable for the set up? Or should I just scrap this plan and go for an eventual brackish tank?

 

[kno4te]

Fat Homer

 

[Fat Homer]

I've been hearing a lot about Wes' T. Schoutedeni, sadly this fish is quite rare so i dont have much info i can give you on these guys and maybe asking Wes himself will be best...

I did however used to have a male large spot polleni and he was a real mean SOB, but that could have been just him...

Anyway, back on topic... honestly 99% of the time puffers wont work in a comm tank because either A) larger fish will eat the puffer or B) the puffer will be large enough to do serious damage to tankmates coz they are inquisitive fish...

Also with the rope fish etc, it rules dwarf puffers out of the equation coz they will most likey get eaten and most other red eye species are also out mainly due to size / agression...

 

[magpie]

Who is Wes? Is he the one that Wet Spot gets these guys from?

 

[PYRU]

That's a $200 puffer but it is rare. Also gets to around 6" and is about like a green spotted puffer/ceylon except freshwater. Same aggressive attitude to boot.

Mts is a no go due to super hard shell.

Your best bet is too scrap this plan and go brackish. I suggest figure 8s as gsp's and Ceylon require full marine eventual. Well you could do high end brackish with them but its a super expensive way to achieve the basically low end saltwater

 

[888fish]

Wes is a MFK vendor of RARE FISH. He had some of these rare puffers available in his last stock list. Not associated with the Wetspot. Contact him, great guy but quite busy.

 

[Fat Homer]

Thanks 888fish i always get those two people mixed up...

But yeah, been hearing wes at Rare Fish has been getting them in recently but as stated above they also come with that hefty price tag of $200 a piece...

Also, from what i've read from Wes' postings, these guys are meant to be quite friendly (as far as puffers go) but naturally still pack the tools to do serious damage... esepcially at 6" eventual size...

 

[888fish]

Wes, was selling them much cheaper than $200. But I don't like to mention his prices, his business. I hear these only grow 3-4". You know, I love these unique fish that are not commonly freshwater, like my Morays. The other freshwater puffers get TOO big!

 

[magpie]

My LFS is Wet Spot so if I did get one, it would be through them to avoid shipping costs/shipping a fish. Thanks though, I might contact Wes for more info on them.

That's a $200 puffer but it is rare. Also gets to around 6" and is about like a green spotted puffer/ceylon except freshwater. Same aggressive attitude to boot.

Mts is a no go due to super hard shell.

Your best bet is too scrap this plan and go brackish. I suggest figure 8s as gsp's and Ceylon require full marine eventual. Well you could do high end brackish with them but its a super expensive way to achieve the basically low end saltwater

I have read that their max is 3.5-4.5" and that they are not super aggressive. Where are you getting this info? Have you had one?

I don't mind going full marine if it's easier - I've never done anything other than FW so have zero experience there, but am not opposed to it eventually. I do have figure 8s on my possible list.


I was worried about the Malaysian Trumpet Snails... is that the case for all puffers? I have so many of them so they'd be an easy, free food source.

Wes, was selling them much cheaper than $200. But I don't like to mention his prices, his business. I hear these only grow 3-4". You know, I love these unique fish that are not commonly freshwater, like my Morays. The other freshwater puffers get TOO big!

I agree, for a fish that can't be really kept with others it's hard for me to commit to a large enough tank, although people who have them love them. I personally would prefer to have multiple fish to look at in a tank that is over 100 gallons.

I love unique fish too. The main draw for me related to these guys though, isn't that they're more uncommon, it's that people say they can be a community puffer... and that may be worth the money for me vs. having a ton of separate tanks.... we shall see.

 

[PYRU]

I have read that their max is 3.5-4.5" and that they are not super aggressive. Where are you getting this info? Have you had one?

I don't mind going full marine if it's easier - I've never done anything other than FW so have zero experience there, but am not opposed to it eventually. I do have figure 8s on my possible list.

A friend had one. Mistakenly sold as a Ceylon. I tried to buy it, but he wouldn't let it go once he found out what it was.

Acted just like my old gsp's and was the same size. Killed everything he ever tried to put with it except for the ceylon's it was original sharing a tank with.

That's the only one I have experience with or even seen in person. Maybe its a fluke, but I doubt it. Only somewhat peaceful puffers ive seen are fig 8's and my old ones would whipe out a group of gobies over night if the mood struck them.