Btw.. Puffers can have tankmates.. You just need to pick them wisely. It also depends on each puffers individual personality.
Ask Rweedon, hes seen it
Ask Rweedon, hes seen it
Puffers! And tank mates? Suggestions?
- Thread starter Springtyme
- Start date
my wife had a dwarf puffer and 4 giant danios in a 40gal. and never had a problem with fin nipping.
burn miles really schooled me this time do spotted really get that large... all the ones we usually get from african are in really bad shape as are the rest of them but you might know all about that miles...
I wasn't trying to burn you, just letting everyone know that Green Spotted Puffers can get fairly large. You might be able to house them temporarily in groups like that, even in small tanks.. But you will never grow a GSP to its adult size, nor let it look its best.
The reason they usually look so crappy, is because people try to overcrowd them.. Those little jaws or 'Pinchers of Power' as I would like to call them, can do some serious damage.
He is reffering to African Northwest, a wholesale company we work with here in WA. They likely keep all those little puffs in a tiny cubicle, where they constantly eat each other. Keep in mind the actual cost of Green Spotted Puffers when they are in season, is near the same cost as Tetras.. However, they don't ship well in large groups, and can be very expensive to Import from their native region (Sumatra, Borneo, etc.).. Sometimes it is hard for me to keep my mouth shut when I know exactly how much each fish is being paid for when it changes hands.. The point I am trying to make is, most Exporters will insanely overcrowd these nippy fish, so they can save on freight costs. This makes the next few months bouncing from tank to tank extremely hard on them, which means by the time they get to you, they 'look like crap.'
I had 2 Green Spotted Puffers, both at 4-5".. They were in a 55g tank with a 1" F8, and a Butis Butis.. To some people even this is still overcrowded. Puffers are messy eaters, and can put off alot of waste, so often people will give you the 'Bio-Load' lecture. Bio-Load is only a term for people who don't change their water enough I also kept them in the Saltwater tank with the Lionfish for a while, but they would always get spooked and smash into the live-rock, scraping themselves. Not to mention I was worried one was going to get pierced by my black sea urchin.
Note to self & MFK members: Never buy cheap knock-off canister filters.. They will leak all over your house, drain your tank to 1" of water, and kill your most beloved pufferfish.
BTW Ryan, If your puffers 'Eat, Eat, and Eat some more' but always have that 'Skinny Belly' look.. its because wild puffers often have internal parasites. Use frozen krill, and soak it in garlic extract. It is a very safe, all-natural medication that should help the puffers perk up alot. Also try not to overcrowd them, and they will do WAY better.
************** has a wealth of information. Jeni (PufferPunk) is very knowledge, and very helpful! She has written a few articles in TFH about Puffers, as well as the puffer section in the encyclopedia of exotic tropical fish.
Hope that helps!
Miles
The reason they usually look so crappy, is because people try to overcrowd them.. Those little jaws or 'Pinchers of Power' as I would like to call them, can do some serious damage.
He is reffering to African Northwest, a wholesale company we work with here in WA. They likely keep all those little puffs in a tiny cubicle, where they constantly eat each other. Keep in mind the actual cost of Green Spotted Puffers when they are in season, is near the same cost as Tetras.. However, they don't ship well in large groups, and can be very expensive to Import from their native region (Sumatra, Borneo, etc.).. Sometimes it is hard for me to keep my mouth shut when I know exactly how much each fish is being paid for when it changes hands.. The point I am trying to make is, most Exporters will insanely overcrowd these nippy fish, so they can save on freight costs. This makes the next few months bouncing from tank to tank extremely hard on them, which means by the time they get to you, they 'look like crap.'
I had 2 Green Spotted Puffers, both at 4-5".. They were in a 55g tank with a 1" F8, and a Butis Butis.. To some people even this is still overcrowded. Puffers are messy eaters, and can put off alot of waste, so often people will give you the 'Bio-Load' lecture. Bio-Load is only a term for people who don't change their water enough
I also kept them in the Saltwater tank with the Lionfish for a while, but they would always get spooked and smash into the live-rock, scraping themselves. Not to mention I was worried one was going to get pierced by my black sea urchin.Note to self & MFK members: Never buy cheap knock-off canister filters.. They will leak all over your house, drain your tank to 1" of water, and kill your most beloved pufferfish.
BTW Ryan, If your puffers 'Eat, Eat, and Eat some more' but always have that 'Skinny Belly' look.. its because wild puffers often have internal parasites. Use frozen krill, and soak it in garlic extract. It is a very safe, all-natural medication that should help the puffers perk up alot. Also try not to overcrowd them, and they will do WAY better.
************** has a wealth of information. Jeni (PufferPunk) is very knowledge, and very helpful! She has written a few articles in TFH about Puffers, as well as the puffer section in the encyclopedia of exotic tropical fish.
Hope that helps!
Miles
You could also try a tank with several Colomesus asellus(sometimes called zebra puffers or brazillian freshwater puffers). I have kept these in community tanks with small fish like dwarf red Badis badis and have never had problems. Some sources say that the get 6" long but my experience with them is that they are slow growing. They are easy to care for and feed well on krill and blood worms. Check out chunkypuff.net for a picture
Hey Ryan,
Check out these Puffs! You still think you can do 10 of em in a small tank? No offense, dude!
Check out these Puffs! You still think you can do 10 of em in a small tank?
No offense, dude!
That is how big they can get, if you give them a proper home and take good care of them..
Most people don't make it past 1"..
I had mine to 4" before they died
Most people don't make it past 1"..
I had mine to 4" before they died
