So my 125 gallon tank has been down for a while since I moved. Starting to get the itch to set something up again but I’m not sure what. I’ve done south and Central American cichlids previously and while I loved them, I wouldn’t mind trying something new. So, sell me on puffers if you think they’re a good idea and give me any details about the species you recommend.
Sell me on a puffer!
- Thread starter Buphy
- Start date
I have a lurker type puffer (Hairy) which is fairly an inactive ambush predator. This type does not get very large, apx 5". I will say that even though it just sits around it totally responds to me just like any cichlid would. Very intelligent fish.
Are you planning on using the 125 gallon for the puffer? Is it a standard 6 ft long 18" wide or other dimension? This may effect what type you can put in there but I think most would say a Fahaka would work in there with good filtration and maintenance routine.
Are you planning on using the 125 gallon for the puffer? Is it a standard 6 ft long 18" wide or other dimension? This may effect what type you can put in there but I think most would say a Fahaka would work in there with good filtration and maintenance routine.
What are you looking for fw, sw, bw? You want active or lurker?
The problem is your tank is huge for smaller species but too narrow for the bigger ones...and there's really none to fill the gap.
The only active ones I know that will be good in your tank are ceylon or GSP's....but again both will require marine when older. You could get a big group of schoutedeni but they're like 200ea. South Americans are skiddish and teeth grow ridiculously fast.
If you can grab a 24" wide then a fahaka is the way to go. Their interactiveness makes amphilophus look like silver dollars.
You get the uniqueness of fish like knives, wolves, polys with the interactiveness of a big sa/ca cichlid.
Lurkers bring a savage ambush type behaviour and have vicious feeding styles. They're probably not great for first timer but have a rare uniqueness about them that i find interesting.
The problem is your tank is huge for smaller species but too narrow for the bigger ones...and there's really none to fill the gap.
The only active ones I know that will be good in your tank are ceylon or GSP's....but again both will require marine when older. You could get a big group of schoutedeni but they're like 200ea. South Americans are skiddish and teeth grow ridiculously fast.
If you can grab a 24" wide then a fahaka is the way to go. Their interactiveness makes amphilophus look like silver dollars.
You get the uniqueness of fish like knives, wolves, polys with the interactiveness of a big sa/ca cichlid.
Lurkers bring a savage ambush type behaviour and have vicious feeding styles. They're probably not great for first timer but have a rare uniqueness about them that i find interesting.
Thanks for the responses! It is a standard 125 (6’x1.5’x2’) and it is my only tank I kept apart from a 12 long and a 40 breeder.
I really don’t know about lurker VS active, but I don’t think I want salt or brackish. I’ve considered salt but if I went that route I don’t think I’d get a puffer. Brackish has always sounded hard to me too. I’ve always heard puffers had good personality so that’s why I’m interested.
Sounds like a 50/50 on the fahaka right now =P but how fast of growers are they? I’m saving up and planning on a 300 gallon in the next 2 years or less.
I really don’t know about lurker VS active, but I don’t think I want salt or brackish. I’ve considered salt but if I went that route I don’t think I’d get a puffer. Brackish has always sounded hard to me too. I’ve always heard puffers had good personality so that’s why I’m interested.
Sounds like a 50/50 on the fahaka right now =P but how fast of growers are they? I’m saving up and planning on a 300 gallon in the next 2 years or less.
A fahaka grows easily an inch per month during the first year, so within 2 years approximately 14-15” depending on the fish i would say...
A 180G - 200G is what i would say is a bare minium for an adult so a 300G would work nicely and gives you plenty of space to place driftwood and other decor for your fish to explore, as they need visual stimulation to prevent them getting bored and stressed...
A 180G - 200G is what i would say is a bare minium for an adult so a 300G would work nicely and gives you plenty of space to place driftwood and other decor for your fish to explore, as they need visual stimulation to prevent them getting bored and stressed...
If you can manage to find one, and are willing to spend a couple thousand dollars, I'd recommend a Tetraodon Pustulatus. Other than that, your best bet would be a school of Tetraodon Schoutedeni or Carinotetraodon Lorteti. You could TRY a pair of Tetraodon Suvatti, but people have had mixed success keeping a pair of these. If you want a good first time lurker, I'd go for a Tetraodon Palembangensis. You could also add some neon tetras, which would be picked off occasionally, but a group of 20 should last a while. Hope this helps!