what puffer?

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Oct 20, 2009
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i have been wanting a puffer and i found a store that sells
target puffers 2" for 9.99
mbu 8-9" for 200.00
congo 3-4" for 59.99
and hairy for 79.99

are any of these a good price? and which one is the best choice. and which one is more active the congo or the hairy. i know that these are alot of questions but could anyone help thanks:)
 
A little bit pricey for me, but better than I have seen.
MBU gets BIG and you will need a massive tank. By far my favorite fish, but if you don’t have a 750 gallon plus (many say 1000) he may not be the one for you.
Generally the "Target" puffers are extremely aggressive and will kill anything that moves in its tank. Same thing with the Congo. They love to burry themselves if provided the right substrate and mine have always been very territorial. I kept mine with tank mates, but lost a few from time to time.
Never kept a hairy puffer before but have heard they are aggressive. Much more rare to see being sold in my area.
It is always a chance when dealing with puffers. They can be very aggressive or very passive. I’ve always had good luck with Mbus and tank mates together, but every now and then something would piss him off.
Very important to realize before you grab any puffer, that they are extremely sensitive to nitrites and ammonia. You will need to do water changes often to keep the water quality at the correct level. They are also messy eaters so extra filtration is recommended.
I dont think any are a bad choice. Puffers are awesome and you will enjoy owning what ever one you decide.
 
thank you so much for replying i think i am going to get the congo does anyone else have anything to add?
 
I would go with the congo too. Price is a little high but I've seen worse. You won't see much of the Congo except at feeding time. He'll stay buried for the most part. That being said i've always wanted one *shrug*. They are hard to find especially the orange variant. He'll eat shrimp, mussel, silversides, other crustaceans. Surprisingly i've heard quite a few people say they won't go after snails so some use a large snail as a clean up crew. Can't promise your fellow won't turn a snail into lunch though, it depends on the puffer. Size requirements I'd say a 20 gallon would be fine, a sand substrate of course, and some rock work for decor. Good luck with him. All the people who i've talked to with congos absoluetely love them.
 
thank you qtr for the reply does anyone else own a hairy puffer that can tell me some some stuff about them that has personal exp. thanks again
 
Just curious what color the Congo Puffer is... coz if its a red one for that price it would be a pretty reasonable since i've heard people pay quite a lot in the US for a red one...
 
it looks more orange ill take a pi after school i did get him and he demolished 3 feeders. i'm hopeing everything goes good thanks for the help
 
Although congo's are piscivores, you could also try feeding him/her deforsted Scallops, Mussels or Prawns as well... i know mine will eat all the above with no hassle... albeit it was a little tricky to begin with, but once he realized it was food, i've never had problems with him taking it...

Oh and if you must feed live feeder, just make sure to quarantine them first... coz trying to de-worm a puffer of parasites is no fun job and can take quite some time...
 
thank you homer i am going out to buy some mussels now i had to give him feeders cuz last night i didn't know what else he would eat and they kept him skinny how often should i feed him he is about 3in and he looks skinny
 
Baileyi (Hairy Puffer) is the best of the smaller. Actually I like it better then my Fahaka.

I have had mine going on 4 years now. About 2 years ago they were not too uncommon to find around $30 but have gone up in price the past couple years.

I would really like to find a male but have not been willing to fork over $80 + shipping for one.
 
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