Will this group of fish work together?

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shluffer

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 1, 2009
102
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Connecticut
120 gallon tank with a sump. My salt is at 1.025. I'm thinking of the following:

2 GSP's -incumbents. they are at about 4 inches
4 monos - incumbrents. they will have to go when they get to big. they are currently on the small side
1 - stars and stripes
1 - spotted puffer
1 - porcupine
2 - clowns

Is this to many puffers in the same tank?
 
Look here for minimum tank sizes for EACH puffer: http://www.**************.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/?sid=60d499f9265f37ea8a5547004d1cf581
 
It seems that some of those guys get large enough that they will outgrow the aquarium on there own. I looked it up somewhere else and got different sizes. Oops.

How long does it take for them to get to those large sizes? I'm o.k. selling them / giving them away after they get to big for my tank. I was told that the porcupine I was looking at would take three to five years to outgrow the tank. If I can keep these guys together for 3 - 5 years, I can live with that.

Also, when combining fish, do I add up the minimum sizes to figure out if they fit?
 
Problem with planning to give away or sell a fish when it is full grown is finding some one to take it. Most people won't have the room- same problem you will have. Best to plan to keep a fish for life. Also GSP can get more aggressive as they get bigger. Remember minimum tank size is not just for the fish to be able to move but also for the dilution of their waste to avoid water quality problems and for territorial behavior.
 
I'm not so worried about finding someone to take these guys after they get to big. There are a couple of local fish stores that will take them, they just won't give me much for them. I can live with that.

I understand that there are two issues related to how much space a fish needs. I have 120 in my DT and 150 in the system. I'm not sure how to count. The two GSP need 30 each. So is that 60 total (diluting waste) or 45 (its big enough for them to swim = 30, and 45 to dilute the waste). I'm also not sure how to tell when I am running out of dilution space. If someone could tell me that, I could add the fish slowly (until I max out). Problem with that is that I would not be accounting for growth.

Interestingly, asking here it seems that I am told that the tank is full (or do folks intend something else?). Asking at the LFS (Ive asked at two and gotten the same answer) I have plenty of space. I figure the truth is somewhere in the mddle, but I would like to understand better before I decide what to do.
 
Figure on adding each fish's minimum tank size recomendations to each other. 2 GSPs = 60g.
 
shluffer;3075168; said:
I'm not so worried about finding someone to take these guys after they get to big. There are a couple of local fish stores that will take them, they just won't give me much for them. I can live with that.

I understand that there are two issues related to how much space a fish needs. I have 120 in my DT and 150 in the system. I'm not sure how to count. The two GSP need 30 each. So is that 60 total (diluting waste) or 45 (its big enough for them to swim = 30, and 45 to dilute the waste). I'm also not sure how to tell when I am running out of dilution space. If someone could tell me that, I could add the fish slowly (until I max out). Problem with that is that I would not be accounting for growth.

Interestingly, asking here it seems that I am told that the tank is full (or do folks intend something else?). Asking at the LFS (Ive asked at two and gotten the same answer) I have plenty of space. I figure the truth is somewhere in the mddle, but I would like to understand better before I decide what to do.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that at the end of the day the LFS is still a store with sales staff trying to sell you a product, and sadly in my experience, a lot of them will tell you that you have pleanty of space even when your tank is over-stocked due either to poor knowledge or just wanting to sell you more fish for a already over-stocked tank. but maybe thats just my luck ;)
 
Immagine being a very personable puffer (kinda like a puppydog) who has been living in a nice environment for a few years. Getting good food, good water conditions, nice decor to swim around... Then you get scooped up & placed into a system shared by hundreds of other fish (many sick & carrying parasites), a stark tank with barely any decor, certainly nothing you are familiar with like your nice cave at home, fed some crappy cheap krill that will give you lockjaw (all most LFS feed their puffers), little kids & tenagers hitting the tank to scare you into puffing & then bought by some jerk a few months later, who thinks it's cool to put you into another small tank (because you looked "fine" in that small tank in the LFS & they really need to get you out of there) & fed krill, because that's what the LFS told then they were feeding it. I'd just die... :( Please treat your fish as the true pets they deserve to be treated as. Especialy a fish as personable as a puffer.
 
If you have another idea as to what I can add that will get along with the current inhabitants let me know. Otherwise, I will have to go with the advice from the LFS.
 
LFS are in the business of selling fish. I have been in the hobby for over 30 years & run the #1 pufferfish information site in the world. My only concern is for the fish. As I said before, please consider the minimum tank recommendations for the adult size of your fish & purchase according to those suggestions. It is very difficult to find homes for larger fish & most fish do not survive a move like that.
 
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