InTheDeep: Mbu Post

[Pufferpunk]

I tried to split his post from the thread & couldn't (still have difficulty with that), so I'm posting his Q here:

Hi
i'm in a similar situation. we're thinking seriously about buying a mbu puffer for our new trigon 190 tank. we currently have small tropical fish, platys, tetras, plec, few bottom feeders, i can't remeber what they are called, again small fish, and a male and female fighter fish. will these fish be o.k with the mbu? any other advice on keeping the mbu would be appreciated! we want to make sure that we do it right. and keep it healthy and well especially as the one we've seen costs £95. thanks

[Pufferpunk]

Please read:
library/puffers-in-focus/mbuforyou/
viewtopic.php?f=56&t=150

[L!$A]

If the mbu is a baby, it will be okay for a short period of time. Very short period of time. The male & female betta may get eaten with time, the Mbu will grow ten times the size, which will make the betta's and any other fish smaller than the betta's a little snack for the Mbu.

For instance, I have a Mbu with fish he cannot eat, they are larger, but not large enough to be able to eat my Puffer.
We have an American Tiger Datnoid, Eclipse Suncat who hides all day! And is much, much smaller than our mbu. & two pleco's at the moment. The AT is far too fast for the mbu, and as our mbu gets older we are watching to be sure he is not stressed due to his tankmates.

As for aggression, Mbu's are known for aggression, but this is truely based on the specific fish. My mbu is very well tempered, and he tolerates his tank mates - for now anyway.

As always, if you wish to try it be very aware at all times, in your case the Mbu would be fine, but the rest of your fish will not. If you really must have tank mates, I'd try for a chiclid of some sort (for instance I've had a Green Texas Chiclid with our mbu for a few months, without any problems). Any fish you add would have to be the same size, fast, or a bit larger than the mbu. If you get ANY catfish, it has to be smaller. Catfish have huge mouths which can be deadly when the Mbu rests on the floor at night. When the mbu is fully grown I would suggest less tank mates versus more.

Hope this helped!

[pufferpuggirl]

My Mbu BeeBoo is VERY tolerant of his tank mates, for now. I've got quite a variety in that tank, and so far, everything has gone really well. The redeyes have even stopped bullying the F8's, so that's a very good thing. I've never seen BeeBoo look agitated, and even when he wants the food they have, he just goes up and yanks it out of their mouths, but there isn't any aggressive behaviour. BeeBoo isn't very big right now either, and that could be why he's so tolerant. I sort of thought we'd end up removing all the tankmates when BeeB gets bigger, but who knows, he may continue to be tolerant of them. I actually think he likes having the salivator and F8's around him, they sure seem like friends to me (could just be wishful thinking on my part though).

[autophotos]

the problem here is the fact that the store employees should have told the potential buyer the min tank size for a juvinile and adult along with the maximum size of the fish fully grown -

even if the staff havnt told them - there should be labels telling you all this information -

[Pufferpunk]

Who would buy the fish if the truth were told about most of them?

[autophotos]

i know that but wheres the responsibility -

the store i recently went to - i rang them up - first they said they were saps - then they were golden puffers - then they were yellow puffers - which they stated grow a good few inches and are great in a community tank


now upon questioning them - i have found out their dps and everything they said was bollocks -

[pufferpuggirl]

That's typical of most LFS's, in my opinion.

[RTR]

IMHO & IME, T. mbu should be in a massive tank from day one, in FW which may hard or soft, alkaline or acid, but moderately alkaline is the easiest to manage with large predatory fish. They should have no tankmates, period. IME, Tankmates of any size will will be food sooner or later. They should never under any circumstances be co-housed with F-8 puffers F-8s are BW fish, T. mbu is FW. Do these folks keeping mbus forget that they do not have to swallow their prey? They can take chunk out of any fish - they may go for easier, smaller prey if available, but will not hesitate to "taste" a larger fish if hunger strikes. Being nocturnal is no defense. They are massive fish and should be kept in massive tanks. I don't like to offend anyone needlessly, but keeping a T. mbu in ordinary tanks such as 120 and 180s is serious and harmful unde-rhousing - exactly comparable to keeping a GSP in a five-gallon tank. If you cannot plan on 1000+ gallons, with massive support equipment to match, do not consider this fish. I would never keep another in less than multiple thousands of gallons. An 8 x14' room on concrete was inadequate for keeping my T. mbu. Been there, done that, and would dearly love to have another - but I know that I cannot properly accommodate the the fish's requirements. so I will not ever get another - even though it was my favorite fish of all time. Mbu was a member of the family for over 12 years, and will never be forgotten.

All IME & IMHO, but I do sincerely believe that if you cannot do it right, you should not do it at all. My mbu had a permanently deformed caudal from being housed alone in a 180 - way too small, even if he did reach full size.

Off soapbox, end of comment on this topic for me. I get too angry over abuse (including my own in the past), no matter how well-intentioned.

[J-P]

Wow 8 x 14 x ? suppose 4' high that well over 2000 gals! Hummmm convert a bedroom to a fish tank? haha evil thoughts

Cleaning that moster without a kevlar suit on would be a delicate job

[Pufferpunk]

Thanks Robert, I continue to forward your experienced advice to anyone who will listen!