Puffer in a planted tank?

[Christie_ZXR]

Aw, thank you F2B, but I'm in the UK

Apparently, C. Irrebesco can be kept with other fish! Anyone second this? I'm always wary of any puffer being touted as community. A little group of them might be an option, if it's true. Can anyone with experience with them tell me what they're like activity-wise? Would you trust them?

Ahh! So many choices!! lol I think this might turn out to be one of those "idle thoughts" that will end up leading to a new puffer...

Thinking more about a lurker, the tank floor will have to be mostly covered with plants for the type of planted tank I want, so I couldn't create floor level hidey holes really. Sadly, I think I'm going to have to rule out anything truly bottom dwelling because of that, which I take it would include palembang's?

[RTR]

My Palembang's tank was heavily planted (zero visible substrate if viewed from above), but not at substrate level (plenty of visible substrate when viewed from the front). I had plants that spread outward from center stems, more umbrella form than columnar, so shrimp, snails and other puffer food could wander freely around, as could the puffer if he was hungry. There were a few Abubias nana around and on the two puff refuge areas (bogwood shelters/caves), but no carpet-type plantings.

It was set for the fish, not as a landscape. I do not like what was called Dutch-style aquscaping. It makes me think of my grandmother's formal flower borders which required the same high upkeep. I did like the early Amano designs, especially the rolling plains and some hilltops, but care less for the more recent ones of his which I have seen. My aquascaping tends to be for one single or pair or school of fish, with perhaps a support crew of fish and/or inverts. I do not do mixed or so-called "community' tanks at all. They are not me in any way. My aquascaping produces planted fish tanks, not plant tanks with fish. The fish are always primary to me.

FWIW

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Well just showing how good a healthy lil C. Irrebesco looks. Never owned one, so I cant really say if they do ok with tankmates. But puffers will be puffers though. Even DP's can be nippy.

Palembang puffers are cool as I dont know what also. RTR, trying to talk you into a good species from what I have read from other members and him as well. Nice sized puffer that dont dig, great in planted tanks, and a beautiful puffer at that. Thought about the Palembang but did not know if they where diggers or not, so thats why I did mention it. RTR brought it up.

[Christie_ZXR]

Love the description of dutch aquascaping!! lol

Well, what I had in mind for this tank was stem plants mainly, lots of vallis and hygrophila, and some amazon swords. My biorb is set up in the same way, and the swords go mental in that, so with more space, I'd love to see how big I could get them. I'm thinking a lot more jungle than dutch, possibly with a bit of mopani wood. Defo with a few big boulders dotted around. Planning a trip to brighton beach sometime soon specifically to steal rocks...lol! And the co2 can get stuffed...it's more trouble than its worth IMO.
I started thinking puffers because of how easy the water quality would be to keep good for them with this sort of set up. In my biorb I have no filter, just an airstone. So I was thinking with good filtration too, I should be able to keep perfect water (she says...lol)
I'm halfway between the fish tank with plants and plant tank with fish, I've got the idea for something which I reckon I'll enjoy planting up and maintaining, but I want to pick a fish that will like it in there rather than one that will "look pretty". And ofc any excuse for a new puffer is a good excuse...!!

Defo leaning towards palembangs. Plenty to think about. Just a shame I've now got to wait for the living room floor to be redone before I can redo this tank. o/h spilt a whole tin of white gloss paint in the middle of the carpet!! So we're getting laminate


Just one other question, is palembangs likely to be a puff I'll never see? Obv some fish the more cover you give them, the happier they are to be out in the open. Is that true of them? Or will it likely end up as a game of spot the puffer?

[Christie_ZXR]

Sorry, one other q!

Anyone got experience keeping c. irrebesco in a group? Wondering what the behaviour's like and if they can be trusted together?

[scpion]

Think of palembang as a chameleon. Its always there, but U have to spot him.. Doesn't change colour that much though..

[RTR]

I like scpion's description of Palemnabg's pffers as chameleons. That is very apt. They are quite easy to see, but somehow not obvious.

I was not really trying to influence anyone in particular, just giving reason for liking one of the least active puffers. Even when they are "hunting" it is glacial. And also pointing out my own reasoning in planting any given tank. It is always for the fish first, then second for my own ease of upkeep. It is never for a planned and constantly groomed formal arrangement. Tank change over time, and do need some periodic replanting.

I have almost given up swords. They all get so blasted big. Even common swords can totally fill a 50, with little or no room but for anything bigger than guppies or Neons to swim. There was one in the Palembang's tank, but I kept it pruned up, not down. That left some space for the puff to hang out under it when hungry. And the ghost shrimp loved to hang out in and around the sword - they felt safe apparently - everybody makes mistakes sometimes

Some visitors freaked over the Palembang's. They swore it had a broken back and was suffering. I think that is part of their camouflage - they invite the invert scavengers to lunch. Then the scavenger becomes the main course.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

LOL@Christie stealing rocks....Dont get caught...lol And Laminate flooring is beautiful. We have it in our living room.


Oh and want to add that another palembang owner mentioned when she 1st got her's, it just set there on the bottom like a rock and never moved...lol

[Christie_ZXR]

Hm, maybe a palembangs isn't such a good idea. I love the look of them, but, and don't laugh, I want to be able to watch the fish from the sofa without my glasses! (I don't always wear them in the evenings!) I'm not dislosing how close to the tank the sofa is...!

I've been looking up irrebusco and finding articles saying they can live in a group fine. They strike me as oversized dwarf puffers from the descriptions I've read of how they act. Wondering about a group of 3 or so.

[scpion]

No, I won't laugh.. yeah.. lurkers are not really for everyone. Good that u have made the decision ahead so that u will not fall into the " Hey! Lets try this puffer out. It looks interesting, maybe it will work out!" category. Which many regret..

Good luck with your red eye(s)!

[Christie_ZXR]

Oh hang on...I'm far from decided yet!

Me..indecisive? I'm not sure, possibly.... lol

Somebody mentioned my tank being perfect for an Axylotyl, so I'm off researching those today! I feel so intelligent I'm learning loads! I vaguely seem to remember axys eat plants, so it's probably totally out though.

[scpion]

Indecisive? Not at all.. Many times we just wish we have room for all of them.. How I wish I live in an aquarium..

[RTR]

I ignored the lurkers for years. I wanted more activity in my puffer tanks. But then I remembered how much I like my tanks with crepuscular catfish, which appear empty except at twilight. I do have a sub-specialty in invisible fish...

[bertie 83]

Be careful on our beach, they look for stone thieves lol. Most the rock here isn't that great anyhow, plus boiling can make them explode.

[J-P]

I do have a sub-specialty in invisible fish...

LOL!! I thought your eye surgery was a success