Irrubesco or DP?

Dwarf, Red Eye, South American & more. Freshwater puffer talk in here.
Post Reply
Boshia
Puffer Fry
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:22 pm
Location (country): United States

Irrubesco or DP?

Post by Boshia »

Hey all, I thought I had my heart set on a DP or two for my 10 gallon but then I learned of Carinotetraodon irrubesco, which apparently are also Freshwater and can live in a 10 gallon as well. So now I'm torn between the two. They both seem to eat the same things, and seem to have the same care requirements. So, if you guys had the choice between the two which would you get? Which is more intelligent, which is more charming?
User avatar
G S P Freak
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 421
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:58 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Figure Eight Puffers, Binks (29G)
Dwarf puffers, named "He-Puffer" (male) and She-puffer (female) (10g)
Non-puffer:
1 Red-eared slider, Tortuga (female)(100g)
1 rubber lip pleco
Location (country): USA, Indiana

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by G S P Freak »

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/C_Irrubesco/
^ read the min tank size! The pufferpedia reccomends 20g, and thats MINIMAL, not reccomended tank size.. (I personally usually go 1 step above)
NTM, irrubesco is MUCH rarer to find in the fish trade than dps and will likely cost more too.
No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish.
-John Ruskin-
"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me
pollypuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:11 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 c. travancoricus - Phat Ted and Regular Size Rudy
1 c. lorteti - Schmendrick the Magician
~RIP Large Marge~
Location (country): Canada

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by pollypuff »

Boshia wrote:Hey all, I thought I had my heart set on a DP or two for my 10 gallon but then I learned of Carinotetraodon irrubesco, which apparently are also Freshwater and can live in a 10 gallon as well. So now I'm torn between the two. They both seem to eat the same things, and seem to have the same care requirements. So, if you guys had the choice between the two which would you get? Which is more intelligent, which is more charming?
Hi! I have both DP's and a C. lorteti-different tanks of course. C. lorteti and c.irrubesco are very similar, both often being called red-eyed puffers. Red-eyed puffers are a little larger then the DP's however I find mine to be more shy then my DP's. I also think he is a little more aggressive then my DP's as he has tried to eat everything I've put in there with him (otto's and amano shrimp) but that might just be the size talking because I'm sure my DP's would eat those amano shrimp if they could! Currently his only tankmate (not counting the trumpet snails because those are there for food) is a lone nerite snail and he still tries to pick on it. I recently added almond leaves to my tanks and my red-eye really likes the brown water and is more active now.

I don't think you can go wrong either way, however if you go DP I really wouldn't suggest more then 2 in a 10 gallon and even then you're going to see some squabbles. I''m not sure how fish intelligence is measured but I would say they are pretty interactive, personable and curious fish!
Boshia
Puffer Fry
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:22 pm
Location (country): United States

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by Boshia »

GSP Freak, the reason I thought that the Irrubesco would be fine in a 10 gallon is that on several sites it states a 10g is fine for a singleton. Don't worry though, I've decided to go the DP route. Maybe in the future I'll be able to house one, as they seem to be very interesting.
Pollypuff, I've been hedging back and forth on the issue of one or two for a 10 gallon. Have any of your DP's gotten seriously injured from the other?
pollypuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 73
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 1:11 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 c. travancoricus - Phat Ted and Regular Size Rudy
1 c. lorteti - Schmendrick the Magician
~RIP Large Marge~
Location (country): Canada

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by pollypuff »

Boshia wrote:GSP Freak, the reason I thought that the Irrubesco would be fine in a 10 gallon is that on several sites it states a 10g is fine for a singleton. Don't worry though, I've decided to go the DP route. Maybe in the future I'll be able to house one, as they seem to be very interesting.
Pollypuff, I've been hedging back and forth on the issue of one or two for a 10 gallon. Have any of your DP's gotten seriously injured from the other?
Funny that you ask.......When I first got my DP's I got three for my 10 gallon, not really knowing any better. I thought, my goodness they are so small (juveniles) they should be fine. And they were - for a while. I then adopted a 4th DP, already an adult, rearranged the tank and added her too. Then one of my original DPs died of unknown causes, leaving three. It became apparent that I was a fool and three adults in a 10 gallon was too many so I moved them all to a heavily planted 20 gallon with 6 ottos and 3 amano shrimp. (on a side note three of those ottos were meant to go in with my red eye but he tried to kill them).

Over the last 2 months my ottos have slowly died off leaving me with one.I know the DP's killed one for sure but not sure about the rest, I've heard ottos have some kind of bacteria in their stomachs and when they get stressed the bacteria stops working or something (very scientific I know) and they can starve to death. Then a few days ago one of my DP's attacked my older DP very badly and I had to take her out and put her in a 5 gallon. She's missing a good size chunk behind her eye. I think it's still touch and go with her - the wound doesn't look infected but she hasn't been eating well since the incident. So, now in my 20 gallon I have 2 grown DP's, one otto and 3 amano shrimp, and the 2 DP's still occasionally nip at each other. The one I think is a male tried to bite a shrimp last night but it didn't go well for him as the shrimp are twice his size.

I've read lots of articles about people keeping DP's in a community tank, or in groups of 5 in a 10 gallon ect and honestly I just can't imagine that long term either of those scenarios is good for the DP's. I think they fool novice puffer keepers into thinking they can be kept together because as juveniles they are ok in groups, its when they are older they want to be alone.

So, all that being said, my opinion is 2 DP max in a 10 gallon and no other fish. Maybe grab an amano shrimp for cleanup but thats it. Get them at the same time and make sure the tank is heavily planted/decorated. For sure if you want the happiest DP ever then just get one.

Sorry for the long answer! I'm still learning about puffers myself so I hope my experiences can help other newbies :) I kept fish for years but never puffers before, its like a whole new ball game now and I love it :)
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Don't believed what you read about puffers on ANY other sites! The BEST long-time pufferkeepers are right here!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Boshia
Puffer Fry
Posts: 24
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:22 pm
Location (country): United States

Re: Irrubesco or DP?

Post by Boshia »

After staying up the majority of the night reading a ton of posts from here, I think I'd have to agree. You guys already answered many of my questions just from previous posts.

Pollypuff, after reading your experience with more than one puffer and other peoples', I think I've decided on only getting one. I'd like to have the happiest puff ever!
Post Reply