Hi from Cornwall

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HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

Thought I'd best say "Hi",

I've recently bought a new tank with the idea of keeping freshwater Red Tailed Puffers.

I'm not a novice at keeping fish, but probably have a bit of an 80's attitude to keeping them and will probably need a bit of guidance (or a kick round the head) every now and then!

Anyway, about a month ago I started planting the tank, added Cherry Shrimp, accidentally "bought" a Zebra Plec with some bogwood, then added 15 Green Neon Rasbora and yesterday got the call from the shop to say that the puffers were in...so now I'm the proud friend to 3 of the little buggers!

I haven't kept puffers for maybe 30 years (I'm 45) and back then used to feed them tinned tuna from my hand!!!
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Pufferpunk
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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
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Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by Pufferpunk »

[welcome]
I assume these puffers are in a different tank than the fish you mentioned? Which species, C lorteti?
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!"
HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

Nope, they're all in the same tank!
The puffers are irrubesco (did I spell that wrong?).
They are absolutely fine with the rasbora,. I wanted to make sure that the tank was as realistic/natural as possible...even the shrimp are fine (a bit jumpy, but last night before bed I even found my first shrimplet). The plec, is well...a plec. He's happy!
I have 1 male and 2 female puffers. The male is a bit territorial at the moment and has a habit of chasing the females, but I think that will settle down with a bit of extra plant growth.
Do you know if irrubesco's like caves or anything?
I'm interested in feeding them clams as I've never attempted anything like that before. Do you use freshwater clams or saltwater, or does it matter?
X
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: Hi from Cornwall

Post by Pufferpunk »

Expect those puffers to pick off your fish, one by one. Massacre will probably happen overnight. These are NOT fish-friendly!

No caves necessary, they prefer a heavily-planted tank. How large is it?
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!"
HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

Oh hell! That's got me nervous...

The articles I read about keeping them all said they would be fine with fast schooling fish such as rasbora. I originally was going to go for the same ones that the "type" specimens were found with in the wild (yellow tail rasbora) but ended up with the green neons instead. There's a YouTube video with them together in the same tank.

The articles all mentioned bumblebee gobies as well (I haven't plumped for any of these yet as I didn't want to overstock the tank).

At the moment the male seems to be hounding the smaller, more active of the two females. Shrimplets have started appearing, so I'm *hoping* these will keep him busy soon enough!

It's a small tank (2ft by whatever), but heavily planted...or at least that's what I've been told. Planted enough for the puffers to completely disappear.

I'll post a photo on the facebook page if that's ok?
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: Hi from Cornwall

Post by Pufferpunk »

You don't know the gallons? What are the measurements? Possibly in a much larger tank, like 55g, but certainly not a smaller tank like yours. Nowhere for their future "food reserves" to escape to. ;)
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!"
HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

Possibly 24 US gallons.
Bugger....
HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

I've posted pics on the facebook forum x
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: Hi from Cornwall

Post by Pufferpunk »

That's large enough for a pair--nothing else.
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!"
HanterBen
Puffer Fry
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:40 pm
Location (country): Cornwall

Re: Hi from Cornwall

Post by HanterBen »

Just a quick update on the tank.
You're right about it being large enough only for a pair, the male does bully the smaller female, so I'm thinking about moving her to a friends tank.
The rasbora are all fine, they have no problems from the puffers at all. The rasbora bully the rasbora, the puffers bully the puffers!!!
The tank now also has a proper shrimp population, the male puffer tends to hunt out shrimplets, but once they get over about 1cm or so, they have no problems from the puffers.
Other fish in there are the plec, bumblebee gobies and khuli loaches, all of which have no problems from the puffers...they're more interested in food that can fit in their mouths easily (I bought some live bloodworm recently and the puffers ignored the "clump" of worms and only ate individual worms)
Oh...and the puffers themselves are rad as hell!
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