Change in Pufferpedia Arcticle

[groovitudedude]

I think that there should be a change made in the PufferPedia Arcticle on the Modestus. I can not picture a Bronze Puffer living happily in a 20G tank, and I think that the minimum tank requiremnt should be moved up to at the ABSOLUTE LEAST 35 Gallons. I know that most Bronze Puffers don't grow farther than 4 inches, but this is still to big to be kept in a 20 Gallon aquarium. Please reconsider this absurd statement for the good of the unknowing puffer owner. Thank you.

[Pufferpunk]

I have a 4"er in my 20g long that has plenty of swimming room, IMO. Keep in mind, those are minimum tank size recomendations.

[groovitudedude]

Well, I certainly wouldn't suggest it, especially to a first time Modestus owner.

[Pufferpunk]

What are your reasons?

[groovitudedude]

First of all, not all modestus are created equal. Mine is very active, and would certainly die in a 20G, even by himself. Second, unless you are an expert (I'm not), it's slmost impossible to decide how a puffer would react to your conditions at home, just seeing it at the LFS. Additionally, although rarely, Bronze Puffers get a little bigger than 4 1/3 inches. What other fish that's over 4 inches belongs in a 20 G tank? Even so, we all know that puffers have special needs. A first time puffer owner might buy a modestus thinking it would work well in their 20G community only to find out it swims around a lot and needs a lot of space near the top of the tank. Thank you for taking the time to acknowledge my concerns.

[Pufferpunk]

When we post minimum tank sizes, it is for that fish only. If a person wants tank mates, they would have to add for that.

Shhh... don't tell anyone I have a 6" royal pleco living with my modestus. I do 75% weekly WC on that tank.

[groovitudedude]

How are they... I mean how is your modestus doing with the 75% WC? What do you feed it? Have you ever considered putting it in with any of your other tanks? I have a 6 1/2 inch pleco in my not-so-friendly mix-up tank (see my sig). He's really healthy, and nobody bites his fins or anything. He also doesn't attack my bichir for one reason or another.

[Pufferpunk]

My puffer is perfectly happy in his 20g. My other choices would be to put him with my fahaka in a 125g , or in with my discus in a 90g. No thanks!

He eats live blackworms, frozen blackworms/mysis shrimp, earthworms, freeze-dried krill/plankton & pieces of preple shrimp. About ready to trim his teeth soon.

I do 75% weekly WC on all my FW tanks & 90% on my discus tank.

[groovitudedude]

Keep me informed if you trim his teeth. How do you plan to do it? I tried using clove oil my first time a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't get very much done, because I didn't want to leave him in the clove oil/tank water solution too long (it might kill him), and I didn't want to take too long out of the water, so I might clip it again if I can find a safer way to do it. I heard that they make products for this purpose. However, I could only find the clove oil solution, and it needed to be cut. Any product suggestions?

And I still think that 20G is too small for ALL Modestus. Plenty of Modestus are more energetic than yours apparently. I don't usually get to talk to other Bronze Puffer owners.

[Pufferpunk]

I forget what it's called but there are lots of other threads about a totally safe tranq that you can get at http://www.drefostersmith.com.

[groovitudedude]

Thanks. I hope you understand... I just want the best for my Modestus.

[Pufferpunk]

I understand--my guy's special too! I'll be using CO this time around though.

[groovitudedude]

What made you change your mind? Or did you just run out of the other stuff?

[Pufferpunk]

Never had any & keep forgetting it in my order.

[groovitudedude]

Have you ever used anything else other than CO? I heard it's bad for the puffers, and that's why I'm concerened.