Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Dwarf, Red Eye, South American & more. Freshwater puffer talk in here.
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Julievanam
Puffer Fry
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My Puffers: "Dale, But You Can Call Him Dragon" the Tetraodon palembangensis
Location (country): USA

Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Julievanam »

We recently acquired 2 dragon puffers from our local fish store.

They said that for the most part they’re lazy fish, and don’t do much. They also said that it will eat other fish, but due to the whole lazy thing it shouldn’t be an issue in a community tank (ours is 160 gallons).

I’ve read up a bit on the puffer but there are quite a few mixed answers of what they will/won’t do.

I know shame on us for not doing much research prior to bringing them home. If anyone has info or suggestions on this it would be greatly appreciated. They’re super cool fish but if they’re going to eat everything in the tank I need to either get another tank or bring them back. TIA

(Tankmates currently are clown loaches, cichlids, sevrums and feeders)
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Pufferpunk
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Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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2 T biocellatus
C valentini
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Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Pufferpunk »

[welcome]
You're going to need 2 more tanks for those 2 fish or you're going to have a lot of dead fish, including the 2 puffers. Feeders don't belong in a tropical community tank, either.
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!"
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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: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Pufferpunk »

[welcome]
You're going to need 2 more (40g) tanks for those 2 fish or you're going to have a lot of dead fish, including the 2 puffers. Feeders don't belong in a tropical community tank, either.
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!"
Julievanam
Puffer Fry
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 8:08 am
My Puffers: "Dale, But You Can Call Him Dragon" the Tetraodon palembangensis
Location (country): USA

Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Julievanam »

We’ve never had an issue with feeders in the tank. Lots of plants and hiding places. The 2 puffers were together at the aquarium in what appeared to be a 40gallon tank.

Do you think they’d actually be able to take fish 2x their size out?
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pufferjw
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Location: Boston/Chicago

Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by pufferjw »

Pufferpunk wrote: Thu May 24, 2018 4:16 pm [welcome]
You're going to need 2 more (40g) tanks for those 2 fish or you're going to have a lot of dead fish, including the 2 puffers. Feeders don't belong in a tropical community tank, either.
Yeahhhhh sorry. They may be slow, but they can strike extremely quickly at passing fish. You COULD possibly see about 2 tank dividers tho
220 Gallon - 1 Super White Leopoldi Stingray
55 Gallon Planted - No Fish
29 Gallon Planted - 1 Duboisi Puffer
29 Gallon - 1 Red Congo Puffer
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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: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Pufferpunk »

Julievanam wrote: Thu May 24, 2018 7:55 pm We’ve never had an issue with feeders in the tank. Lots of plants and hiding places. The 2 puffers were together at the aquarium in what appeared to be a 40gallon tank.

Do you think they’d actually be able to take fish 2x their size out?
Yes, 1 bite at a time. Goldfish are extremely dirty fish that live in cold water.
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!"
Julievanam
Puffer Fry
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 8:08 am
My Puffers: "Dale, But You Can Call Him Dragon" the Tetraodon palembangensis
Location (country): USA

Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Julievanam »

Even with aggressive fish living with them? The rest of the tank are also live feeders, we got these guys because our cichlids took out my buddies the bumblebees. Obviously we should’ve done research .... hopefully we can figure out a way to setup a 3rd and 4th tank (we have a separate feeder tank), but it’s sounding like we will have to return them.
PYRU
Figure 8 Puffer
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Location (country): USA

Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by PYRU »

Like others have said they're a no go in a community. I've seen people keep them together in a bigger tank, but that was luck of the draw with a pair formed. They also get bigger than you realize ive seen some way over what's been stated as the max size....most murders go down when the lights go out.

If you like true lazy lurkers then they're well worth their on tank.
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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: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Pufferpunk »

Aggressive & predatory are 2 different animals. One will push other fish around, sometimes to their demise, the 2nd will eat chunks out of other fish which will surely end in their deaths.
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!"
Julievanam
Puffer Fry
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 8:08 am
My Puffers: "Dale, But You Can Call Him Dragon" the Tetraodon palembangensis
Location (country): USA

Re: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Julievanam »

These guys are too cool, one actually hangs around during the day. We have decided that we are unfortunately going to have to return them. Not enough space for more tanks at this time. Really bummed out about it, but again, should’ve done my research before hand. Thanks everyone for the info.
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: Humpback/Dragon/Palembang Puffer Help

Post by Pufferpunk »

Please do educate the store you got them from, so that this doesn't keep happening to these fish!
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!"
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