Carinotetraodon irrubesco Tank Mates

[arfive]

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and puffer keeping. I just got 3 Carinotetraodon irrubesco, unfortunately one died, so now I have two. They are currently in quarantine and being treated for fungus. That's why one died. I should have started fungus treatment the first day I got them. Anyway, the two I have left are both eating and looking good. My plan is to put them in a 50 gal tank with Diamond Head Neons, Silver Tip Tetras, Corydoras julii and one Super Red Bristlenose Pleco. My worry is perhaps the puffers will try to eat the other fish while they are sleeping? Anyone have any experience with this?

[Pufferpunk]

Your fear is legit. This species does NOT play well with others!

[DARTHxNIHILUS]

I have kept four Irrubescos (3 males, 1 female) with black neon tetras for about 7 months now and never had an incident. In fact, one of the males was being highly aggressive to his irrubesco tankmates and had to be moved to his own tank a 3 months ago (with the tetras). The tetras can steal food from his mouth and he won't get bothered, he just doesn't see them as intruding on his territory. I'm not sure if its the fact that they stick to the midwater, their coloration differences, or what, but 4/4 my irrubescos tolerate black neons, and the black neons don't bother him either. There are only 6, not sure if they'd find higher numbers more stressful.

[HanterBen]

I've kept irrubesco puffers (1 male, 2 females) for the past 6-7 months and they're one of the most peaceful (to other species) fish that I've kept in 35 years of fish keeping. If anyone tells you any different ask them what first hand experience they have of this.
Originally I kept them with neon green rasbora, but they're too aggressive to their own species. Now I have them in a tank with Celestial Pearl Danio, Red Koi Tuxedo Guppies (they look really good with the CPDs), 3 species of khuli, Bumblebee gobies (I've even seen one goby "sit" on the male puffer!), a plec and shrimp.
My cherry shrimp are doing so well I've had to start giving them away!!!
My tip is make sure you have plenty of cover (plants, bogwood, small caves etc) so they have somewhere to hide, feed them small amounts of blood worm 1-2 times a day and probably don't put other puffers in with them.
Obviously, I can only speak from my own experience, but out of the 4 types of freshwater/brackish water species I've kept, these are by far the easiest to keep.

[WAYFARER]

It's only a matter of time. They look like accepting the tank mates. But someday... Day 1, in 6 month, a year?? I would never only do 2 small puffers to start with. My experience with the small freshwater puffers (mostly peapuffers) is to start out with maybe 10 youngs and it Will be Hard for some of Them and cost lives. But if It's not the Hard way, there Will always someone not eating as much staying alone getting skinny. The other way makes it a much more natural and dynamic aquarium. I dont like to worry about when the light turns on and someone really had a Hard night and All the others just showing of. I used this method 3-4 times the last 15 years always succesfull. Right now in my 31 gallon i have 7 peapuffers started with 9. Also 6 big amano shrimps which they dont touch, after a Day playing with muscles and looking smart for the females there is No time for these things the times i only kept 1,2 or 3 the shrimps was gone by the same. And Peas are way more evil in small numbers with regular puffers dead, then you but 1 or 2 new that are the ones to hit on, the a new one and that goes on. my 7 now are Also fighting and pushing now and then, but no bites and never the same one.

THIS IS ONLY MY EXPERIENCE, AND MAYBE IM THE ONLY ONE WITH SUCCES THIS WAY. IT'S A HARD METHOD IN THE BEGINNING, BUT IT'S A BLAST FOR MANY YEARS WITH TINY HELICOPTORS THAT KNOW YOUR FACE AND MOVES. ONLY ALOT OF WATER CHANGE AND CLEANING, BUT NO DEAD PUFFERS. I SPEND AT LEAST 1-2 HOURS EVERY DAY LOOKING, LAUGHING AND FEEDING THEM