Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Non puffer freshwater discussion. Don't tell your puffers, they'll be jealous!
Post Reply
User avatar
Minipuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:19 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 5 dwarf puffers
Location (country): Norway

Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Minipuff »

I've been considering tank mates for my 5 dwarf puffs and 4 amanos for several months now. I already know the risk, so I have a backup plan.

How do you think it would work out with some Tatia perugiae (oil/driftwood catfish)? Nocturnal, very fast moving, peaceful, and - looks almost like a puffer!! :D

What about siamese algae eaters (the real thing, of course, not the more aggressive lookalikes)?
User avatar
Welch4
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 698
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2014 5:22 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: 1 GSP
Location (country): USA
Location: Abington,MA

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Welch4 »

Omg that is adorable. Not familiar with it but as long as it is faster than the puffs you should be OK. What size tank are you working with. The SAEs get big. Well respectively to a tank that 5 dps would be in.
Forget other advice about puffers you don't hear here - Pufferpunk
User avatar
Minipuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:19 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 5 dwarf puffers
Location (country): Norway

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Minipuff »

Do you think there could be a chance the puffers will be stressed by catfish roaming around at night? And vice versa in daytime? Will puffers nip on fish sleeping in caves?

The tank is 112 litres, and yeah, it's really too small for SAE, so I would have to buy juveniles and give them away when they get bigger... In fact, I don't like how that sounds... :/ I also consider otos, but I think they like colder water than DPs?
User avatar
Minipuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:19 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 5 dwarf puffers
Location (country): Norway

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Minipuff »

Just to update on this - the LFS claims that the mentioned catfish may actually eat small fish. I don't know if this is correct, the only info I've seen so far indicate that they are mainly insectivores, but can eat fry. I've not seen any evidence that they eat adult DP-sized fish. Well, it's not worth the risk, so I'm not pursuing this idea anymore.
User avatar
pufferjw
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 9:16 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Duboisi Puffer
Red Congo Puffer
Striped Redeye Puffer
Dwarf Puffer

Have Owned:
Amazon Puffers
Location (country): USA
Location: Boston/Chicago

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by pufferjw »

That's too bad, but it's true that all catfish are opportunistic eaters. You could try corydoras cats, they won't eat other fish(unless they're already dead).
220 Gallon - 1 Super White Leopoldi Stingray
55 Gallon Planted - No Fish
29 Gallon Planted - 1 Duboisi Puffer
29 Gallon - 1 Red Congo Puffer
User avatar
Pufftastic
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 2:02 pm
My Puffers: 1 x C travancoricus
Have also kept:
T biocellatus
Location (country): California USA

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Pufftastic »

Big fan of species-only tanks here. I have DPs with DPs, and fancy goldfish with fancy goldfish. I think it's less stressful than trying to force them to co-exist with entirely different species. Just my two cents though. ;)
Yo ho, yo ho, a puffer's life for me.
User avatar
pufferjw
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 379
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 9:16 pm
Gender: Male
My Puffers: Duboisi Puffer
Red Congo Puffer
Striped Redeye Puffer
Dwarf Puffer

Have Owned:
Amazon Puffers
Location (country): USA
Location: Boston/Chicago

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by pufferjw »

Goldfish can only live with other goldfish because of temperature. I think that it's fine and much more interesting to put different species together as long as they don't fight.
220 Gallon - 1 Super White Leopoldi Stingray
55 Gallon Planted - No Fish
29 Gallon Planted - 1 Duboisi Puffer
29 Gallon - 1 Red Congo Puffer
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: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Pufferpunk »

DPs have been known to eat the fins of cory cats.
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!"
User avatar
Pufftastic
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 430
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 2:02 pm
My Puffers: 1 x C travancoricus
Have also kept:
T biocellatus
Location (country): California USA

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Pufftastic »

pufferjw wrote:Goldfish can only live with other goldfish because of temperature. I think that it's fine and much more interesting to put different species together as long as they don't fight.
More interesting for US, yes. For them, I maintain that it's more stressful.
Yo ho, yo ho, a puffer's life for me.
User avatar
Minipuff
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:19 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 5 dwarf puffers
Location (country): Norway

Re: Dwarf puffer tank mates!

Post by Minipuff »

Aaah... I wrote a reply, didn't post it immediately, and coming back I was logged off and the reply disappeard... Well, in short - I partly agree with you Pufftastic, and that's probably why this tank mate business is taking me so long - fish keepers version of sense and sensibility :wink:

I've just cycled a new tank for my Tylomelania snails, and they will get company of a school of small Pseudomugils. This will keep me occupied for a while, I guess. Tank mates - nay, more tanks - yaaayy! :lol:
Post Reply