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!!
What about siamese algae eaters (the real thing, of course, not the more aggressive lookalikes)?
Dwarf puffer tank mates!
- 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!
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
- 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!
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?
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?
- 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!
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.
- 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!
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
55 Gallon Planted - No Fish
29 Gallon Planted - 1 Duboisi Puffer
29 Gallon - 1 Red Congo Puffer
- 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!
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.
- 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!
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
55 Gallon Planted - No Fish
29 Gallon Planted - 1 Duboisi Puffer
29 Gallon - 1 Red Congo Puffer
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32773
- 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!
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!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
- 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!
More interesting for US, yes. For them, I maintain that it's more stressful.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.
Yo ho, yo ho, a puffer's life for me.
- 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!
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
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!
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!