Tank/Puffer Size

[coop]

I am thinking about getting back into the hobby and want to pretty much only deal with puffers. I had two before and loved them. However, I am thinking about a much smaller tank which will keep the maintenance down. I am looking at getting a 12 or 24 gallon nano style or eclipse bowfront style tank. What would the recommended freshwater puffer be for this type of tank. I dont want them to overgrow the tank, but I would like to get more than a dwarf puffer. Thanks for your input.

[coop]

i am looking around in the pufferpedia and think i may have found a few that fit my preference. I forgot to add, i am wanting freshwater. Easier maintenance. I guess my next question is will the nano/eclipse filter in the hood be enough. I had eheim cannister filters before, but i want to go with a low profile type setup, meaning no extra exposed equipment. Thanks.

[manutius]

Hi there coop I answered in your greet post something you should consider. For 12 you can have 2 Dwarf puffers (DP's) thats about it, a 24 would suit 4-5 DP's I think though it depend on the tank footprint. There are very few options FW for that size tank IMO maybe single specimens of either Auriglobus modestus, C. salivator or C. irrubesco, but getting these is not that easy or a sinlge C. asselus (SAP). Jump the tank to a 30-40G and the doors open up a bit more

[CoreyK]

A smaller tank is not necessarily less maintenance IMO. Propely stocked, all size tanks should be about the same (though on different scales).

[Puffalicious]

If you're getting a small tank like 12g you should consider getting the Dwarfs because they're pretty entertaining to watch. I have 3 of them in a 10g with a lot of shrimps. They are brave and curious little creatures and will come to the glass when you come near the aquarium. Give them a lot of plants and they will explore the whole thing day and night. People say they're territorial, but mine seem to stick together all the time, they explore the tank together all the time.

My DP tank requires so little maintainance compared to my BW 40gal GSP tank. Water changes takes about 15-20 min max... on the little tank

[Myaj]

I would agree, a smaller tank takes just as much time to haul out the equipment, etc as a bigger tank. The only difference is a few minutes of drain/refill time during water changes.

First try to see what you can find locally. A modestus would do nicely in a 24, and if you found any of the red eyes, they'd be a good idea as well. The problem is, those species can be tough to find, stores tend to only carry Figure 8's, dwarves and GSP's more often than not.

I personally don't like the prebuilt "cube" tanks, as they don't have enough filtration IMO. But it will depend on which one you get. We like to see 10x gph per gallon, so if you have a 24 gallon tank you want enough filtration to do 240gph, make sense?

[coop]

Yes the filtration does make sense, thanks. Yea, most of the local stores mainly carry those three particularly. If I cant find anthing local, is it recommended to ship or not. I dont know if they are more sensitive to shipping than than fish with scales. I would hate to get one with ich right away.

Now that I think about it, I dont think I have seent the dwarfs. I always look when I go to Petsmart and they are always out of them. HHmmmm. Plus, I kinda want something just a little bigger.

As for the easier maintenance, I refer to not having to stretch a long 50' python out or carry a 13+ gallon can of old water out and then bring in 4-5 5 gallon jugs of water in to pour into the tank. it was a pain every time. I think a smaller tank, which wouldnt be as tall too, would be easier to take the old water out of and put the new water in. I loved my 72 bow, but a lot had to be done. Plus everytime I did a water change, I had to remove the lid and lights to dump the water in without making a mess. So that is why I wanted to do a little 24 gal nano. The instability issue I wouldnt think would be that hard because it is freshwater I am looking to get back into. So mainly keeping nitrates down.

As for a puffer, I was thinking Monotrete abei or Tetraodon duboisi. Any luck with these doing good with an eel, blue lobster, brustlenose pleco, and a clown loach?

Thanks for everyones input.

[Nick]

Clown loaches get a foot long and need to be in groups, they're out in a small tank... blue lobsters are crayfish, crayfish = puffer food, or, if so big it's immune, a predator that will hurt your fish. Bristlenose might work out, if you have a really modest puffer, but it's VERY unlikely. FW eels small enough for the tank, which I don't know of any of anyway, would probably be puffer food as well.

[Boxermom]

In addition, abeis and duboisi are very difficult to find in the US. Before deciding, you might want to check and see what is available to you.

[coop]

wow, so i guess i need to check my lfs to see what are available. hmmmm. i really wanted a puffer that got bigger than an inch and was somewhat active.

[Boxermom]

Well it depends on the size of tank, too. The smaller the tank, the fewer choices you have.

[Puffalicious]

wow, so i guess i need to check my lfs to see what are available. hmmmm. i really wanted a puffer that got bigger than an inch and was somewhat active.

It's not that bad having dwarf puffers actually. They're pretty fun to watch because they interact with each other real well, at least mine does. If you come up to the glass, they greet you by coming up to the glass and just staying there staring at you wanting food probably. They are not hard to find in the aquarium since they go up to the glass when you're there.

Before having DPs, I thought I'd never see them again since they're small, but it's been the opposite. Now I'm thinking of getting a bigger tank and getting lots of them

[groovitudedude]

Don't get a Auriglobus modestus/ Bronze Puffer. Mine is about 5 inches long, and he is still growing slowly. A bronze puffer will NOT fit in your 24G tank. I don't know what the other posters are thinking by suggesting this; they obviously don't know the actual size of a 24G and an Auriglobus modestus. I am not trying to pick on anybody, but I just thought that this was not well thought out advice (sorry). I don't know what to suggest for your puffer tank, but I can say NOT to get a Bronze puffer.

As for the fw eel, they get very big as well. I had a tire track/zig-zag eel, and he grew to almost 8 inches (not even full-grown). Clown loaches do well with my bronze puffer, but as some of the previous posts said, they will get very big. I am about to move all of my fish into a 100 Gallon tank.

I'm sorry if I came off as rude, I hope nobody takes offense.

[coop]

thanks all for the replies. sorry for abandoning this thread but the military kept me tied up plus i had a major accident which left me unable to move around for months.

ok, i am back to looking again for a tank and some puffs. i believe I will end up getting something in a 30-46 gallon range. i am looking again for simple maintenance so if i am gone out of town, my wife (which hates fish) can take care of them. I still have yet to see a dwarf puffer in any lfs. i am thinking of something that gets up to 5 or 6 inches and dont want the hassle of saltwater. way too much work for me right now. thanks again all for the input.

[cuteyiddlepuff]

Wow, sounds like you've been thru the ringer. It's good you're okay now!

A group of SAPs could work in a tank at least 30G. They never stop moving and need a lot of space to swim. They like to be in groups. If you get the 46G you may even be able to put some other species in with the SAPs (none with long fins or slow-moving).