Successful tankmates?

[MachMe]

What successful tankmates have you had with your Figure 8 puffers? I had 2 BBGs in the 20gal with my F8 but he ate them even though I have been feeding him regularly. I would like another F8 but I know my tank is to small

I was thinking maybe a peacock goby or some endlers. Any suggestions or advice?

[OCgatergal]

mollies?

[Homer]

I've had luck with keeping an F8 with a small tire track eel, about 6inches long till i sold both of them off... then i've also tried a Large Fire eel, around 20" with an F8 with no problems as well... but then again, i could just be one of the luckier people, since as anyone who owns a puffer will tell you its a gamble whether any Puffer will tolerate tankmates...

[pufferpuggirl]

I've got 3 Figure-8 puffers in a 4-foot tank with my MBU, 6 irrubesco redeye puffers, and 1 salivator redeye puffer, 3 Rasboras, some Corys, and about 4 gobies (not BB), oh and some sort of aquatic crab (not sure what it is, about as big as a red-claw crab). I've never had my F8's eat any of their tankmates. In fact, my F8's are a bit shy in this tank, as the irrubesco don't seem to like them much. But even before the irrubesco came along, the F8's didn't bother any of the fish in this tank and I've never seen them behave aggressively. I always find it interesting when I read about other people's F8's eating their tankmates because mine seem so timid. But yes, each puffer is different with different temperments.

[Flutter]

Wow. What made you try all of those guys together?

[pufferpuggirl]

Well, originally the tank had all redeye species in it, plus the Rasboras, corys, and gobies ... then when I got my MBU it seemed right that he should be in this tank, but some of the original big male irrubesco that I had started attacking BeeBoo, my MBU. So I temporarily moved BeeBoo into my community tank, but then my DP's started tormenting him (they would bite his tail, nowhere else, just the tail). So I knew I had to get him out of there ASAP. So I sold most of my redeyes, which then allowed me to put BeeBoo back into the big tank, but while BeeBoo was in the community tank, he became friendly with the F8's ... so when BeeBoo went into the bigger tank, I also moved his friends the F8's into that tank as well. I thought I had sold all my redeyes, but found out that one pair of irrubesco (1 male & 1 female) had been hiding, and they seemed okay with BeeBoo, so I kept them. I also had one salivator hiding in the plants, but he jumped out and died unfortunately. Then someone didn't want 4 irrubesco, so they gave them to me, and I reluctantly put them in with BeeBoo, but they seemed okay with him. And just recently I got my salivator back from the shop I sold him to (got him for free too!), and he seems okay with BeeBoo, in fact, I think the salivator likes BeeBoo because they hang around together. I think the mistake I made in the beginning was that I added BeeBoo to a tank that was dominated by irrubesco (with some rather large males) and they seen him as an intruder, hence them attacking him. But when I moved all the irrubesco out of the tank, and moved BeeBoo in, it was now BeeBoo's tank, so the irrubesco that were added afterwards just looked at BeeBoo as being the rightful Alpha puffer and they didn't bother him. In fact, none of the puffers bother him, and the only "problem" that I have is the irrubesco sometimes chasing, and maybe nipping, the Figure-8's. But I intend to rehome the F8's in the near future, so that's just a temporary thing.

And that's how it all came about. You asked ....

[Flutter]

That's awesome that they're all getting along together. What a fun tank. It would be neat to try something like that in the future when I can have alternate tanks if things don't work out.

[MachMe]

Cool tank pufferpuggirl! You should post some pics of it. I'm going to the LFS on thursday to pick up a couple tankmates.

[busybones]

Just a reminder!! make sure you keep the new fish in a quarantine tank until you know they are healthy...I wouldn't want your F8 to get sick from a new fish!

[MachMe]

OK thanks. I dont have a quarantine tank tho

[pufferpuggirl]

Cool tank pufferpuggirl! You should post some pics of it. I'm going to the LFS on thursday to pick up a couple tankmates.

Thank you. I will try to get some photos of BeeBoo with the salivator hanging around him, will be tough though because the salivator goes into hiding mode when he sees me trying to get a good look at him.

[MachMe]

Today I picked up an Orange Chromide to add to the tank. Its about the same size as my Figure 8 so I dont think one can bully the other around to much. Its a really good looking fish.

[mike_freegan]

Removed

[Pufferpunk]

I have OCs in with my F8s. Good choice.

[DarkStorm]

our tank at work has a figure 8, 2 angel fish, 1 rainbow shark. 3 long fin danio. 1 white tip tetra, 4 blue colombian tetras, 1 beta, 1 bristlenose pleco, 1 spotted catfish, 1 vampire pleco. in a 55g.
tank is 1 year old and all live peacefully.
"tho the tank will never be brackish"