Help me choose a puffer

[MidnightSkies]

Previously I've had a single dwarf puffer before, but she wasn't very long lived. I did everything correctly, but decided to listen to my know it all mother on cycling rather than look up more information. My mistake and lesson learned. It might not be for another year or two, but I'm now wanting another puffer and I'm not sure which to go with. The tank will be between 10 and 20 gallons and most likely heavily planted. I'd like a more active puffer and would love one that would swim to the front of the to greet me... or more like beg for food. I was also hoping to have a couple of otos in the tank to help with algae with the plants, but if I absolutely have to, I'll skip on them as long as I'm able to keep algae under control.

I was considering 2-3 dwarf puffers with a couple of otos, but I'm worried about aggression and would honestly prefer something a little bigger. Not to mention I can't find a store near me that sells them.

I was also considering a single irrubesco or lorteti, but then I figure that I'd have to skip on the otos and I'm not so sure that they're personality fits with what I'm looking for. Again no pet store near me sells them.

Another I was considering was a single SAP. I'm not sure if it would be best for this guy to be single though. Does anyone have any experience with otos and SAPs? I'm a little turned away by the teeth trimming, but if it came down to it, I think I would be able to do it. I'm hoping everyone here doesn't have too many problems doing it? I do have a LFS that sometimes carries these guys.

A single Figure 8 was another choice. I think I would be fine dealing with brackish water, and their personality from what I've heard seems slightly more of what I'm looking for. However, my dream of a beautiful planted tank most likely would not work due to being brackish, and I would also have quite a bit of algae to deal with. Does anyone have experience doing a planted brackish tank without CO2? No otos with this guy, but they are a pretty easy fish to find in stores.

Any ideas from anyone? Or maybe something else that I haven't thought of? Also anymore ideas on what the personality of all these puffers are like would be very helpful. Sorry for the novel!

[pufferpuggirl]

Well actually I think that irrubesco puffers would suit you best, and I say that because I currently have some and have had very good luck having them with other fish with no aggression issues. In fact, I just bought 2 Otos for my tank because of a problem with that brown algae, which Otos seem to love.

Thing is, irrubesco puffers love lots of plants, but if I were you, I'd go with a 20-gallon tank and get one male and 3 females, who knows, you might get babies too, they've been known to spawn in captivity. I personally think the irrubesco are more content when in small groups, that's why I suggested more than one. And as you are wanting to have a couple of Otos, I think it would work very well. I am really happy with my tank, they are nice little puffers, and they do come to the front of the tank to beg for food. Mine all know when it's feeding time and you will see them all at the glass around that time.

And there you have it, all good reasons to go with irrubesco!

[jennybugs]

I agree! Irrubescos are lovely puffs. Just make sure you don't get two males. I had them and started off with two males (unbeknown to me) and ended up losing one after they fought tooth and nail I'll have them again one day though

[MidnightSkies]

Irrubescos aren't more into hiding than being out in the open and swimming around?

[Pufferpunk]

Just make sure you don't get two males.

Or 2 females. Always best kept singly or in pairs.

[pufferpuggirl]

I have a group of 6 right now, actually 3 males and 3 females in one tank and they are all very good together. I love watching their interaction with each other. I've never had them fight between themselves, although I did have some big males a few months back that would chase off the females at meal time, but never hurt any of them. And mine don't hide all the time at all, I think they are a nice puffer to have. I've got another female in my Mbu tank and been trying for weeks to get her out of there, but she's one quick puffer and hides really well.

[MidnightSkies]

Wow, it looks like my thoughts on Irrubesco were wrong. I thought they were these extremely aggressive puffers that had to be housed single and were more interested in hiding. I guess you never know until you ask.
I'm surprised to see so many people recommending Irrubescos and nothing else! Looks like I'll have to look into them more now.

[pufferpuggirl]

Well, there are certainly lots of other puffers, but in this case, irrubesco happens to fit the situation pretty good, in my opinion anyway.