General Opinions and Tank Mates of Puffers?

[OzKo]

Hi,
I have just ordered a 180cm (6 feet) tank, and I would love a / a group of pufferfish to add to what will be a community tank. I would be considering the South American Puffer mostly, however after doing some research the dwarf puffer might be an option too.
I've read, and appreciate, that all puffers have a tendancy to nip fins, which might be a make or break decision whether or not to get some- I do have long-finned fish- gouramis and angelfish, in my current aquarium.
When the new tank arrives, I have some idea of what other fish i'd like to have, such as denison barbs, siamese flying foxes, silver sharks and tin foil barbs. I've read that these fish are good tank-mates for puffers, so that would be fine, it's just the gouramis and angels that may suffer.
Obviously, reading information on the internet isn't going to be the same as a real-life opinion of someone who actually owns puffers, particulary the species I would be considering.
So yeah, what would be your opinion of south american and dwarf puffers? especially to the fin-nipping subject- any success stories?
Thanks,
OzKo

[J-P]

really depends on the puffer. There are really no "community fish" that can deal with a puffer. And puffers do well with only a small handful of other species.

[Pufferpunk]

I would never suggest keeping angels or gouramis & any species of puffer in the same tank.

[RTR]

IMHO & IME, puffers in general are never community fish.

[OzKo]

ah ok then even with a tank so large? I've asked someone today who sells the tanks, they've said that with so much space, they may be ok, but it's risky.

[RTR]

Compare any hobby tank wit the wild an the answer should be obvious. Puffers are predatory fish - not necessarily piscivores, they mostly are not. But they are quite bright for fish, and curious and willing to taste. Co-housing them with others gives them opportunity to develop behaviors they would not show in the wild. Puffers, even the smallest we know about - the dwarf puffers - are perfectly will to taste a fish over an order of magnitude larger than they are.

IMHO & IME, most such fish are better kept alone or with their own kind if possible. That applies to other fish families as well, not just puffers. Well-equipped predators are not for so-called communities. The concept of "commumity" is severely abused in this hobby. In most cases it is a housing technique whose primary effect is to shorten the lives of captive fish.

HTH