New tank, interested in puffers

[AmazonPuffer1995]

Im getting a tank soon, it will be anywhere from 25 gallons to maybe 40 gallons. Lets stay at 25 for now just to be safe cause i know that one will happen for sure at least. I like Amazon Puffers, RedTailRedEyes and Dwarf's. How many of each can i keep in a species tank and can i mix any of these species?

[xrayjeeper83]

No mixing.

You could keep 4-5 DP's in that size tank(5g 1st DP, 3-4g each after that). You could keep 1 red eye, as for SAP's I think that tank would be to small, they like to be in groups of 3 or more and need lots of space to swim(plus they dont act like other puffers)

[AmazonPuffer1995]

okay if i have a 29 gallon tank, would that allow for Amazons. Also, can i keep an arrowhead puffer in a 25 gallon?

[Pufferpunk]

SAPs love to swim & are a very high-energy fish. Better to have a long tank, than a tall one for them. Read our article on them in the Library here. they prefer to live in groups. A good tank for a group of 4-5, would be a 55g. It's nice & long. You could keep 3 in a 40g & 2 in a 29. Not a good idea to just keep 2 though.

As far as a red eye, there are many species with red eyes. Go to our Pufferpedia & get us a species name, please.

[AmazonPuffer1995]

The Red Eye Puffers species name is Carinotetraodon irrubesco i also like the Brown Puffer, id either like a nice community of just puffers or a community of other fish with one or two puffers, which ones offer that?

[xrayjeeper83]

Dwarf puffers are cool to watch in a group, and none really are suited for "community" tanks. SAPs can do ok with a long enough tank to exercise them

[AmazonPuffer1995]

I think i might do Dwarfs, they seem cool

[xrayjeeper83]

Ive never had any but they are on my list of puffers to some day have.

in a 29 id say 5 (1male 4 females to keep fighting down) and then after the tank has been up and running for a while you can try to add some oto's for something else to watch

[AmazonPuffer1995]

Is it okay to feed them rolly polly bugs? I fed my GSP i used to have them and he loved them. What can be tankmates with my Dwarf's? Whats some things DP's will eat?

[xrayjeeper83]

if they are small enough yes. THey will eat the same thing any other puffer will, just smaller amounts.

DP's are regularly kept with otos. For some reason they tend to leave them alone but attack most other fish

[AmazonPuffer1995]

Okay, sounds like a plan also, will they aceept non live foods?

[xrayjeeper83]

yep

but you will have to hold off on the oto's till the tank is about 9months to a year old. they tend not to eat wafers and need a good amount of algae to survive

[AmazonPuffer1995]

I will have lots of Algae, i am raising Aponogetons and Dwarf lillys atm so i will have a nice stock for my new tank. I also have pond snails running outta my ears in my 5.5 gallon If i feed my puffers crayfish and its a slightly big one should i remove the tips of the claws and slightly crack the exoskeloton to make it easy for them?

[xrayjeeper83]

Crays are to big for DPs most the time, if they are small enough for a DP the shell wont be hard and the claws arent very big

[AmazonPuffer1995]

Is it safe to feed them tadpoles? I saw it on youtube. Also, what do i do since online i read its hard to sex juvy's and thats what is normally ordered and i get more than 1 male and i cant return him?