Congo or Mekong puffer

[Donna_G]

If you could have one of these puffers, which would you choose? After a long search I have found somewhere that has both (was originally looking for a Congo puffer). I am wondering if there is much difference between personalities and behaviour. Also am wondering if it's possible to house the puffer in a newly set up tank but with an established filter?
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Donna

[bertie 83]

If you are running a well established filter from a tank with a high bio- load you will be fine as long as you keep an eye on water readings and do regular waterchanges. On new tanks with established filters I do at least 3x 30% weekly for first four weeks depending on readings. I do the same on the donor tank as this has lost a chunk of it's friendly bacteria. You can't be too careful. Have a good liquid test kit on hand, feed light and test daily til you know all is stable. As for which puffer it is down to personal choice, you will know when you see your puffer. If the filter is from a low bio-load tank daily waterchanges will most likely be required for about a week whilst the bacteria builds up etc. This ultimately depends on the new tank size and bio-load

[bertie 83]

Welcome to the forum by the way lol

[suvattii2012]

Hello & welcome to the forum. I have a T. Suvattii / mekong puffer and he is great, i know the congo puffers will be great too. The mekong is very inactive and very aggressive towards just about anything, exept my hands which is good.

I hear the these fish are hard to get of live foods but i don't know because i just feed live foods, they love crabs, shrimp, earthworms, fish.

I think the congo might be abit more active than the mekong, but im not sure about that. They both bury themselfs fully under sand and lay in wait for food. Mine can lay in the same spot for 2 or 3 days no problem, but i would not trade him for any puffer in the world.

I think bertie 83 covered the other question.

[Donna_G]

Hi and thanks for the quick response. Unfortunately the puffers are in Middlesex, too far for me to travel to have a look. I have 6 DP's (had them about a year now) which live with 3 otto's and 2 shrimp. This will be completely different and I have read through many of the topics on here in preparation, but wanted some insight into their character and behaviour from people with experience of these puffers. Also the filters running in my community tank, which is slowly getting taken over by platys lol.

[Donna_G]

@ suvattii2012. How long have u had your puffer? Did he take long to settle? I have no trouble feeding my DP's but am still working on the right mind set for larger live food!! I already have most of what you mentioned in my tanks but not as future food lol

[suvattii2012]

@ suvattii2012. How long have u had your puffer? Did he take long to settle? I have no trouble feeding my DP's but am still working on the right mind set for larger live food!! I already have most of what you mentioned in my tanks but not as future food lol

I have had him about 7-8 months now. It took him about 20 seconds to settle in lol unlike most puffers the arrowhead doesn't seem unsettled or scared. I remember his eyes just following the the few guppies and shrimp. I had him in gravel for abit but he is much much better in sand now. I was lucky and had him delivered to me from a shop in ipswich. There not easy to find anywere near me.

Heres a video i put in the pix and vids section the other day, its eating a big worm

[bertie 83]

it's great to have someone on here researching puffers prior to buying. Lol

[Donna_G]

Ha ha, what a life your puffer is gorgeous. I have one more question for everyone, tank size? I read 115 US litres is minimum, so would 125 uk litres be ok or not? Want to make the right choices first time, so no upgrades needed along the way.
Thank you

[bertie 83]

You have to allow a little extra for displacement by substrate and decor etc. Bigger is also better. Get the biggest tank your budget and space will allow is the best advice I can offer

[suvattii2012]

Ha ha, what a life your puffer is gorgeous. I have one more question for everyone, tank size? I read 115 US litres is minimum, so would 125 uk litres be ok or not? Want to make the right choices first time, so no upgrades needed along the way.
Thank you

Yeah thats a fine size for one. Thats about 27 Uk gallons i think but if you can go bigger it can't be bad.

[RTR]

Please do remember that the sizes we specify here are the minimum for the puffer alone. The optimum size can and should if possible be up to 2x or more that size. Believe it or mot, larger is far easier to manage long-term - and since puffers can life spans longer than many dogs, long-term is long time. Over long times, easier to manage is generally better managed.

HTH

[Pufferpunk]

Nothing beats the beauty of a RED Congo:

[suvattii2012]

[quote="Pufferpunk"]Nothing beats the beauty of a RED Congo:



I was going to say to Donna you can get amazing red congos (thinking of yours) but then i thought it would be very hard to find one.

[Pufferpunk]

I waited 4 years to find an affordable one.