My Puffers: 3 pea puffers/dwarf puffers in a 20 G freshwater planted tank 29 G community tank with plecos, bamboo shrimp, khuli loaches, swordtails, neon tetras and apple snails
We have a 20 G planted tank with 3 dwarf puffers in it and we have been thinking about adding a tank mate or mates... ATM the puffers have 3 Amano shrimp for company, but we were wondering if we could add a different, fishy tank mate, or if we should let our trio of DPs keep the tank to themselves.
Can anyone recommend a fish that might do well with our DPs? I have seen folks on the Toronto area aquarium group talking about DPs and bumblebee gobies, but I have not read about anyone on the Puffer Forum trying that combination. As always we defer to what folks here recommend, since we want what is best for our puffers.
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water - Loren Eiseley
I have a dwarf puffer in a 10 gallon long with 6 neon tetras, and so far it's fine. However, any fish that is fast-moving and peaceful should be fine. Bumblebee gobies wouldn't work with DPs, as the gobies are brackish and the DPs are freshwater.
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My Puffers: 3 pea puffers/dwarf puffers in a 20 G freshwater planted tank 29 G community tank with plecos, bamboo shrimp, khuli loaches, swordtails, neon tetras and apple snails
Ok, so no goby - can't believe the folks in the GTA forum have not pointed out the incompatibility of DPs and gobies to the members talking about that pairing. Once my account is 'approved' (they are SO slow to do that, and I cannot post yet) I will put something into the thread to let them know about the FW/BW needs.
Thank you TheStig - searching the forum was an excellent suggestion! It seems that little fish like neon tetras or endlers might do well with our puffer trio.
TBH we are not even sure the tank needs more fish - it just seems a little quiet and empty at 20 G with our 3 DPs in there.
If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water - Loren Eiseley
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept: T lineatus T miurus A modestus T biocellatus C valentini C coranata C papuan C lorteti DPs suvattii burrfish T niphobles
Mine happily resides with a rubber lip pleco, no issues after 1 1/2 years or so.
No human being, however great, or powerful, was ever so free as a fish.
-John Ruskin-
"I have to laugh when people call fish-keeping a hobby, if anything, it's a science... and for some, an obsession." - Me
To anyone returning to this thread years later; research into bumblee gobies has come on leaps and bounds, and we now know that there are multiple subspecies, most of which are happy in both fresh and brackish water when acclimatised correctly. DPs and BGs can happily share very similar parameters, and have similar enough temperaments to get along well with each other.
I currently have a tank with both, the gobies tend to rest in areas, but have definitely picked up behaviour from the DPs and swim up and down the glass when they see food may be coming.
I highly recommend the Practical Fishkeeping December 2023 article, and as always research the specific species and sub species you are considering first.
In terms of shrimp - don't forget hiding places; if the puffers don't get them, the stress will. I've had much better results, and healthier shrimp population when there's been places they can hide which the puffers don't get to, otherwise they will always drop their eggs and be reluctant to moult.
