Dwarf Puffers

[petsrus6]

I have 3 DP in a 15 gal tank in my bath room. They live with some ghost shrimp, an otto, a butterfly loach, and a chinese algae eater. The tank still looks pretty emty, do you think 2 more DP's would be ok?

[Boxermom]

No, you are overstocked as it is. Chinese algae eaters get to be 6" and extremely aggressive and shouldn't be in that tank, nor should the loach.

[Nick]

I really don't think thats a good idea. The puffers will get more territorial as they get older, and there are already plunty of other fish. Be happy with the DP's you have, I have only two in a ten gallon, with 3 oto catfish, a ghost shrimp, and two amano shrimp. I'd suggest removing the chinese algae eater, they become aggresive and way too large, replace it with a few oto catfish, if you ask me. Chinese algae eaters eat very, very little algae once they get big, and are only suited for large tanks anyway. They're also kinda uninteresting, if you ask me anyway, though I'm sure others might disagree.

[petsrus6]

Thanks, The Algea eater does alot of moving around from tank to tank. He does fine wherever he is, I do aggree they aren't the neatest fish around but does it's job pretty good, he never messes with the DP. The butterfly loach is prettty much non exsistent, it stays stuck to the bottom of the filter most of the time.
But, OK, I won't get a couple more DP's, the 3 I have are so adorable, I couldn't imagine them getting aggressive though ,LOL I've had them about 8 months now and they hever seem to bother each other or anyone else. They like to look at me while I'm in the BR doing whatever.
Thanks,

[Nick]

Sorry if I seemed to overreact to the chinese algae eater, I just read an account from one poor soul about how theirs grew nearly 8" long, then decided it would rather suck the eyeballs out of all the other fishes' heads while they slept than eat algae. Most of the fish were missing one or both eyes by the time he figured out the culprit.

[Boxermom]

That's a pretty accurate description of CAEs, Nick.

[Nick]

at least I'm not the only one that thinks so

[Dinsdale]

I would never put a Chinese Algae Eater with any of my fish, let alone my puffers. That's a huge bloodbath waiting to happen.

[Boxermom]

My thoughts exactly.

[Myaj]

Actually, over the years I've talked to a lot of people that have full grown, completely peaceful CAE's. We're actually starting to think its a male vs female thing, the more peaceful ones seem to be pretty chunky and more lazy, the evil attacking ones are more streamlined.. possibly males? So it is possible to get a peaceful one, but by far the majority seem to turn into little beasts.

I would definately agree.. IMO its overstocked and both puffers and loaches need really clean water, so don't push it any farther.

[petsrus6]

I really must have a weird Algea eater than, he's been in most of my tanks at one time or another and I've never seen anything happen to any of the other fish. I've probably had this guy for over 1 1/2 years now. Most of the time he's hiding under a shell or behind the heater. He'll probably be moving again anyways to my 20 gal with 2 cichlids I have in there anyways.

[RTR]

Immature CAEs are algae grazers; adults require higher protein food sources - if they have such available, they may be okay - if not, they will slime graze from the fish and move from that to eating detachable parts of the fish co-housed.

[petsrus6]

I give mine slices of zucinnni a lot, He likes that, as does all my plecos too

[pugsnpuffers]

I've heard some absolutely AWFUL stories about CAE's - plus they get huge. Not the fish for me!
~Pugsnpuffers