The Puffer Forum

Hello everyone!!
I'm brand new to this site so please excuse me if I come across so!
I've wanted a puffer fish for years and have been setting my tank up this week, I can either be boring and fill it with a selection of tropical fish as I've being advised to do by my local fish shop or I can do what I'd rather and get the puffer I've dreamed of for so long.
When I looked into getting my puffer I had mixed reports and now do not know who to believe, the info on the internet is not clear enough for what I need to know so was wondering if anyone could help me?
I need to know, firstly which puffers are freshwater, my tank is just tropical, which of the freshwater puffers will not grow beyond 6 inches as I only have space for the 2.5 foot tank I already have, so can not commit to a bigger tank later when fish outgrow tank.
I love Mbu puffer's if space was no problem I'd have one without a doubt, so I'm looking for a puffer with a large personality. I really like the green puffer or the topaz puffer, if anyone could tell me if one of these would be suitable for me?
The mixed reports I have been getting from various people and shops are that you can or you can not mix puffers with other types of fish. Please can someone set me straight on this one, they have very large Mbu (12-15 inch) with 4 other fish (all others smaller)in the local fish store and yet they tell me not to mix a puffer with anything?!?! So why do they? Most confusing?!?!
Another store told me I could mix puffers with other types of fish, I myself have seen several Mbu's of between 4-6 inches with baby cichlids (5mm at most) and they did not even attempt to chase them or show any signs that they might turn nasty, completely uninterested in them, they lived together in the tanks in the fish store for months and months until all the Mbu's had been sold off and the baby cichlids were still there!!! (I visit this shop regularly!!)
I do hope someone can help me with this as I can not make a decision until I know that it really is too difficult for me to have a puffer.
I have other fish that really should be going into this tank and ideally I'd like to have my single puffer and these fish in together.
The fish I already have in my small tank are 4 tetra's, 8 guppy's and a plec. I know the guppy's could be an issue but if I knew I could put a puffer with tetra's or other less finny types then I'd buy the guppy's a bigger tank and keep them separate, then get a puffer!!
Sorry to gabble on!! Hope someone can help. Cheers!!
Mel

Spotted and topaz puffers(topaz are usually called ceylon puffers) are brackish species, requiring 30 gallons or more of space. I guess you have a 29 gallon? It's probably the most popular 30" tank. Mbu puffers are usually very mild in disposition and it seems that they do well with other fish. However, due to their enormous size, few can take care of them as they reach adulthood and they typically die. What kind of pleco do you have? Most plecos will outgrow a 29 gallon tank in no time, and they add massive mess and bioload as they grow. If you don't mind dumping the tetras and the pleco, you could keep the guppies in a low brackish tank with a figure 8 puffers, but they are of mixed temperment - some ignore small fish(mine don't even mess with tiny bumble bee gobies) others have killed large fish like mollys. If you need to stay fresh water, south american puffers are very tolerant of tankmates as long as none of them have long fins, which seem too tempting to nip. Figure 8's and south american puffers both only grow to 3 inches. If you didn't mind dropping all the other fish and going mid-high brackish, you could do a single GSP in a 29, they grow to around six inches, but are typically VERY nasty with tankmates.

Just checked the internet for name of the pleco, it's just your basic plec, Hypostomus punctatus, I know that he will grow, he's still only small but outgrowing my small tank, if he will be a problem to me then I can take him back to the fish shop, they happily will take back a fish that's out grown a tank, I asked when I bought the plec!! I'm quite happy to rearrange these fish in any way if it means I can have a puffer with something else in my lounge, (must have puffer in prime spot!!) so anything you might suggest will be useful. The tank I'm setting up now is about 22 gallons I think, just under 2.5 foot. I like the idea of keeping the guppies and having a figure 8, the guppies are multiplying which is why we need to move them into bigger tank, can't stand to see them being eaten so am saving them all but quickly running out of space!! Are brackish tanks hard to keep? I'd love a marine but it's just so expensive to set up that I keep coming back to tropical. What is the process, you just add the right amount of salt for your tank? and then what is the on going maintenance like, the same as for tropical or harder? Green spotted puffer, Love it but really would rather have more then just one fish in there.

IMO, the guppies will all eventually be F8 food. Mine eat adult mollies at times but they produce enough babies that I usually always have about 6 in there. Guppies, with their long tails, will not be as adept swimmers as mollies.

It's difficult to work out what to do for the best, I'm going to leave this open to any suggestions that anyone may have and I'll come back to you all tomorrow, but one thing is for sure, the fish shop owner is not always right!! I think I need to hunt around other fish shops and find a selection to choose from, once found a suitable puffer, with smaller fish in same tank, then monitor for myself how that fish is. It seems it could well be as I thought and each fish has their own way, some fish will be ok for me to mix if I be patient and pick the right one, hopefully minimising any casualties. Thanks for your replies!!

There aren't very many puffers that can tolerate tank mates. Of the freshwater species that would fit into your tank, only Dwarf Puffers and South American Puffers can tolerate other fish. Dwarf Puffers are *very* small (1 to 1.5 inches max), and South American Puffers often require regular tooth trimmings (you must sedate the puffer and then use a cuticle clipper to clip their teeth).

Although you're saying you don't only want 1 fish in the tank, there are a couple species that would keep you very entertained. I'm sure others keep hearing me mention this species, but I feel they're a great puffer for those who are looking for something with a great personality, but also a species that is active during the day and won't make their tank seem "empty".

If you don't mind taking your other fish back, you could put a single Abei puffer into the 2.5 foot tank you're setting up. An Abei grows to about 4 inches (perfect size for the tank), and will actively use all of the tank's space. My Abei is very active, and he's always swimming around doing stuff during the day (and even at night)! He makes a wonderful friend, and has lots of personality.

Abei puffers are quite a common puffer to find, so it's not impossible to get one (or have one ordered in). They are also a Freshwater species, so you don't need to purchase salt or anything.

Do you keep live plants? I find that growing live plants can help compensate for the "only 1 fish in the tank" syndrome that people who are new to puffers experience. It allows you to change around their environment, while still giving you the feeling that there are other things living in your tank besides your puffer. After about 1-7 days of owning the puffer, you'll realize that s/he is officially the best fish you've ever owned.

Trust us all when we say that, if you've been longing for a puffer for many years, having 1 puffer in your tank won't make it feel empty. In my opinion (and others' as well), 1 puffer far outweighs any number of no-personality fish.


My Abei also lets me keep some Ghost Shrimp in his tank, but only about 3-5, and then he'll just start eating them if the population gets too high, hehe. Others have kept some smaller puffers with the larger freshwater lobsters.

Hope that helps!

Abei puffers are quite a common puffer to find

Really? Maybe in Canada but I've never laid eyes on one here.

Geez, I've seen them a few times already. It's not that they come in regularly, but they're frequent enough that I wouldn't call them rare... maybe we've just been lucky over here?

*Shrug*

PUFFERS ALL THE WAY.

If you want personallity and more than one fish then get some dwarf puffers. I think mine are awesome and they do fine with all the fish in my community tank. So you wouldn't have to do to much moving of fish. I had tetras mollies platies plecos in with my dps and there have been no fatalities.

Brackish tanks are more time and cost consuming. Due to the fact of having to buy and mix the salt for every water change. F8 and GSPs are very cool fish but with only having a 29g or less then they are more in the one fish only range for what you have available.

Also with the DPs and SAPs you get to heavily plant your tank. I have all fake plants in my tank but I have recieved many compliments on how good it looks and its fun to watch my fish play amongst all the foliage.

All my puffers have their own personallity and they are all quite large no matter what size of the fish. From my fahaka to my lil DPs they are all quite fun to have.

apachepufferman wrote:If you want personallity and more than one fish then get some dwarf puffers.

True. Keep in mind that it all depends on what you what you want. Green Spotted Puffers, like Nick said, are not freshwater puffers, and, due to their water requirements and temperment, usually make for terrible tankmates. Although Dwarf Puffers would be a wise choice in my opinion, I would personally prefer a larger single species in a tank that size. Obviously, larger species such as the Fahaka and Mbu are out of the question. If I were you, I would look around the area and see what puffers are in the fish stores near you. Some of the commonly available puffers are Green Spotted Puffers, Figure Eight Puffers (neither are freshwater) and Dwarf Puffers (small but true freshwater puffers). There are plenty of awesome freshwater puffers, but you do have to look harder for some of them than others. Is there anything else you would want in the tank with them? The majority of freshwater puffers don't work well with tankmates. You could also look in the Pufferpedia for Freshwater Puffers of your liking.

apachepufferman wrote:If you want personallity and more than one fish then get some dwarf puffers.

I agree 110%; out of all my puffers I reckon my DP's have the biggest and most prominent personality! However IMHO they are not good for community tanks as they spend their time eating fins and tails of non puffers

lazee wrote:

apachepufferman wrote:If you want personallity and more than one fish then get some dwarf puffers.

I agree 110%; out of all my puffers I reckon my DP's have the biggest and most prominent personality! However IMHO they are not good for community tanks as they spend their time eating fins and tails of non puffers

my DPs have never fin or tail nipped any of my other fish. I purchased them all at different times to. I wonder if I just got a good group of DPs. I think tank size will have something to do with that as well. I have mine in a 55g so the other fish might not be in there territory as much as they would be in a 29g tank.

Agnate wrote:Geez, I've seen them a few times already. It's not that they come in regularly, but they're frequent enough that I wouldn't call them rare... maybe we've just been lucky over here?

*Shrug*

PUFFERS ALL THE WAY.

Funny you should say that, 'cause I've never once seen an Abei in any fish stores up here! I had to get mine from a private sale...

Hi, i had a Red Eyed puffer or Carinotetraodon salivator, in with some Super fast red eyed tetras, and a red finned shark (bottom cleaner). They only grow to about the maximum size of about 3 inches..well thats how big mine was. also....
Arrowhead Puffer ~ Mekong Puffer or "pignose puffers" are a freshwater species.
All of these will be harder to find than the green spotted, figure 8's or dwarfs.
But worth it if you can order one. there are alot of places that do send fish via mail.

I had a couple dwarf puffers fin nip every fish i had...i eventually took them back and went salt for a couple green spotteds.

Whatever puffer you decide..just investigate them..google the name and they have all sorts of info.

My sharks grew to 6".