The Puffer Forum

Really sorry guys, I feel awful for keep asking questions which then end up pointless. As you may know, originally I could not decide whether to keep dwarf puffers or congo puffers. Eventually I did neither cause of certain things that cropped up. Then I came back thinking I would go for F8s. Now I think I may be having a change of heart AGAIN! I basically went for F8s cause I THOUGHT I wanted something more active but now i'm thinking I dont mind. For people who have got congo's (or arrowheads but i'm not sure if that's a bit risky???): Do you get bored watching yours or are they actually really interesting? And how much harder are arrowheads to keep than congos?

Once again, really sorry for keep changing my mind, but i'm the most indecisive person in the world! Maybe I should just get them all!

haha you sound like me! im so indecisive. Truth be told i probably wont decide what puffer i want until i get to the LFS!

I cant help you on the puffer front. Altho ive wondered the same thing about the less active puffers. I really want a puffer thats really active and sociable so ive not really considered a lurker...

congos are not that difficult to look after. Arrowheads may need a slightly bigger tank because there eating habbits... there messy messy fish. F8's are one of my least fav puffers! i would suggest arrows there great fish

How about a puffer you can keep with other fast moving fish (to some extent)? I keep South American Puffers (SAPs) with other fish. Little fin nipping occasionally but not really bad unless you are really late feeding them. Have 5 in a 55g with various catfish (overfilter the tank a lot) and 2 angels temporarily. The angel have a few nips when they push the puffers around but no massive carnage in the tank. SAPs are very active and quite comical at times. You can keep them in groups, they don't get very big and are becoming more available right now (they are a seasonally thing-wild caught). One draw back is they require you to trim their beaks. I have done this-not that hard to do. It is more scary for you than the fish the first time (think Scooter was mad at me for 2 days after until he realized it was easier to eat).

personally i prefere bigger puffers mbus, fahakas, arrowheads, humpback, congo

suvattis are great and can keep mroe than one if its heavilly planted

Yeah i'm not too sure about SAPs. I have never really been bothered about them so much. I think I am leaning towards congo or arrowheads (this is exactly what happened last time), but the article about arrowheads put me off a bit. It says

"The suvatti can be and often is a difficult fish to keep and for those unfamiliar with puffer fish in general it is not a good introductory choice.".

If it weren't for this I would probably be certain that I wanted them cause apparently they don't bury themselves as much as congos which would be good. But flash.dan, you recommend them so would you not agree with this article?

Arrowheads are great puffers. i wouldnt recomend keeping more than one if your not familiar with puffers. But if you get one you wont be dissapointed. if you got 2 from the off youll need to do your research and really get the tank just right i.e. heavilly planted, plenty of hings to break line of sight and cycled of course

Thanks thats really good to hear. Well, I have officially changed my mind to arrowheads! I am definitely not going to change my mind again now. I never really felt convinced about F8s deep down. I think I just kept telling myself that's what I wanted when really I didn't. Oh well, the info i've got about F8s might come in handy one day, and it will be handy for people searching the forums for answers too, so it was not a complete waste of time. So any special dietary requirements or anything else for arrowheads? I have already researched them in the past but is there any tips anyone would give?

they eat the same, you might have to train it to eat dead foods though, piece of shrimp dangling from a string, that sort of training, or it will be like my congo and just attack anything, and make sure to have sand substrate for it to bury in

P.S. If your considering an arrowhead, then also consider a red or orange congo(miurus)

Yeah I have considered a congo but I have decided an arrowhead might be better as it apparently doesn't bury itself so much as the congo which I think I would prefer. Still think the congo is one for the wishlist though!