The Puffer Forum

I am a long-time hobbiest, but relatively new to fresh water puffers (I have had a T. Miurus for about 6 months now). I work at a tropical fish store in the eastern US and saw on an asian list both Carinotetraodon borneensis and Carinotetraodon salivator. Of course I could not resist and I ordered two pairs of salivator.

Unfortunately life is not so simple. The two pairs turned out to be two large (2.5") adult male salivator and two slightly smaller probable male borneensis (at the very least, they are definitily NOT salivator - very dark, clean bellied, yellow markings in dark, slate colored caudal fin). So I am stressed out now.

My orignal plan was to have one male and two females in a 4 ft long 33 gallon planted tank, and one male alone in a ten as back up - I really wanted to try and spawn the little guys. Now I am facing a much different reality. Can these larger males, of two different species, live together in my 33 planted?

So far so good... but its only been one day. I would really appreciate any advice - and of course, if anyone out there has female salivators in the US and wanted to work out a sale or trade please let me know!

Thanks
-trygon

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I should also mention that through my work I have access to a decent list of puffers - and we are able to ship around the US. If there is enough demand for these Carinotetraodon species, I might be able to organise another order. The store website is at http://www.unclenedsfishfactory.com

I think you will have to separate them all. they don't have a good track record for tank mate tolerance. Are there any spare tanks at the store?

In addition it'd be good if you could send good pictures for proper ID of the unknown ones.

I agree--looks like you're going to need 4 seperate tanks for these. The hazards of ordering species most suppliers are uneducated about.

Well...
Its been 36 hours and the peace has been kept so far. The two Salivators each have nice territories surrounding different pieces of driftwood and the two "borneensis" tend to occupy the denser planted part of the aquarium - they like to rest between jave fern leaves. The biggest salivator will chase the smaller one from his area, but no injury results.

Obviousley, 36 hrs is nothing, and I think you are all right - the best thing to do would be to sepperate them. Of course, being stubborn, and being really proud of my new planted tank, I am going to give it a bit more time just to see /: . I have dividers at the ready.

FIN QUESTION:
my puffers bodies are in great shape (fat, colorful, almost scarless)
but their dorsal, ventral, and anal fins are damaged, in some cases severely (stumps ).
How well do puffers heal? These are adult fish and I am worried that the damge will be permenant.
Treating with erythromycin so far... anything else to help?

Thanks again
-Sam

Using any antibiotics willl ruin the biological filtration of your system. Do a large WC & add fresh carbon to remove meds. Keep a close eye on the parameters for a while. Use Melafix for this treatme--it is safe for your good bacteria.

Erythromycin has served me well for years. It is a rather gentle antibiotic and I have never observed any ammonia or nitrite spikes post its use. I have tried Melafix on all sorts of fish at my store - it seems to work miracles on bettas but can be absolutely useless on some other species - probably has to do more with what infections are present than on the fish type - but at any rate I rather gave up on the stuff as a general cure all.

If people here have found melafix effective on pufferfish I will certainly give it a go next time around though. I can't say I know much about treating puffer fish specifically... Are there any medications that they won't tolerate (like stingrays and dyes?). I don't want to end up poisoning the little guys.

-trygon

They don't handle much of any medications very well.. antibiotics if you have to use them. Generally clean water and proper salinity is all they need to stay healthy and heal up, along with a deworming if they have a heavy parasite load.