The Puffer Forum

I'm setting up a 55g tank that has 75lbs of pool cleaner sand in the bottom. I don't plan on any live plants except a marimo ball. I'm trying to decide between 3 SAP's or a Congo Puffer. I've read about the trimming teeth on the SAP's but I've did it more than once on a Paupen Toby and on a couple of Porcs for a LFS and haven't lost one yet so i'm not to concerned about that. Either of the puffers its gonna be a species only tank.

I currently have a 10g tank (which started as a cheap tank) that I'm breeding rosy reds, Black Mystery Snails, and I've seen my feeder shrimp carrying eggs. I plan on using them as food, depending on the puffer.

Filtration will be a Penguiln Bio-Wheel 350 and a DIY Phosban Reactor that I copied from my Nautilus Phos-Ban reactor.

Anyone have any recommendations on which one to get?

Hey jefferzbooboo

If it were me I'd def get the SAP's as they're very entertaining and constantly on the move searching round the tank. If you do get them you'll have to have plants though otherwise they will get bored easily (that goes for all puffers actually!)

I'm not totally sure about the Congo as I've never owned one but I've read that they don't do much and will just sit there untill they are fed!

The Congo would be cool if you wetre to decorate 1/2 of the tank with live plants & have burrowing sand on the other 1/2. Then at least you'd have a nice planted tank to look at, since you'd rarely see the fish. Otherwise, a waste of a tank that large for a single Congo.

Better to have a nice crew of SAPs buzzing about for your amusement! Yeah, the teeth-trimming thing can be a pain but you sound experienced in that already. Just be sure you have Finquel on hand.

IMO, I wouldn't keep that sand bed deeper than 1" or you're going to have to stir it thoroughly every week.