The Puffer Forum

Is there a medium sized (2'"-8") freshwater puffer that will tolerate other fish other than the South American Puffer? I would like to include a puffer in my 100G community, but I don't want to have to net out SAPs every month or so... tankmates will include tetras, a severum, and a betta. If it is not possible then it's fine. Yes, I checked the pufferpedia, and almost all of them said aggressive. Thanks for any suggestions!

Well 100g would be good, but I've learned that SAP need's to go in 3's.

I wouldn't try any other puffer.

Pufferpunk wrote:I wouldn't try any other puffer.

Okay maybe I'll just leave them out. Thanks guys!

You might get away with Carinotetraodon irrubesco .... I have them in with several other fish, including other redeye species, Figure-8 puffers and BeeBoo, my MBU, also rasboras, corys, different gobies (not BB), and even a little aquatic crab! But make sure keep them in a small group, preferably more females to male ratio. I've had fairly good luck with keeping them with other fish so far, but to be honest, they do chase the F8's from time to time, but I don't believe there's been any biting involved, at least I don't see any tatty tails or fins.

I should add that I know my situation is not the norm, but it's working for me, so it might just work for you too.

schismy007 wrote:You might get away with Carinotetraodon irrubesco .... I have them in with several other fish, including other redeye species, Figure-8 puffers and BeeBoo, my MBU, also rasboras, corys, different gobies (not BB), and even a little aquatic crab! But make sure keep them in a small group, preferably more females to male ratio. I've had fairly good luck with keeping them with other fish so far, but to be honest, they do chase the F8's from time to time, but I don't believe there's been any biting involved, at least I don't see any tatty tails or fins.

I should add that I know my situation is not the norm, but it's working for me, so it might just work for you too.

i thought F8s were brackish water just low salinity, can you keep them in freshwater without any harmful effects?

sample789 wrote:

schismy007 wrote:You might get away with Carinotetraodon irrubesco .... I have them in with several other fish, including other redeye species, Figure-8 puffers and BeeBoo, my MBU, also rasboras, corys, different gobies (not BB), and even a little aquatic crab! But make sure keep them in a small group, preferably more females to male ratio. I've had fairly good luck with keeping them with other fish so far, but to be honest, they do chase the F8's from time to time, but I don't believe there's been any biting involved, at least I don't see any tatty tails or fins.

I should add that I know my situation is not the norm, but it's working for me, so it might just work for you too.

i thought F8s were brackish water just low salinity, can you keep them in freshwater without any harmful effects?

Some owners like to keep them in fw not bw

It has been found that when keeping F8s long-term in FW, their immune system is lowered, causing disease & shorter lifespans.