The Puffer Forum

Hello everyone! I have a few questions about tank size and tank mates for my dogface puffer. Currently he is 4" and is housed in a 40g with 2 three stripe damsels. Knowing he will need a bigger tank very soon i am currently cycling a 100 gallon that will be his new home.Now for the questions.

1. Will it be possible to have other tankmates and if so what are your suggestions?
I was thinking a snowflake eel and possibly a stars and stripes puffer (both bought at a small size and young age)

2. Even if they will work out for just awhile, will i someday have to move anyone to another tank?
or
3. Will they do fine in a 100 gallon together as long as good water perimeter and conditions are kept?

Hello unnerving and welcome. For the 100 gallon that you are planning for your dogface I think you should just stick with him and and damsels. Forget about the stars and stripes unless you plan on more than doubling the size of that tank and then there is still no guarantee that it will get along with the dogface. Puffer are the type of fish that you just never know with them whether they will tolerate other tank mate. The dog face tends to be one of the more docile ones. If your really set on getting one more fish a clown might do ok in there.

I don't recommend housing eels with puffers. Puffers, though docile can nip and destroy the soft tissue of an eels skin. I have seen this happen before, thank goodness the eel was able to be saved. Also, like mentioned this tank is only big enough for one puffer and the damsels.

Also see here with regard to eels and puffers:

search.php?keywords=snowflake+puffer&te ... mit=Search

I would have to say if the snowflake was a large one, it should be fine.....provided there are plenty of rock. My puffers tank mates in my 100 gallon is a bursa trigger, niger trigger, and a soapfish. They all live great together and I have had no issues out of the ordinary. I was stupid and put a sand sifting starfish in the tank, I noticed his legs were about 1" shorter than what it was. The puffer was nipping at him so I took the starfish out and placed him in another tank.

lanespd200 the point we are trying to get across is not so much the fact that the dog face will not get along with other fish but that the tank size of 100gl is the minimum suggested tank size for just a dog face puffer by it's self alone in the tank. This might seem like a lot of tank for just one fish but puffers put out alot of waste and need the room. Someone else might come along and explain better about hormones in the water with overcrowding ect.

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My dogface, although young, doesn't bother anyone.
He's weird though. He'll eat flake, pellets and just about any frozen food. He doesn't like the good stuff like muscles, clams, snails or shrimp.

He's housed with multple large snails, shrimp and other fish like a blue tang and foxface.

He did eat my anenomy (spelling) and eats any type of mushroom and all corals.

I've always been told all puffers are different and they can do a 180* on their temperment.