The Puffer Forum

what would be suitable tank mates for puffers i have two figure 8 and two bumble bee gobies any other fish i could add safely in brack water? thanks

Can't help you with the tankmates but those who can will want to know a few things.

How large is the tank?
What is your water change schedule?
What is the salinity?

Puffers in general are best in species or single-specimen tanks.

F-8s however are likely to ignore bumblebee gobies, which do serve well as clean-up crew for the F-8s. in the very light BW in which they do best.

If your tank is 40 gallons, and preferably a long rather than high format, and your specific gravity 1.003-1.005, you are fully stocked. You don't really have room for more fish. If your tank is smaller, you are very likely overstocked.

The puffer and the gobies will do best in a visually complex environment, with broken sight lines, and some sort of refuges for each puffer out of sight of the other, but in your line of vision. Some current is highly desirable. These are active fish, constantly patrolling the territory in search of food.

You will need to do 50% partials weekly with matched density BW, rinsing biofilters in removed tank water with each partial.

Th puffers need a high-crunch diet to keep their incisors (their teeth are fused into 4 dental plates, two upper and two lower) worn down, as do rabbits and rodents. Snails and small shellfish are good, as are some crustaceans.

HTH

thank you rtr your advice and comments are well appreciated. i have a 30 gallon tank and it is the long kind which i also prefer. my salinity is 1.oo8 which is ok, the little gobies are quite active and very terriorty inclined they are cute. suzie-q

I have a 30-long with two F8s at about 1.008 also. I've had them for 9 months. The only fish- nay, the only CREATURE that I've added with them that held his own was a dragon goby named Professor Moriarty. Crotchety old man. But EVERYthing else was lunch.

Iv just added some Coloumbion catsharks 2 my gsp tank, 10.10, they are a great cleanup crew, and there's been no problems up 2 now, il keep u posted

Do you know they grow to 18"? They also like to school.

Yes I researched them before gettin them, I have a few of them.
The deal was that when they got 2 big, the guy would take them back off me, so the size won't b a problem, it souls b gettin into marine by the time they have 2 move out

we put 9 bummble bee gobies in with my 3 f8S - 3 died but the other 5 are growing well and F8s igore them

I used to think you could keep other fish with puffers, but not anymore. It may work for a while, but sooner or later fish start coming up missing, and then you look at your puffer and it has a suspiciously fat belly and a guilty look in its eye. There are always exceptions, of course, and in fact I currently have 3 black and white striped damsels in with my Ceylon, plus a blue damsel, and after 6 months, so far so good. Although I guess I should mention that I started out with 3 blue damsels.