The Puffer Forum

Can figure 8's, Bumble Bee gobys and a BW eel live together? or will the eel eat the gobies? If they can live together, can suggest a small BW eel. Thanks!

I'm not sure about the eel although I doubt it is safe. The F8s will eat the bumble bee gobies.

Really?, most things I have read (which is not expansive by any means) said that BB gobies were one of the few fish that could be put with F8's (the sticky on brackish tank set ups shows it as a possible combination-assuming the tank in large enough, and the predisposition of the F8's)
but I am a newbie as well, and am still learning
I know nothing of eels though, but would think the gobies would look yummy to it (both would habitate the lower part of the tank??)

I have seen many tanks with bumble bee gobies and figure 8s. Sure it can be dnagerous but get big bumble bee gobies and small puffers and i would do at least a 30 gallon for safety.

Co-housing, whether conspecific or separate species or families, is never certain with puffers. But F-8s do commonly ignore Bumblebee gobies, just as many dwarfs do ignore Otos, and some ignore shrimp. But you cannot place bets on a good outcome.

If this is the (native) American Eel, Anguilla rostrata, I urge you to reconsider. They are notorious fish eaters and escape artists.

I have bb gobies with figure 8's and they don't bother each other. When I first got the figure 8's though, one of my bb gobies was mysteriously bitten in half. They must have decided that bb gobies don't taste too good because they leave them alone now.

thanks for the replies! Any other ideas on possible eels?

i would be very wary of the eels. I believe that most puffers sleep on the ground or something were an eel would think it was a piece of food sitting on the gravel at night.

I have a few f8s and i have seen them eat fish twice the size of bb gobies, i dont think it would matter what type of fish it was when they are that small

I have 2 F8s in a 29g. I also had 6 BBGs--now only 1...

We have an F8 with a dragon Goby and there wasnt any trouble with them, the dragon goby loves brackish water and his bite isnt strong enough to hurt your other fish. They get big enough to deture your F8 from trying him for dinner or maybe a snack. We saw a tire track eel that we fell in love with and he may be a good choice of eel for your tank. no teeth to mow on other fish and they hide, kinda a peek a boo fish.

The size of the goby has nothing to do with whether the puffer will take bites out of it.

I have a 46 gallon with 1 young F8 and five bumble bees. I put the BB's in before the puffer. I went to the store and watched the puffer I had been eyeing several times before purchasing him. They had the puffers in the same tank with silver scats. My puffer was chosen because he seemed to be the most docile. After a month in my tank I've never once seen the puffer go after a BB. They seem to get along fine. At night when the lights are off I've seen the puffer approach a BB as though it were food but he backs off when he realizes it is a live fish. As others have said, it is hit or miss so if you must have both try to take time to find a puffer that appears docile. There is my (100% non-expert) opinion.

Thanks for the info. Nothing like dragging out an old post! Almost exactly a year.