The Puffer Forum

Hello all!

I am thinking of getting a tank mate for one of my turgidus puffers.

Wilbur was the last of the three turgidus I bought. He was super friendly and a really good guy. He was also super skinny. Originally I put him in with my second turgidus as they were close in size, and while I set up a new tank so that each turgidus would be own his own.

While he was together with my second turgidus, Wilbur bulked up and everything was alright.

Now, that second turgidus died (from something dealing with the eggs I found in it).

Ever since then Wilbur has been in bad shape. After the death of his tank mate Wilbur refused to eat and refused to be friendly.

I though he was just upset, but after a few weeks of not eating I moved him to a new tank with sand, hoping it would perk him up.

Well, that did not work...but eventually he started to eat MAYBE once a week.

So, then I moved his tank to a more secluded location where only I go near his tank..I thought maybe he did not like my children staring at him.Still, the same. But, he now would eat maybe twice a week.

I treated him for IPs when I first got him. And for the past 3 weeks or so, I have treated his food (when he actually eats it).I am almost 99% positive he does not have IPs..I have seen his poop.

He won't hardly eat anything I give...scallops, mussels, shrimp, crab..and the snails I put in are now over running the tank.

I am considering the idea of putting fish in the tank to make him feel secure. Something peaceful that just floats along. If it does not work out I can put those fish in another one of my tanks.

I realize the danger here, but I am at the end of my rope and I have read that this can work at least temporarily. Any thoughts or opinions?

Tank P's
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrates <5 (No food no waste, except from the snails LOL)
Tank is over filtered with a filter for a 40 gallon with both carbon media and porous rocks
Water changes once a week, top offs mid week
Sand bottom with cave like decor, few fake plants
20 gallons, single turgidus (about 2 and half inches, underweight) + 4-5 adultish pond snails and 2 dozen babies.
Had him since this past summer- Julish

Picture of him at the store..sorry no new pics but he is about the same- he had gotten bigger, but now he looks like this again-he is the one staring at the camera.

Ok, I did not want to wait on QT so I "borrowed" some rosey reds from a friend..If they do not make it I gotta pay 50 cents for each of then.

Hopefully all will go well. Wilbur has never wanted to eat a fish before, I tried that once and he would not eat it..but my other Turgidus Willy likes them...however I don't give him any more because I was bothered with how deformed they were.

Wish me luck!

Ok..I got good news, bad news, and weird news..

Good News: I left the room and came back and Wilbur was exploring is tank and swimming around with the rosies. A HUGE improvement.

Bad News: I put 4 rosies in, and he was swimming around with 3

Weird news: He did kill one of the rosies, but he did not eat it. Instead he partially buried it in the sand behind his favorite castle. Only the tail was sticking up. It wasn't missing chunks but you could tell a puffer bit down on it.

I am not sure what to make of that except maybe the fish freaked him out, he killed it...but hid it from me (insert anthromorphize here) because he felt guilty...

What's the dark thing in the bottom right corner? Is that another puffer?

Yeah there are two puffs in that picture..but I do not own that other puff, this picture was taken at the store where I bought my 3 tugidus...I kept going back!

Hehe, I'm sure he didn't feel bad about getting that fish. I wonder if some fish will store food...

Let us know how this continues. Some people feel that some fish species need dither fish in the tank. I wonder if your turd needs them.

So far he has killed (not eaten) 2 roseys. But this morning he was exploring his tank after he woke up! His attitude is a vast improvement! Unfortunately it is at the loss of some roseys. I honestly think that the roseys sneak up on him or freak him out so he bites at them. We are talking about a puffer that runs and hides when the heater light comes on!

Maybe I should try a more sturdy fish?? Or one that is mildly aggressive. I am not talking about a permanent tank mate, just a temporary tank mate that could break this puffs bad habits. This is just so messed up, I found something that is working, but it means a death sentence for the rosey's. Although the two left are playing with the puffer...

yeah but generally with turds you dont get aggression issues...

jus85411 wrote:yeah but generally with turds you dont get aggression issues...

You do if you eat spicy foods!

lmao this thread is going downhill fast!

haha I agree, but it is funny.

I wonder if a very fast non aggressive fish would work?

I have my Turg from late last summer. I think he was from the same store and batch of 3. He is currently in a 29 gallon with a rainbow shark and clown loach and has been since his arrival. A pleco for about 5 months, then he finally killed it and left it. He doesnt mind the, more ignores them. He has noticeably taken chunks from their tails on occasion but other then that peaceful. Mine hasnt grown for some time now I feel. Hopefully, he grows some more because I plan on moving the trio to a 56 gallon in the next couple months for more space.

Lmfao @ partially buried fish behind his favorite castle!
He's an eccentric serial killer.
See, he just needed a hobby!

If he kills and hides a fish and you don't see it, you could get an ammonia spike, not to mention I think it's unkind to house fish with their predator.

sevenyearnight wrote:Lmfao @ partially buried fish behind his favorite castle!
He's an eccentric serial killer.
See, he just needed a hobby!

yeah, that and the whole turd thing made me laugh XD

and true about the ammonia spike, not to mention a really bad smell unless it gets eaten up fast.