The Puffer Forum

Ok here is my situation
I am a arowana freak i have 9 asian aro RTG, HB, YT, G, BBXB, GXB, SR x 3 . I live in Montreal Canada the last arowana i bought came from Toronto winter shipping is a scary process to make matters worst the airline bumped my fish twice because of holliday traffic. so the shipping of my fish got canceled because it was to risky (-10C weather).
So i decided to go pick up the fish personally and i drove up to Toronto ( 4.5h drive ) ...... i hear you all saying what about the Mbu what about the Mbu. The Mbu is coming in the story very soon hold up.
So i get to the store and im looking around waiting for them to pack up my arowana and i see this cute 4 inches puffer, so i ask about it and the guy tell me they will grow to about 20 and he also tell me that kind of puffer aint agressive and depending on is personality i could probably put him in my community tank.
Boom its a done deal i take him home name him peppito and i put him in my hospital tank ( 150g ) so that he can get used to me and at the same time it gives me time to evaluate is agressiveness towards a 9 inche silver arowana who is the buffer arowana in my main tank ( 220g )
At this point im thinking this .... If it does not work out in my community tank with the arowanas he will have is own tank because i am currently waiting for a custom tank that is being built 120 x 32 x 26
After setting him up in is temporary house i rush to the computer to learn about my Mbu puffer ................ and i cant believe what im reading 1000g is needed to house this giant puffer fish that will most likely reach 26 inches O MY BUDDHA this is no good, and it seems like my Peppito will get more agressive as he grows WTF ....... this is really not good.
First thing i did the next day ( yesterday ) I called the guy who is building my new tank to ask if the glass has already been cut. the cie that handles the glass is closed for the hollidays so i wont know if the glass has been cut and wont know till next week
If im lucky the glass has not been cut and i will upgrade my tank to 126 x 36 x 30 that will be almost 600g still pretty far from the min. req. but probably better then going back to Toronto or being stuck in a 220g
Im am not worried about filtration because i will have a 150g sump wet/dry + submerge ceramic rolls the mechanical filtration will be done by a aquaclear 365 and i will have a continual water change thanks to a drip system and drain in the sump

So here is my questions
1- is it 100% sure that in time he will be so agressive that he will attack my arowanas? ( they will probably be 26 to 28 in 2 years )
2-i also have a fly river turtle that is currently 12 inches diameter eventualy she will be about 20 diameter I am putting her on a massivor pellet diet to make sure of that will that puffer fish think of her as snack eventualy
3-will the filtration i am planning be enough ?

Thats my Mbu story your imput will be greatly apreciated as i am a total newbee in the puffer world ( but i am starting to be pretty experienced fish keeper )
Thank you

Welcome to the forum!!!

the quick answer :
Yes
Yes
No

I know ppl that have set up pool filters for their Mbu puffers.

BTW.. what is the name of the store?

Experts will chime in, in a bit. 4x4x12(l) would be the minimum, I think.

Wow so not the answer hoping for
what should i do ?????
send him back ???

back to inhumane conditions or sell him off to a qualified buyer.

BUT wait a day or 2 (if you can), I know the timing is bad with Christmas coming. There are those out there that can answer your questions FAR better than I can. Call the LFS and explain that you may have to do a return after the holidays but be as vague a s possible. See if they will accept him back. If they can hang on till the holidays are over, wait for the pros here to get you a qualified answer.

I dont even understand why they even sell those cute little giant fish killers ....... seems to me that they are doomed 99% of the time. and whats even worst is that they take them from the wild i must give a BIG TIME BOOOOOOO to the fish industry from top to bottom
and to make things even even worst i will return him or her and he will end up in a smaller tank than my smallest tank and will live a sucky life and die a horrible death

Yes i will do that . I know for sure the fish store will take him back but that montreal Toronto drive sure sucks

It's tough isn't it Is there a way that you can dedicate the 600gal with the 150gal sump to it? It isn't ideal but it would be better than sending it back probably. It's horrible that these guys are taken from the wild

if you can... set out the ideal tank that you can afford and have space for.

Buying the fish and keeping it are 2 different stories.

I would do what flutter said and keep the mbu puffer. I think if you send it back to the lfs then someone else would buy it with less experence with large fish and just let it live in a much smaller tank then what you are going to provide. Sounds like you would be a much better choice for its owner.

The 600g is dedicated to asian arowana and the turtle reason being that i 1- i have had the turtle for 6 years and she is my baby i just cannot betray her 2-i have been saving for this arowana community tank for 2 years and im already commited in terms of money invested in the Arowana .
I guess i will call the fish store make sure they will take it back ( in case ) and hopefully i can get someone on this forum who can house him. or maybe somebody will tell me that i should keep him in the 600g with arowana and fly river turtle its been done before (wishfull thinking)

I dont even understand why they even sell those cute little giant fish killers ....... seems to me that they are doomed 99% of the time. and whats even worst is that they take them from the wild i must give a BIG TIME BOOOOOOO to the fish industry from top to bottom

My thoughts exactly!!! If you are the sort of fellow who has the ways & means to get custom-built tanks, then I say keep him. I bet you anything you'll love him enough to house him like he deserves.

What would be my timeline on getting him a 600g of is own ? 1 year 2 year if i was to set him up in a 220g as a temp tank

I don't know but apparently mbus are wonderful fish. It seems like everyone who has had one falls completely in love with them. My fingers are crossed that you'll have enough time to get it it's own tank. What store did you get it from?

They have been known to get along with many different fish & even the fly river turtle but in many thousands of gallons.

Agree with PP 110%. But with the turtle, that would be risky. I know how aquatic turtles can be (being a fish and reptile hobbyist myself) they tend to be alittle sneaky. Nipping at fishes fins and end up killing the fishes. And with the arowana, dont know if the mbu and arowana would get along. Imo .