The Puffer Forum

i have a 20 gal. tank with 5 neons, 3 corys, swordtail, golden loach, 3 platies. Could i keep a Brazilian puffer with them.

Better not to. SAPs are nippy. Besides they need 15 gallons for themself alone, what would you do with the other fish?

I guess I could get a 15 gal. tank for my puffer. How many SAPs could I keep in one 15 gal. tank?

A 15 should be considered a minimum. Why not get another 20? Around here, a 20 is just as cheap as a 15 and easier to find. If you had an open steel stand, you could have 2 tanks, one above the other, in the space that 1 tank would occupy on a cabinet base. The disadvantage of this setup is that the lower tank is below ideal viewing level and is less convenient for water changes and filter access.

In a 15 gallon you could only SUCCESSFULLY keep a single SAP. Just because the minimum recomended space requirement is 15 gallons doesn't mean to go out and buy a 15 gallon tank, as CS above mentioned 20 gal. tanks are easier to find.

Could i keep 2 SAPs in a 20 gallon?

Not without one being stunted or becoming ill.

It would be possible but only in a 20 long. They'd be happier in a larger than though. I don't believe they'd be stunted or diseased, although a little more stressed than they already seem to be.

I've seen some SAP's that were raised in a 20 gallon (standard) and they always had issues with ich and fungus. The tank was maintained aswell. I'm guessing the size of the tank is too small for those guys which created stress, which then led to a weak immunity.

I have had no issues w/SAPs in 15 or 20-long tanks myself. How can a singleton fish have Ich, and if care is adequate, fungus? Something is amiss there IME.