The Puffer Forum

Hi,
Just a quick one. I was wondering if I would be able to keep a dwarf puffer (or any other puffer for that matter) in my tank. I currently only have one plec, around 7-8", and one Mississippi map turtle, 2-3". I know that puffers will nip, but does anyone know if my turtle and a puffer would get along?
Thanks in advance.

Your turtle would easily eat the slow-swimming puffer & possibly die from the toxins in the puffer. How about setting up a 10g for a couple?

+1 to pp and welcome

Agree'd. You will most likely end up with 2 dead pets that way

You can keep them in a 10g tank?

yes, they dont get any bigger than about an inch long... about 5 gallons for each dp if you want more than one, if you only get 2 or 3, try to get one male and 2 females or all females

Thanks a lot. I want to do much more research before I commit to buying one. I would most likely get a 10g tank and two puffers.

make the tank visually complex and make sure it is fully cycled. good articles in the library for research. if you can go a little bigger and over filter you will be able to achieve a much nicer home for them

Check out the sexing article too. Males will fight to the death.

Yeah, I would get one of each sex.

It can be difficult or impossible to sex juveniles, and it's very rare to find adults for sale. If I was in your shoes, I'd get one puffer for the 10g. They're perfectly happy alone, and then you don't have the sexing problem.

Scott wrote:does anyone know if my turtle and a puffer would get along?
Thanks in advance.

Hey I had a soft shell turtle with DPs and the turtle ate them all, I caught him eatting one that had puffed and he still managed to swallow it down. He had a neck like a snake and you could see it moving its way down his throat. I was expecting the turtle to maybe die from the poison but he was fine.

eeew poor puffers... why would you keep any fish with a turtle?

i knew someone who had a molly and a fig8 with a turtle........ really wasnt a happy ending