The Puffer Forum

As I am setting up my new tanks, I still have the puffer bug....

Situation A) shrimp + goby combo. Will one of the sharp nosed species be compatible?

Situation B) Peacock Mantis shrimp + one of the sharp nosed species ??

For some reason, I keep thinking no, but at the same time the pistol shrimp has a companion, and the Mantis shrimp... well I am worried that it would pound the puffer...

Id probably not put it in with the Mantis shrimp. Ive seen them snatch fish right out of the air (water) for food. lol. Also, super jealous you have a Peacock Mantis

ahhh but there in lies the pith... Peacock Mantis shrimp have "clubs" for claws. They will compete for the same shell food as the puffer. Other other type of Mantis shrimp are called "spearers" which are piscavores and eat live fish.

The problem is the fact that the Peacock Mantis is an Invertebrate and would potentially be a target for the puffer, BUT it is 3x the size of the puffer and over 20x as strong. :/

IMO, no on both.

Yea... that's what I thought

or go with c) another tank for a puff

Jus has the right idea LOL

The only way that would work is if there is a divider in there. No room for another tank at the moment.

The divider won't be feasible as the pistol shrimp would move it and the mantis would break it :/

Ah the woes of too few tanks, regardless of how many you have. Trips to the invert house at the Zoo are depressing. . . There are so many wonderful things I have never kept.

J-P wrote:ahhh but there in lies the pith... Peacock Mantis shrimp have "clubs" for claws. They will compete for the same shell food as the puffer. Other other type of Mantis shrimp are called "spearers" which are piscavores and eat live fish.

The problem is the fact that the Peacock Mantis is an Invertebrate and would potentially be a target for the puffer, BUT it is 3x the size of the puffer and over 20x as strong. :/

I will not pretend to know anything about any of these inverts, but why wouldn't this work? I mean, the Peacock being 3x bigger and 20 times stronger... The puffer will leave it alone IMO. I know my puffers don't like anything larger than them entering their tank... send them straight to a corner to hide (ie my hand, srubbing aparatuses, etc.)

Just curious to hear why you guys don't think it will work, not arguing at all...

geronime has obviously never seen dps attacking a large shrimp lmao

Or met my fahaka which will happily attack my hand lol. Would you like a go? ha ha

Geronime it would be a toss up. Each puffer is so different you wouldnt know if he/she would mess with the mantis till it was to late.

geronimo69 wrote:

J-P wrote:ahhh but there in lies the pith... Peacock Mantis shrimp have "clubs" for claws. They will compete for the same shell food as the puffer. Other other type of Mantis shrimp are called "spearers" which are piscavores and eat live fish.

The problem is the fact that the Peacock Mantis is an Invertebrate and would potentially be a target for the puffer, BUT it is 3x the size of the puffer and over 20x as strong. :/

I will not pretend to know anything about any of these inverts, but why wouldn't this work? I mean, the Peacock being 3x bigger and 20 times stronger... The puffer will leave it alone IMO. I know my puffers don't like anything larger than them entering their tank... send them straight to a corner to hide (ie my hand, srubbing aparatuses, etc.)

Just curious to hear why you guys don't think it will work, not arguing at all...

With both of them competing for the same food source, I have a feeling I would loose a puffer. If it were one of the larger species, then yes the puffer would take out the mantis.

With the shrimp goby combo, the goby would protect the shrimp. That may be the best route to take, unless the puffer got really aggressive. Again that is kind of a big risk to take. The only other option would be a Fugu... (can you say PTOM), but they are brackish colder water fish :/

As x-reay put it I am kind of S.O.L. without another tank.... (or until my mother moves out next month =)

will the goby fight that hard for the shrimp? Seems such a small fish wouldnt be able to keep a puffer away from a shrimp if that puffer wanted it