The Puffer Forum

Hey guys I'm new the saltwater hobby and I have a 46 gallon bowfront with a snowflake eel and a dogface puffer and I wanted to get another puffer to put in there but not sure what kind can you guys help me out I don't want them to fight, also I am setting up a 125. Thanks guys

Hello Bignick and welcome to The Puffer Forum. Unfortunately your tank is to small for even just the dog face. They need a minimum 100 gallon by themselves. Secondly eel’s and puffer do not make good tank mates at all. Much larger tank for the dogface , separate the eel ( not sure if 46 gallons is enough room for it hopefully someone will chime in on that).

How long has this tank been set up, how was it cycled and what type of filtration are you using?

P.S. Just noticed you are setting up a 125 gallon, that would make a great home for the dogface, you could maybe add a couple small dansels with it but not much else. Puffers together usually end badly. I would work on getting that up and running as soon as you can.

I commented on your post at reefcentral telling you your aquarium was too small and that your inhabitants shouldn't be housed together.

Your tank is too small for the eel, and your puffer. Rehome the eel, and put JUST the puffer in the 125. I wouldn't even recommend the couple of damsels as they may not be fast enough to get away and get eaten.

Do not house two puffers together. ONLY certain types can be together and be okay, such as dwarf puffers and south american puffers and only VERY few others.

However, do not try to put anything else with a dogface, not even a dogface.

+1 puffers should not be mixed. Also +1 to putting the dogface in the 125

Cool thanks guys, the 125 is getting delivered tomorrow and nano sea is making wet dry filter for it, I know the dogface needs bigger tank but I researched and it said a snowflake could go with dog face and yeah I figured no other puffers could go together but I bumped into this forum and figured Id ask, guy at local saltwater shop said I could put spiny box with him but figured id ask you guys.

Puffers and eels generally don't play nice, even if they do get on the 125 will still be a tad too small. Boxfish should be on their own, definitely not with puffers.

Spiny boxfish (burrfish) still gets to 18". Way too big to live in a 46g. The eel will grow to 24" & get as thick as your wrist. They expel a HUGE amount of bioload. The 46g would be a nice home for a sharpnosed toby.

Do what the others have stated and if you want to get another puffer and keep the 46G you can get away with having a GSP or a couple F8's in it.

Bignick wrote:Cool thanks guys, the 125 is getting delivered tomorrow and nano sea is making wet dry filter for it, I know the dogface needs bigger tank but I researched and it said a snowflake could go with dog face and yeah I figured no other puffers could go together but I bumped into this forum and figured Id ask, guy at local saltwater shop said I could put spiny box with him but figured id ask you guys.

Absolutely nothing should be with the puffer. Looking forward to pics of the setup.