The Puffer Forum

Hey guys im thinking of adding two dwarf pea puffers to my 10 gallon cherry shrimp tank which is planted with anubias and driftwood. It has two marina slim 10 filters and a 50 watt heater which keeps the temp between 78-79-80 degrees. Will two pea puffers and 20 cherry shrimp be overstocked in a ten gallon? Will the puffers kill the shrimp? Would having three puffers help spread out the aggression? Thanks guys in advance!

This is my ten gallon

The dps will eat the shrimp. I've got 1 dp that I put in with cherry shrimp and he chases the shrimp around and has eaten 1.

It's a chance with shrimp... I guess I've been lucky to never have any problems! Um no, I'd say not overstocked at all... Coming from someone with 8 dps in a 10g which also has about 10 amano shrimp, 3 eel loaches (pangio anguillaris, my longest lived fish so far! Have had them since 2008/2009), and 2 kuhlis (who are even smaller than the eels!)

Tank is running with two aqueon quiet flow filters (10 and 20) and is about half planted atm... This comes from 7 years of owning dps (being obsessed with them since I first saw them at petsmart!) and a lot of trial and error, I seem to be lucky in getting docile individuals lol, have never seen them really bother each other, in fact I'm watching them now and they seem to feel braver with others around! Although for all I know, I have one that I know is male with a small harem of females! XD

There are no words to describe sitting near the tank like I am now and having 8 pairs of eyes watching you waiting for food! It's too cute for words!

Wow u have 8 dp in a ten gallon?

When fish are grossly overstocked aggression is often reduced. Doesn't mean it's better for the fish.

Even when I only had a few dps, they weren't aggressive... Here's the tank now: (adding plants as I go and doing water changes twice a week)