The Puffer Forum

Who has a big mbu puffer and how old is it? Pics please

I'm not sure we have many mbu owners, as they're difficult to house properly.

I have one that's 22 inch-ish.. And he's unfortunately under-housed....

With me for about 3yrs from 5in.

Note the growth rate of scopion's T. mbu over about a 3-year period (despite under-housing) and you will see why I don't consider T. mbu appropriate for the average hobbyist. They are just too large for private hobbyists and should be specimens for large public operations only.

RTR wrote:Note the growth rate of scopion's T. mbu over about a 3-year period (despite under-housing) and you will see why I don't consider T. mbu appropriate for the average hobbyist. They are just too large for private hobbyists and should be specimens for large public operations only.

And this is why I don't use this forum much as every time anyone mentions mbu they get jumped on about tank size!
You know they are great fish and some people do look after them and house them properly.I was just interested as who has one.

scpion wrote:I have one that's 22 inch-ish.. And he's unfortunately under-housed....

With me for about 3yrs from 5in.

Great to hear you have one. I'm sure you will get yourself a new home for him one day.
I've had my latest one for 13 months he was just under 2" when I got him and almost 14" now.

luigimbu wrote:And this is why I don't use this forum much as every time anyone mentions mbu they get jumped on about tank size!

I dont own one but have seen a large specimen and really completely disagree on the 1000 gallons that many think is needed. I think with the right footprint (96x48x30, 535 gallon)and good maintenance, I think you could keep it in a smaller tank. Even some of the big tank buster cichlids like dovii and umbee usually only need around 300 gallons, as long as they are 30-36" wide.

DMD123 wrote:

luigimbu wrote:And this is why I don't use this forum much as every time anyone mentions mbu they get jumped on about tank size!

I dont own one but have seen a large specimen and really completely disagree on the 1000 gallons that many think is needed. I think with the right footprint (96x48x30, 535 gallon)and good maintenance, I think you could keep it in a smaller tank. Even some of the big tank buster cichlids like dovii and umbee usually only need around 300 gallons, as long as they are 30-36" wide.

I totally agree with you a footprint of 8ft x 4ft is perfectly good.
A friend of mine had one at 26inch he was in a 8x3 footprint tank and was happy and able to swim around well so 8x4 would be great.people keep much larger fish than mbu in less than 1000g

A member on here own a fish store and Ive seen his big Mbu. Its 24" and housed in a 72x48x24, 360 gallon and looks to still have room to move and grow.
http://www.aquariumcoop.com/pages/hank-cam

luigimbu wrote:people keep much larger fish than mbu in less than 1000g

people do a lot of things that aren't necessarily the right thing to do

I don't understand why anyone would want to keep any animal in anything but optimum conditions. Pig's in a tank double the Pufferpedia recommended size, with double the filtration for that size tank, because I want him to have the healthiest, best life he can.

Why would you want any less than that? It's our responsibility to ensure any animal in our care has the best life possible, not the 'best' life we can supply; if you can't ensure that you shouldn't own it.

Stratters wrote:I don't understand why anyone would want to keep any animal in anything but optimum conditions. Pig's in a tank double the Pufferpedia recommended size, with double the filtration for that size tank, because I want him to have the healthiest, best life he can.

Why would you want any less than that? It's our responsibility to ensure any animal in our care has the best life possible, not the 'best' life we can supply; if you can't ensure that you shouldn't own it.

Yes I do agree but what we are saying it that 1000g is overkill. As for bigger fish in smaller tank like I said in previous post I'm not saying that's right what I'm saying is that 1000g is more like the size a silver arowana growing to over 3ft needs not a mbu at say 28in. Mine is going to end up in a 9x5x3 but not for another year or so.

Not everyone here insists on the 1000g "suggestion" but only that this would be best. It's just that most don't go larger than 300g for these fish. 100g is NOT overkill, it is kindness & in true interest of the fish.

T. mbu is a large, active fish. It needs current and room. These fish, like any fish, need room, current and clean water to reach maximum size and lifespan. IMO, an over two-foot fish in a tank 8x3 or 8x4 would not look like it had room to "move" and grow. That tank would be 3.6 times the fish length, and 8" or 18" spare for a turn. Guess what? That is not, repeat not room to swim enough to have normal body configuration or any, repeat any, real exercise. NIMFT, not for any fish from a guppy to a T. mbu (the largest body mass fish I have kept). I would not keep even an overbred fancy Betta in a proportionally sized container. Nor would I ever suggest that anyone else do so. I do commonly use tanks or multitank sysytems which provide far more than minimum recommendations. Certainly you can house fish in smaller sizes than those suggested here. But I would never agree that those cpme anywhere near optimum accomodations. My aim is to keep my fish as well as I can for as long as I can. Your aims may be different. So far as I know, there is nothing anywhere on this site that that neither my word nor any other poster's word is law. It is a forum. Anyone can present their own ideas. If I disagree with your handling, you are under no obligation to change your techniques. If and when you can keep your fish longer and healthier than I can, I will be more than willing to try your technics. But if you say that smaller tanks are better for large fish than larger tanks, you are going to have a lot of convincing to do.

Here is a video I shot of Hank a couple days ago. In my experience by the way he does not enjoy the current. It usually stops him from being active.