The Puffer Forum

So I have cycled my 20 gal tank and I am going to get some DP's for my tank. So I have a question on stocking. I want to start with 3 DP's and some ghost shrimp and eventually more DP and maybe an otto or two. I cannot have more than 6 DP's in this tank (dont think I will go that high) but how many shrimp/ ottos can I anticipate putting in my tank? I dont know how much waste shrimp make (if any at all).

Firstly, you can only have a maximum of four Dwarf Puffers in that tank. Secondly, they will eat the shrimps. The Puffers will not get on with the Otto's, even if they did the tank would be over stocked. I recommend you get just three or four Dwarf Puffers.

my dwarfs get on fine with otos

Yeah I have read that DP need 3 gal to themselves.

Also read that DP get along with otto's and 50% of the time with shrimp. I just dont know the bio-load of them.

Dwarf puffers most often do get along with otos it seems. Even my extremely deadly DPs co-exist with 3 otos and are fine about it, but they've maimed and/or killed everything else.

In a 20, I'd recommend no more than 4 DPs and 4 otos. If you want to try shrimp, try ghost shrimp first since they are usually the cheapest. You could get a half dozen or so, they have a tiny bioload. Just make sure the tank is heavily planted.

Dps sometimes get along with shrimp;it depends on the personallity of the dwarf, and the size of the shrimp.

I suggest that you try a large female Ghost shrimp.

My DPs do not bother either shrimp of Otos, but that is no guarantee that yours will do the same. Puffer compatability is highly individual - the fish, not the keeper.

smapty wrote:Yeah I have read that DP need 3 gal to themselves.

Also read that DP get along with otto's and 50% of the time with shrimp. I just dont know the bio-load of them.

The pufferlist says 3 gals but that is an out-of-date reference. Refer to the Pufferpedia http://www.thepufferforum.com/PufferPedia for up to date information. It recommends a minimum of 5 gallons per DP, as do I.

Like everyone else said, compatibility depends on the personality of your puffs. I had a female guppy living with my 6 DP's for months and she fit right in. I think she thought she was a puffer, but the DPs never bothered her, even at feeding time when they could get a little nippy with each other. It might have helped that the guppy was in the tank before the DPs. On the other hand, many other peoples' DPs would have torn the guppy apart immediately.

I have to agree with everyone... my current batch of DPs seem to leave my amano shrimp and otos alone, but I've had a DP that killed anything but other DPs. I've also had a very gentle male that was in a "community" tank and never bothered a sole... err, soul.

Provide lots of cover (driftwood, rock, or plants... or a combination) for otos and shrimp to hide.

I'd also have to agree with the 1 per 5 gallon rule for DPs, but you might be able to keep a few more in a 20L than you would in a 20H... more surface area and all that.

In a 20H with "stock" lighting and some decent low light plants (crypts, vals, etc), I'd stick with no more than 2/3 otos and half a dozen shrimp. With better lighting and heavy planting you might be able to increase the clean-up crew... although in a 20H, I'd not increase it very much.