The Puffer Forum

Hello all!!!
I was just wondering if it was too much to have 3 Otos and 3 DP's in a 10g? I'll be adding 2-3 more large groups of plants and a black background before I purchase the DP's. I already have the Otos, but I have someone who will give one or more of them a good home if I cannot. My tank is cycled and I have bloodworms and snails for the little DP's when they arrive (I'll be moving the snails to a separate tank then, just letting them breed in here for now). I think no matter what, this summer I'll invest in a 20 long for them... but for now would this setup work? Thanks!

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That stocking sounds fine. I tried a tube in my puffer tank for a while myself, but they wouldn't use it at all, so you might want to switch that to another decoration down the road. The tufa rock has lots of nooks and crannies for little puffer eyes to examine, Boeing loved his.

It's kind of tight, so watch out for aggression.

I wouldn't recommend more than 2 in a 10g tank.

I agree it is a little tight, but IMO it is do-able if you know you can be diligant on water changes and are ready to move fish if there are any problems.

Definately add more plants too.

Since they have 3 at the store which seem to get along now (and they look almost full grown) I think I'll go ahead and get them... BUT I'll go ahead and set up another tank just in case. And I may move them anyway just so I can use this 10g for a corydoras tank I've been wanting to do Thanks for all the advice!

The store often isnt the best place to take your examples from. they tend to have a sell sell sell attitude.

My LPS actually has a really great guy that knows his stuff... I try to only deal with him, heh. But yeah, he's always asking people to bring water samples in for testing and to wait until their tank is cycled before they buy any fish. I always see him walking around in the back checking on all of them, changing/treating water, feeding them all their different little diets. I remember they accidentally got a walking batfish instead of some other fish and he was all over the place looking in all of his books trying to set up a tank for it. He has this HUGE cart with all of his stuff on it too, pretty funny to watch actually... but I think he's cool, all the other stores in my area don't have "fish" people... just random employees that wander around the store.

Boxermom wrote:I wouldn't recommend more than 2 in a 10g tank.

When I had three in a ten-gallon tank, there were no problems in terms of aggression. Then one got sucked into the filter. With only two, one of them harassed the other one until it finally got exhausted and died.

I wouldn't do it. Why not try 3 dp's and some shrimp?

I have 3 dp's in a 10 gal, along with 1 oto and 2 adf's. Admittedly, my original, Missy, didn't take too well to her first tankmate I got and it died, but the second time I tried, I added 2 and had them divided for awhile. All has gone well since. The tank stays nice and stable and everyone is happy and active.