The Puffer Forum

does anyone have any experience with dogfaced puffers and other puffers as tankmates?, the reason im asking this is because i introduced my ceylon to the dogfaces tank and the dogface turned a dark brown like i've never seen. this was after they looked at each other and circled each other like dogs sniffing each others butts (this was pretty cool to watch). but he now stays in his abalone shell and is scared of this inch and a half ceylon, when i have batfish, anemone's and dragonets which he doesnt even look at. I wonder if this is normal dogface behavior or if i have a cowardly puff

Ceylons are more agressive puffers than Dog-faced puffers. I wouldn't trust your ceylon with the dragonet or bat fish either.

Cowardly is a rather judgmental or maybe ironic word to use about a fish in captivity....but good to hear you liked watching them sniff each other butts

yeah acctually i did enjoy watching them "sniff each others butts" and im not sure what you mean about judgemental or ironic maybe you or someone else could clarify that, anyways my point was a 6 inch dogfaced puffer could chomp a 1 inch ceylon in half, yet the dogface proceeds to turn sideways belly towards the ceylon as a submissive gesture, so i think cowardly is just as good a word to describe dogfaces as "timid" or "shy". but no matter because the ceylon is gone and was replaced by a snowflake moray eel, and the dog and eel have been seen "hanging out" (excuse my ironic/judgementalness) together under their abolone shell homes. so good trade

Heh, I know what you mean by dogfaces seemingly timid behavior. Our dogface is about 5" but is very laid back and will never pick a fight. However, if they get cornered or agitated long enough they can and will use that beak.

My girlfriend put a chocolate tang in w' our puffer. The tang wasn't quite as big but thought he was the new bosss. At first the dogface didn't care and tried to avoid the new tang until the tang started to do tight laps around him...he then gave gave the tang a fin-ectomy. The girlfriend was pissed but the fish deserved it.

Bottom line, I worry less about if they are a "coward" and more if they can (and will) take care of themselves. Kinda like people, there are the loud ones, the quiet ones, and the ones that when pushed can take care of themselves.

The eel should do okay, just watch out for the dragonette as the eel gets bigger.

Hope this helps...Lee

PS dark brown dogface = pissed off/upset puffer

Bruce, how big is your batfish?

My puffer is 6 1/2" and I introduced a batfish that was about 8" tall into the tank. After about a week, the batfish became aggressive and started swimming circles around the puffer. The puffer changed into his night colors and ended up on the bottom most of the day. I took the batfish back and the puffer came back to life, nice and bright yellow again.

There's nothing to really be surprised about with fish nature I think is what the guy was saying. Dog faces are in general scaredy cats(har har)and by adding a more powerful, aggressive puffer you have a back up plan to separate them for exactly this reason. Your new guy is likely to hog the food as well.