Can puffers be kept in a community tank?

[Crookster]

That's it really.

 

[Bol]

Everything I've read points to "no".

The occasional person claims they can keep a dwarf puffer in a community tank, but usually it's Bad News for other fish.

(By the way, most of the common puffers you find are brackish water fish).

 

[Teelie]

Actually, not true on the Brackish. Most are freshwater. In fact in my searches, I have yet to find a Brackish one which I originally had been told most Dwarfs were.

As to whether they can be in a community tank. I've heard little against it, mostly people with a species only tank (no mention of being too aggressive for a community) though only a few claims they can.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

dwarf puffers (most common puffers i find) are freshwater
they are semi agressive and should really only be kept in a fair sized, well planted/caved species tank they will become aggressive towards slower tank mates and will nip any long fins, or "fealers"
they are not community
trust me
i researched them for a while trying to fit them into my tanks
they wouldn't go with community or semi agressive (either the fish will have trailing fins or "fealers" or they will be much larger and eat the puffers)
everything points to a species tank as the best choice

 

[heyimeugene]

From my experience, Puffers have always been fin nippers... meaning they like to nibble on my gouramis and guppies... so no puffers here for me!

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Just for general information, what is the smallest tank a single dwarf can be kept in?

Mine seems tobe doing fine in an unplanted 5 gallon tank with a cave, but...

 

[BeccaBlain]

I'm not sure what kinds of puffers I had, but we had a tank that was absolutely full of them. They loved being together, swum in schools, etc. They were small, white with black spots and puffed up (which leads me to believe they were puffers of some sort)

Now, that was a very long time ago, when I was a kid (and my dad would stand me on a chair and dunk my hand into the tank so the puffers woud come up and nibble/carress fingers when I was good.) but I think it depends on the type of puffer you get?


I really wish I knew what type the little white with black ones were. I'd love to get a tank with them again. They were absolute darlings.

Becca

 

[Bol]

dwarf puffers (most common puffers i find)

Booo!!!!

I can't find dwarf puffers at all; been looking for them, too, in a 150 mile radius. Ah, well.

Perhaps it's just geography, but the most common (and almost only) puffers I ever find are Figure-8's and Green Spotted Puffers. Both of those are brackish water fish.

 

[Teelie]

You could try online. I know a few sites you could try.

 

[sumer_kay]

At my local fish store the single dwarf puffer they keep in stock (red eyed or something like that) stays in a community, but his tankmates are non aggressive, and don't have alot of finnage. Personally, I've never had one. :0 my 2 cents

 

[jasmine]

I keep a green spotted puffer in a community tank, with no problems at all.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

dwarf puffers (most common puffers i find)

Booo!!!!

I can't find dwarf puffers at all; been looking for them, too, in a 150 mile radius. Ah, well.

Perhaps it's just geography, but the most common (and almost only) puffers I ever find are Figure-8's and Green Spotted Puffers. Both of those are brackish water fish.

actually i can't find ANY other puffers around here
and the dwarfs aer always in stock at a petsmart 2 towns over
but i can't have one

 

[Pointy_kitty]

I keep a green spotted puffer in a community tank, with no problems at all.

brackish?

 

[diVer]

Like Pointy_Kitty said, GSPs need brackish water.

 

[jasmine]

Not when they are small. There is a tiny amount of salt in the water.