Puffer Compatibility.

[Taylorm]

Hey all. I was wondering what kind of fish would be good to keep with either a Brazilian puffer, or a Green spotted puffer. Either would be in a 20 gallon tank. Thanx

 

[smb]

Let me start out by saying I''m a straight-A newbie when it comes to puffers.

I've never had them but have been enthralled with them for some time so I've done a lot of reading on them in the past. Also pufferpack, our reknowned puffer specialist, has given all of us quite some help, also.

With that being said...From what I've read...

Brazilians are docile and I've read success stories about quite a few people keeping them with cichlids. I've heard that they don't fin-nip like some puffers.

OTOH, I've read that Green Spotted puffers are hellions and very aggro. I would only keep them in a species specific tank from what I've read so far.

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi Taylorm

smb is pretty much on the money, the Brazillian Colomesus asellus is likely the mildest of all puffers, but is known to fin nip occasionally (especially slow moving/long finned fish). If you are thinking of any cichlids be sure they are non aggressive. I have kept Ottos, guppies, & sword tails with mine for a while now with no real trouble. You could keep a pair in a 20 gal nicely.

As for the GSP's Tetraodon nigroviridis I wouldn't recoment less than a 29 gal for a single, they get up to about 6 inches and are very territorial. Being BW species you are pretty limited if you want to tankmates, maybe some Bumblebee Gobies or Orange Chromides.