Puffer Or No Puffer?

[tetras4me]

I sall some figure 8 puffer fish at the store and i really want to buy them but a worker said that they will attack my other fish. So if i buy one will they attack my other fish? I mean there sooo tiny and cute!

 

[Boxermom]

Always keep in mind that the size you see fish, almost all fish, in the store is NOT their adult size. Some, such as bala sharks, can get HUGE. Figure 8s get to be about 3 inches long, require brackish water, and yes, will almost certainly attack your other fish.

 

[Flumpus]

A figure 8 certainly wouldn't work in your 55g.

However, if you wanted to get a 20-30g tank and make it low end brackish, around 1.005, there are definitely lots of fish you could keep with a figure 8. I've got knight gobies and mollies with mine.

 

[tetras4me]

oh.... well this sucks

 

[Gankutsuou]

yeah. You never hear what you wanna hear, ya know?
Still, I've been thinking of a brackish tank and putting him in with my dragon goby ect, but i'd have to rid myself of a lotta my peaceful non brackish mates to make a full bracksih tank.... sigh~

 

[nmonks]

The one puffer that more often than not works in communities is the South American puffer. It gets to about 8 cm long, and is best kept in a group of 3 or more (it is a schooling fish). However, a couple of cautions:

1 - It does attack some fish. My experience is that fast-moving fish, like hatchetfish, halfbeaks, glassfish fast tetras (bleeding hearts, silver dollars, etc.) are ignored. Slow-moving fish, like neons, corydoras, livebearers, and gobies are singled out and bitten. Often not badly, but enough to be stressful for the target and of course a route for fungal infections and fin rot.

2 - It is rather delicate and neurotic. These are open water fish, and they expect to be in schools. When kept in aquaria they swim up and down the glass ceaselessly, and if they get startled, can throw themselves out of the water or into the glass. They will injure themselves sometimes, and after a few days, injured fish seem to die (internal bleeding?).

3 - They have very fast growing teeth. Even under the best of circumstances, you may need to trim their teeth a couple of times a year. Snails, sandy substrates, lava "feeding rocks", and all sorts of tricks will help, but plan for the worst.

4 - They aren't brackish. While they are just fine at SG 1.005, it isn't normal for them, and they don't really need brackish water. Certainly don't keep them with species that need more salt, like monos or scats.

5 - They just aren't as personable as other puffers. I guess because they are schooling fish. They don't form much of a bond to their owner in the same way as, say, a figure 8 puffer.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[sammy86]

i saw these in my fish store and they are so adorably cute, unfortunatly i knew a little about these guys so i had to walk away dissapointed, but god did i want one lol, when i get my new tank, i may make my old tank brackish and get one, cos their so cute!