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FAQs about Freshwater Puffer
Selection
Related Articles: The Nice
Puffer: Colomesus asellus , the South American Puffer by
Neale Monks, Freshwater
Puffers, Alone But
Not Lonely: The Importance of Keeping Puffers
Individually by Damien Wagaman, Freshwater to Brackish
Puffers, Puffers in General,
True Puffers, Family
Tetraodontidae, (Big) Pufferfish Dentistry By Kelly Jedlicki and Anthony Calfo Small Puffer Dentistry By Jeni Tyrell
(aka Pufferpunk),
Related FAQs: FW Puffers
1, FW Puffers 2, FW Puffers 3, FW
Puffer Identification, FW Puffer
Behavior, FW Puffer
Compatibility, FW Puffer
Systems, FW Puffer Feeding,
FW Puffer Disease, FW Puffer Reproduction, BR Puffer
Identification, BR Puffer
Selection, BR Puffer
Compatibility, BR Puffer
Systems, BR Puffer
Feeding, BR Puffer
Disease, BR
Puffer Disease 2, BR Puffer
Reproduction, Puffers in
General, True Puffers,
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 Make sure and check for the temperament
and likely maximum size of your livestock...
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New tank setup; FW stkg. 7/19/19
Hi Neale
I hope all is well,
<Well, sort of... but anyway!>
I am setting up a new 3 foot , 200 litre tank, and deciding how to stock it, I
have narrowed it down to a few options that I'd like your advice on please..
1 - Tetraodon miurus
I know a lot about the 'ambush' puffers. I am wondering, could I try a group of
3 of these as it's a big tank with lots of cover and feed them regularly?. I
know they are super super aggressive, but I know in the Congo where they export
these, they keep dozes of these together in vats whilst they are waiting to
export and they avoid aggression buy feeding regularly.
I do have back up options if this doesn't work (other tanks).
<I'm not sure 3 will be enough to eliminate aggression, to be honest. Yes,
you're right, "overstocking" can prevent territorial fish from claiming their
territories, and ergo, they're not able to move onto the next step in their
programming, which is to defend said territory.>
2 - Tetraodon/leidon cutcutia
I know these are a little more active but still relatively sedentary, aggressive
but not quite as nasty as the miurus - possibly a group of 6-8 of these as they
stay fairly small?
<Possibly, but they're still a good 8-10 cm long when they're grown up, and
that's quite a lot of fish to put in a 200 litre tank. Still, worth a shot if
you have heavy filtration and a Plan B.>
3 - a group of 6 Channa bakanhensis
<Bit more risky, I suspect. Adult size is variable, but up to 30 cm, so a group
of them would be much too much for a 200 litre tank. Juveniles should be fine as
a group, mind.>
These only get 6-8 inches and I know of a shop that has a group of 6 who have
been kept together for about a year, all are fully grown and no problems.
<Not convinced these are necessarily full grown, and in any event, the species
does seem very variable in this regard, perhaps dependant on where they are
collected from.>
My tank is bigger than the one in the shop in which they have been in for a year
so this could work, and who knows, with the right water conditions may even
eventually breed?
<Possibly. Breeding requires quite soft and acidic water, I believe.>
Please can you let me know your thoughts? I know some of these ideas aren't
conventional, but I'm looking for something a bit different - happy to hear any
suggestions you have. It seems that it is puffer season at the moment as I have
seen suvattis, hairys, miurus, palembangensis etc all available.
<I'd suggest visiting and posting on The Puffer Forum. The guys and gals there
have a lot of experience, more so than me, so I think you'd find a visit
rewarding.>
I have seen schoutedeni, but I already have a big tank with a group of 10 of
these. I am looking for something a bit more interesting that dwarf puffers or
red tails.
<Understood. Unfortunately, Pufferfish don't really work that way.>
Thanks.
<Cheers, Neale.>
Fresh Water Puffers; species sel.
11/20/13
Good evening,
<Hello, Josh.>
I had a bit of a puffer fish revelation tonight; I have a 55 gallon tank
just sitting around not doing anything and its begging for a puffer. I
would like a freshwater puffer that can be social with humans (the one I
saw tonight begged, followed, and liked being petted!) and something
that really fills out that 55.
<I see. Generally the Tetraodon species are the most intelligent, among
which the brackish water "Green Spotted Puffers" usually get the nod for
being the all-around most fun to keep, even if their requirements are
somewhat more specialised given they're brackish water fish. Still,
compared to the other issues with puffers, adding a bit of salt is
pretty trivial. Keeping nitrate levels near-zero and making sure their
beak gets worn down will be much harder work!>
I understand that most of the puffers are incredibly aggressive so tank
mates are a no go, that's perfectly fine with me.
<Good. It's the best approach to take.>
However, If I only have one fish in the aquarium I really want him to be
the star of the show. I am finding so much conflicting information about
freshwater puffers and how big they do or don't get. I have one website
that says Fahaka only get 6 inches long but another site says 18.
<Somewhere between the two is "average". Certainly expect around 30
cm/12 inches, and plan accordingly.>
Similarly, I have one site that says a Dragon puffer tops out at 3
inches while another says 8,
<If you mean Tetraodon palembangensis, again, somewhere between the two
is usual; expect around 15 cm/6 inches.>
more information stating Brazilians only grow to 2 inches while another
says 4,
<Yet again, somewhere between the two, 8 cm/3 inches seems to be their
maximum size in aquaria, and no-one I've met has ever seen one 15 cm/6
inches big, despite that being widely quoted as the maximum size.>
one website says green spotted puffers prefer freshwater while another
says brackish; I'm so lost!
<Definitely brackish to marine. Similarly, Figure-8s are low-end
brackish water puffers, not freshwater.>
I would really just like some solid advice. I want as big of a fish as
possible which would mean about a 10 -12 inch max if puffers follow the
5gal/ 1inch rule I've been told in the past.
<Since you're keeping just one specimen, it's best to keep one puffer
well. Some are more active than others. The "lurkers" such as Tetraodon
palembangensis and Tetraodon suvattii could be kept as singletons in
quite small tanks, say 150 litres/40 US gal for the 6-inch Tetraodon
palembangensis and 100 litres/25 US gal for the 4-inch Tetraodon
suvattii. But the more active ones such as Tetraodon fahaka (which being
active might be more fun) will need more swimming space, so you'd double
the aquarium space relative to their adult size, to over 400 l/100 US
gal for Tetraodon fahaka. Tetraodon mbu is essentially impossible to
keep properly in home aquaria, so don't bother.>
I would also like a pretty fish if at all possible, atheistically I like
the Fahakas, the Mbus, Figure Eights, etc…
<Many more options besides. Do visit ThePufferForum.com for discussion
and pictures of the various species.>
You guys are the experts, if you don't mind, would you please provide
some suggestions/ options and perhaps some insight into the species
itself and into why you recommend it.
<Tetraodon cochinchinensis and Tetraodon suvattii would be two species
you haven't mentioned I'd seriously consider, as well as Tetraodon
palembangensis. Tetraodon cochinchinensis (an active species) and
Tetraodon suvattii (a lurker) are both relatively small species but
share the same behaviour as their larger cousins. Tetraodon
palembangensis is an unusual and attractive species that would fit
nicely in your tank.>
Thank you so much,
Josh
<Welcome, Neale.>
Re: Fresh Water Puffers 11/21/13
Wow! Thank you for the speedy response Neale,
<Welcome.>
How active and "friendly" are the Tetraodon palembangensis?
<Not friendly to other fish at least. More territorial than psychotic,
but still, would only keep multiple specimens in a very large aquarium
(something like 30-odd gallons per specimen, and wouldn't keep two in
case of bullying). Not really compatible with much else. Like most
"lurkers" they're smart enough to learn to feed from the surface (maybe
even hand-fed) but otherwise tend to rest on the substrate or among
bogwood roots. They don't patrol the same way as, say, Green Spotted
Puffers.>
They certainly made my list of considerations and were becoming my
"default" choice since I don't have enough room for a Fahaka. I really
really like the Fahaka and I'm having a very difficult time convincing
myself out of it.
<Is indeed a good species, but somewhat demanding, if less so than
Tetraodon mbu.>
From what I've read they sound like very social puffers (with humans).
If the Tetraodon palembangensis has a similar disposition that would
certainly fit my bill nicely.
<Ah, the two species are MUCH different. Tetraodon fahaka swims about, a
lot like a small T. mbu, and so would feel a bit more interactive.
Tetraodon palembangensis basically sits about, though I'm sure most
specimens learn to become active if they get a suitable reward (i.e.,
food) and may even beg for food.>
I hadn't really considered the Fang Puffers just because they were so
small; it seemed like it would be a bit dull to have one 3 inch fish in
55 gallons of water.
<Wouldn't need quite that much space for a singleton; 20-30 gallons
would suffice.>
I had similar thoughts on the Arrowhead Puffer. Truth be told the
burrowing, bottom puffers ( Tetraodon palembangensis included to some
extent) just don't hold the same level of intrigue for me as the up in
your face puffers.
<Indeed.>
If I had a tank set up for salt water I would have a Porcupine Puffer in
it right now just because of the way that little guy acted. It really
was a very fun, neat little fish.
<Quite so, and in fact some of the marine species are arguably easier to
keep. Arothron hispidus for example is a wonderful pufferfish, and
remarkably hardy (the first specimens I encountered were being sold as
freshwater fish!). The little "Tobies" are also rather fun.>
I'm not really willing to jump into brackish just yet. I have zero
experience with it and am mildly intimidated by the concept.
<Don't be. In some ways adding salt makes life easier because it
detoxifies nitrate to some degree, so water quality is that bit easier
to manage. It's an added expense, yes, but the amount needed for low-end
brackish is small -- a Figure-8 Puffer for example only needs as little
as 6 gram/litre (0.8 oz/US gal) for a specific gravity of 1.003 at 25
C/77 F.>
I suppose the Tetraodon palembangensis is my go to at the moment. Can
you tell me more about it?
<Ah, would suggest these two excellent summaries:
http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/tetraodon-palembangensis/
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Palembangensis/
As I said earlier, the folks at ThePufferForum are very knowledgeable,
if a bit sharp at times.>
I can't find much other than a few comments on their rarity, videos of
them eating, and pictures? Are they a species that can be ordered
through my lfs?
<Yes, are on most lists. But do be aware that historically "Tetraodon
palembangensis" has been applied to Figure-8 Puffers, so do double-check
your retailer is ordering the real thing, the Humpback or Dragon
Puffer.>
Thank you,
Josh
<Most welcome, Neale.>
Avocado puffer
10/2/11
So I've got this bare 20 gallon tall tank and am wanting to try my
hand at a different type of puffer. So would a single
Auriglobus modestus (true freshwater species) be a
happy specimen in a 20 tall that will be HEAVILY planted? I notice the
20 tall inst ideal as a 20 long would be but my stand wouldn't hold
that long of a tank... As for food I have a 10 gallon as well that will
be housing one of those self cloning crayfish that I've heard makes
copies of itself like crazy along with snails in the tank so there
would be lots of live food to watch this aggressive puffer munch on as
well as frozen foods that will be trying to be fed as well. Basically
my concern is it starting to pace the glass and become stressed, but I
would think having the tank being extremely forested and jungle Val
completely covering 3 out of the 4 glass panes along with the driftwood
and live food should keep him entertained and happy. If not please let
me know! Any advice appreciated!(not a total new comer to puffers,
I've had dp's successfully before and done rigorous research on
almost all fw puffer species).
<This species gets fairly big and is an extremely active swimmer. I
would not recommend a "tall" 20 gallon tank. They don't
really like plants and prefer open water, so adding plants to the tank
is fine for decoration but won't make the puffer any happier in
terms of aquarium size. Somehow doesn't sound right. The longer the
tank, the better, and if you can get an aquarium 3 ft/90 cm long, then
so much the better. Forget about growing Crayfish for food. As a treat,
fine, but do remember they're rich in Thiaminase and consequently a
poor staple. Snails are good treats and should be a safe food item.
This particular puffer eats insects and bits of larger fish, so a
combination of frozen bloodworms and similar, along with bits of
(Thiaminase-free!) tilapia fish fillet would make an ideal staple diet.
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Avocado puffer
10/3/11
Thanks again Neale for the information! I think I might have already
asked this, but just to reiterate, are there any other freshwater
puffer species that would be suitable for a planted 20 gallon tall
tank, possibly putting the dwarf puffers aside?
<Tetraodon cutcutia and Tetraodon cochinchinensis would be
possibilities, though neither is commonly traded. A single or even a
matched pair of Carinotetraodon irrubesco is another option, but these
are, in my experience, rather shy in small tanks. In any event, all
three species mentioned are relatively inactive fish as well as being
quite small, so they aren't too fussy about swimming space.>
But if not do you have any other general recommendations for this size
tank as far as stocking goes (I've found that the dimensions of my
tank are just really odd in general) ...as I am just not sure of what
to keep in this tank haha.. so any recommendations would be greatly
appreciated!
<Tall 20-gallon tanks don't have the ideal shape because
they're tall rather than long, and most fish swim from left to
right rather than up and down. So you can either go with small fish
that won't care (for example Badis species and some midwater
Boraras) or else fish that do indeed mostly move up and down, such as
Gouramis or Bettas. A lot depends on what you're aiming for:
prettiness, breeding, social behaviours, etc. There are any number of
fish forums where you might canvas opinions, including one here
at WWM. Cheers, Neale.>
20 gallon puffer tank! FW,
sel./stkg. 8/15/11
Hey all, soon to be re-transforming my 20 gallon tall tank into a
heavily planted co2 tank! Want to get back into puffers as well so was
wondering what species I'd be looking at....
obviously there's always the dwarf Indian puffer which I'm well
versed with..but I'm looking for something that grows a tad
larger...but is still manageable in my 20 gallon..
<I see.>
Possibly the common named Avocado puffer? (does it get too big being
4" max?)
<This is Auriglobus modestus, a nasty, nasty species that is active
when young but rather lazy once mature. It's territorial and
predatory, and even when combined with other fish, even its own kind,
it initially usually ends up being kept singly. In any event, a
singleton could be kept in a "long" 20 gallon tank, though
slightly more space would be preferable.>
And I'm pretty sure Amazon puffers are out of the equation with a
tank my size... (being they prefer groups)....or would they be a
suitable choice?
<I wouldn't keep SAPs in 20 gallons. But you might find a pair
of Carinotetraodon irrubesco well suited to your tank. They're
fairly peaceful and work well in planted tanks. By the standards of the
genus, the males are fairly tolerant. Alternatively, a single Tetraodon
cochinchinensis would work too. On balance though, a swarm of Dwarf
Puffers might be more rewarding if you want a planted tank that looks
"busy" as you could add shrimps and possibly Otocinclus
catfish too.>
Any input would be great!
-John
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: 20 gallon puffer tank! 8/15/11
Thanks Neale! Always a pleasure to get responses from you!
<Glad to help.>
Going back to the Auriglobus modestus, even though they may be
aggressive, do they come with personalities as with some of the larger
fish such as Oscars (equally intelligent if not more?) and other
puffers?
<Hmm, well, they are busy fish, and easily tamed, but they're
not at the most intelligent end of the spectrum. Among the smaller
puffers, it's the brackish water Figure-8 Puffer that stands out as
the smartest species, easily comparable to the larger Tetraodon
species. It's worth mentioning that brackish water doesn't mean
"no plants", but rather a more careful selection of
plants.>
I've allays liked their greenish sheen, and also do they end to
hide when young or older?
<Not particularly.>
In addition, if I was to do this so called "swarm" how many
dwarf puffers would I be looking at (from my standpoint at about
4-ish?)
<4-6 specimens, perhaps more if water quality management was
excellent, and definitely more females than males.>
Even with it all planted and their line of sight distracted from one
another is there room for more? (personally I thought the 1 per 5
gallons is suitable, but depends on conditions correct?)
'¦.
<Some argument over this, but yes, I tend to suggest 5 gallons per
specimen, though others suggest as little as 2 or 3 gallons.>
ok and lastly, I was referred to a type of puffer (whose common name
and species name escapes me) which is part of the "Target"
puffer species ... apparently it gets to be about 4 inches but has a
really Puffer fish like look compared to the avocado puffer...
<Tetraodon cochinchinensis is a scaled down Target Puffer sometimes
called the Fang Puffer; Tetraodon cutcutia is an oddball Asian species
sometimes called the Sea Frog despite being primarily a freshwater
fish! Both would be suitable for a 20 gallon tank.>
And thanks for suggesting the Carinotetraodon irrubesco as I was also
considering them as well (just wasn't 100% sure a 20 gallon would
suffice for a pair)!
<Can, would work, but C. irrubesco does become more outgoing in
larger tanks. In small tanks they're somewhat shy, in my
experience. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Tank Shifting and
feature fish! FW Puffer sel./stkg. 7/17/11
Ok thank you for your advice. I have decided to re-think my plans and
may just up my puffers into the 240l and keep my whiptails and
'friendlies' in the 120.
<Cool.>
I have recently come across Carinotetraodon borneensis in my LFS and am
aware how rare this fish is, but information on them seems very
limited. I may be able to negotiate some extra tank space with my
partner as long as it isn't another 240l! What advice can you give
me on c. borneensis?
<Very similar to Carinotetraodon lorteti, but the males are MUCH
more aggressive.>
Do they prefer being on their own or being in a group?
<May be kept singly or, if the tank is fairly big, harems of one
male to several females. There is some variation between
specimens.>
What size of tank would one require?
<Most of these "red eye" puffers are best given 75
litres/20 gallons for the pair, and about 40 litres/10 gallons per
additional female. But males of this species are quite aggressive, so
things like line-of-sight barriers and numerous caves will all play a
role in ensuring good social behaviour.>
Any other information on this puffer's nature would be
appreciated.
<A few personal thoughts, here:
http://www.tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/article_detail.asp?id=67
There's also a puffer-specific forum called thepufferforum.com that
is a useful place to get first-hand accounts.>
Someone told me they may be ok with red-eyes (irrubesco) but I doubt
they'd like my zippy SAPs so I can understand they'll want
their own space most likely.
<C. borneensis is normally kept singly, and I would recommend you do
the same. By contrast C. irrubesco is basically peaceful and works
extremely well with SAPs. If you can get C. irrubesco, it's a fine
alternative.>
Absolutely any knowledge on them would be awesome. As you can tell
puffers are something I really like and keep going back to and I really
do want the best for them.
Jo
<Cheers, Neale.>
Freshwater community puffer?
3/21/11
I have a 29g, moderately planted tank that is now cycled and I am
slowly growing my community. Currently in the tank are 2 Otocinclus, 1
SA bumblebee catfish, 1 hi-fin platy, 1 pineapple swordtail,
<Both Platies and Swords prefer/need cooler water than some of your
other fish.>
1 Lyretail Creamsicle molly,
<Mollies need very specific conditions to stay healthy.>
1 long-fin red skirt tetra,
<Gymnocorymbus ternetzi, I assume -- potentially a nippy
species.>
1 Bloodfin tetra,
<Aphyocharax anisitsi; also enjoys coolish conditions and can be a
fin-nipper.>
and a baby angelfish.
<Obvious target for fin-nippers.>
Are there any species of freshwater puffers that are docile enough to
live in a community such as this?
<No. There are NO COMMUNITY PUFFERS. None. Your problem here is that
you have a mismatch of species AND your tetras are schooling fish that
won't do well kept as single specimens per species. Concentrate on
provide good (i.e., the right) conditions for the species you have, and
I suspect you'll find your community tank looks a lot better and
each species lives a lot longer. Hope this helps.
Cheers, Neale.>
Freshwater Puffer Selection Help
9/18/09
Hello Pufferpunk (I assume),
<Nope. It's me, Neale.>
I am writing looking for advice on puffers. I have searched through the
internet and have discovered that no 2 people who "know" the
facts of puffers, "know" the same facts.
<Oh? I think there's actually a quite strong consensus on most
species. Some argument over details, but the basics of things like
social behaviour and water chemistry are generally agreed upon.>
I have encountered your advice in several places though and you are the
"authority" (if I may call you such) that I would trust. (if
someone else is answering this email-no disrespect intended).
<None taken.>
I am planning to set up a 55 gallon tank. I want it to be heavily
planted and I LOVE puffers. My problem arises because I would like to
have more then one fish.
<Not necessarily a problem, but you do have to choose your species
very carefully.>
From what I can tell a lot of Freshwater puffers (if not all) are
either huge or far too aggressive to risk another fish with them.
<Not correct. While it is probably true that no freshwater puffer is
a completely safe community fish in the same way as, say, a Platy, that
isn't to say you can't mix some puffers with some other types
of fish. The South American pufferfish Colomesus asellus is an
occasional fin-nipper but otherwise a peaceful, gregarious species that
does well in groups of its own kind alongside fast midwater fish and
armoured catfish. The Red-tail puffer Carinotetraodon irrubesco is
another species that is usually very peaceful; though territorial, it
is small and stays close to the bottom of the tank, so mixes well with
fast, midwater fish. I have both species in my 180-litre community
tank:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/pufferfish.html
They've been there for some years, and apart from the South
Americans sometimes nipping at the Corydoras, there haven't been
any problems at all.>
I would like to perhaps get a couple (or whatever is advisable for a
harem) of Dwarf Puffers.
<The Dwarf Puffer Carinotetraodon travancoricus is definitely one
species best kept with its own kind. It is a persistent fin- and
scale-eater, and doesn't "play nice" with other fish.
Yes, I know some people mix them with shrimps and Otocinclus catfish.
However, while you're free to try the shrimps out, Otocinclus
catfish are very difficult to keep alive for any length of time. The
VAST MAJORITY die within months of import. They need lots of green
algae (or a suitable substitute) and a very mature tank, and I
certainly wouldn't add them to the tank until it was at least six
months old.>
I think I would be okay territory wise. I have read your advice of 1
per 5 gallons being preferable. What I am wondering is are there other
tank mates (non-puffer) I could keep with them.
<None.>
I have read they are still aggressive for their size, but, what about a
larger fish species that could stand up for itself?
<Doesn't work like this. Fish don't "think" like
people do, and it's incredibly dangerous to assume any animal
thinks in the same way we do. Big fish don't say to themselves,
"Hang on, I'm bigger than that silly little puffer!".
What they do is their normal behavioural repertoire, and if in the wild
that doesn't involve Dwarf Puffers, they aren't likely to have
an appropriate reaction. Since Dwarf Puffers get some of their protein
in the wild by sneaking up on big fish and biting their fins, it goes
without saying that they have evolved traits that allow them to this
efficiently.>
I really don't know...a cichlid species or something of the sort? I
also really like clown loaches, but I would assume they are too
peaceful.
<Nope. While Carinotetraodon irrubesco -- in my experience -- gets
along well with equally aggressive, territorial cichlids such as Kribs,
that's the only member of the genus Carinotetraodon that even comes
close to being a community fish. All the other species in the genus are
aggressive biters, in some cases extremely so, as with Carinotetraodon
salivator, a very aggressive little fish!>
Thank you so much for your help and time. I think it is great that you
are trying to educate people about these fish. I know that I had been
easily led into buying a couple a few years back. I had loved them from
first sight and gladly believed that an Figure 8 was fully freshwater
and surprisingly peaceful, then when I learned the difference and
adjusted my salinity to accommodate the fish properly, it unfortunately
didn't handle the stress well and died. Then I went to find another
brackish puffer for the tank and was convinced to purchase a nice red
eyed puffer who also (of course-being actually freshwater)
perished.
Anyway, I apologize for the rant, but, I hate the fact that some fish
stores just don't bother to find out the truth about what they are
selling, and I hate the fact that I didn't know enough to do my own
research. Lesson Learned.
Thanks again.
Robyn
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Freshwater Puffer Selection Help
9/18/09
Neale,
<Robyn,>
Thanks so much for the prompt and informative reply. I truly appreciate
it. I will research some more on the species you recommend. Have a
great day! Robyn
<You're most welcome. Good luck with your selections! Cheers,
Neale.>
Puffers, FW... sel..... -
11/26/07 Hi, I wanted to get a freshwater puffer, perhaps the
Amazon puffer. Are they aggressive? I heard that they have sharp teeth
but I have tons of snails for them to bite on so would that be okay? I
do far have a African butterfly, platies and swordtails. Would this be
okay to buy 2 puffers? Also, about how many snails will they eat and do
Amazon puffers do best in freshwater or saltwater? Thanks for all your
help. <Greetings. The South American or Amazon Pufferfish (Colomesus
asellus) is not an aggressive fish in the least. It is actually rather
nervous and easily scared, and when kept alone or with aggressive
tankmates never really settles down. HOWEVER, this isn't to say
that they make perfect community fish. They do not. Amazon Pufferfish
will nip the fins of their tankmates given the chance. Fast-moving fish
like Bleeding Heart Tetras and Diamond Tetras seem to work well, but
slower fish like Platies and definitely African Butterflyfish will be
nipped regularly. The best way to keep South American Puffers is as a
group on their own. They prefer to be kept in groups (I have three in
the tank next to me here) and will spend all day swimming about on
their own but at night cuddle up together in a corner. They are
river-dwelling fish and need a long tank (not less than 1 meter) with
plenty of water movement for exercise. They will eat snails, but prefer
bloodworms and other insect larvae. On the other hand, they have very
fast-growing teeth that usually need to be trimmed every 3-6 months.
This isn't difficult, but can be scary the first time! Basically
you need to sedate the fish by putting it into a 1 litre tub of water
into which 1-4 drops of clove oil have been mixed (try a low dose, work
upwards if required). Clove oil is sold in drug stores as an anesthetic
of sorts. It makes fish very drowsy. Put the pufferfish in there to
calm down, and then use cuticle clippers to remove excess tooth growth.
Once you're done, net the fish out, place the net in the aquarium,
and then release the puffer once it is scooting about happily. If you
feed the fish lots of snails, you might not need to do this, but most
people find they have to do it periodically. South American Pufferfish
have a very wide distribution from the blackwater rivers of the Rio
Negro where the water is soft and very acidic through to the Amazon
estuary where the water slightly brackish. So they're adaptable. In
aquaria, they do fine between pH 6-8, 5-20 degrees dH. They do not need
salt in the water, though they will certainly tolerate brackish water
up to around SG 1.005. In the wild though a different species of
Colomesus, Colomesus psittacus, replaces the South American puffer in
brackish and shallow marine environments. If you pick up a copy of this
month's (December's) TFH magazine, I have an article about
these puffers, how to keep them, and whether or not they make good
community fish. Also has some nice pictures! Cheers, Neale
Dwarf Puffers, gen.
10/11/07 Hello All, <Hi Eric, Pufferpunk here> I have a
question in regard to Dwarf Indian puffers (C. travancoricus). For the
background, I have, I'd say, an "intermediate" level of
experience with fish keeping. I started out about a year ago, with
fresh water fish in a 10gal (and no WWM, unfortunately). I was taught
the basics by my roommate, who has had freshwater fish for years. Then,
about 6 months ago I discovered saltwater fish and had a 20gal high and
a 55gal marine tank. I currently have the 55 gal tank running and with
much help from WWM and MUCH, MUCH reading and emailing (a few times)
questions, I believe I am on the right track there. Thanks for all the
help! <Glad to heat that. Successful fishkeeping is very rewarding
& a joy!> My question for today is in regard to my 20gal high
tank. After it was thoroughly cleaned and re-setup, I am ready for some
freshwater fish. Here is the setup: 20 gal high -Aquaclear Mini Hang On
Filter -Maxijet 400 powerhead -Heater -Standard fluorescent lighting
<I would go with the Aquaclear 300 (or whatever they're calling
it now). You won't need a powerhead for dwarf puffers--it will just
blow them around.> I would like to add some Dwarf Indian puffers, as
I'm a huge fan of puffers in general and these I believe, are the
only strictly freshwater pufferfish that are both available at local
retailers and are actually OK LONG TERM for such a small volume tank.
<Actually, there are many freshwater puffers that would do fine in
your 20g. See:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/fwbracpuffers.htm
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/
> If I do choose to add the Dwarf's, how many could I have? I
have read the "1 per 3 gallon rule"... so that would be six
total and hopefully 1 male and 4-5 females, correct? Or is that pushing
it? It is better to keep 1/5g but if you have the tank heavily
decorated (DPs love live plants & spawn readily in them), breaking
up lines of sight, 1/3g (actual water volume) is fine. Your plan for a
harem is good!> Also, as I know is true with Cichlids, it's best
to overcrowd because the larger will pick on the smaller fish and if
there are higher numbers it lessens and distributes aggression between
a higher number of fish. Is the same true with the Dwarf puffers?
<No, puffers are territorial & need their space.> If yes and
I need to add 5 or 6 fish, how do I acclimate them? Should I add them
all at once? <That is usually best.> If so, I doubt the tank will
be sufficiently cycled, correct? (I could use Bio-Spira but will that
be enough??) <Sure will! Add the Bio-Spira directly to your filter,
right before you add the puffers.> However, I'm also aware of
the downsides of adding one or two at a time. I guess my real question
is, what is the lesser of two evils? <If you can really be sure of
the sexes, you should add them all at once. Sexing Dwarf puffers:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-Carinotetraodon-travancoricus-the-dwarf-puffer/
Just be prepared for the ones that don't play well with others
& have an alternate plan for them. Maybe ask the LFS about the
chance of exchanging them if they all don't get along or their sex
isn't what you thought, when they mature.> I have read a lot
about puffers on WWM and have gone to the dwarf puffer website that
Pufferpunk recommends but I have yet to find an answer to this. If you
have any other suggestions for this, I would really appreciate it!
<Well, here you just came right to the source!> Also, I've
read conflicting information on this but is sand OK for freshwater
tanks, as long as it's less than 1 inch? I'd much prefer that.
<A shallow sandbed is fine. I have been reading a lot of complaints
lately about folks not being able it keep it clean though. Otocinclus
make good dwarf puffer tank mates & may help with some of their
maid service.> Thanks a lot for all the help! Eric <You're
very welcome! ~PP>
Re: Dwarf Puffers, puffer sel.
period 10/13/07 Hello Pufferpunk, <Hi again, Eric>
Thank you very much for the help in regard to the puffers! I actually
went to one (national named) LFS and saw about 5 dwarves but they were
awful looking. It was a sad sight. Needless to say, I did not buy them.
I can't encourage that type of care. <Congratulations for not
"rescuing" those fish! I can't stress enough to folks
that think they're doing the fish a favor by rescuing them,
DON'T DO IT! The shop will see them as a good seller & just
order more of them to be mistreated/killed, while removing them from
the wild--depleting the natural population of the species.> As for
the other puffers, I have read the articles/areas you suggested. I
thought that the Green Spot. and the Figure Eight were brackish, no?
<Correct. F8s are best kept at a SG of 1.005. GSPs prefer marine
conditions as adults & are brought from low-end BW on up,
throughout their growing years. I know that 1st link is confusing, as
they have the BW & FW on the same page.> I really like the
Tetraodon pustulatus but there's not too much info on them on the
web. (Google search on WWM produced no results under the scientific
name). <That IS their scientific name. Beautiful fish!> I have
never seen them in any store around here either. Are these quite rare?
<Good luck ever finding one & they are quite expensive. Maybe
you could try & follow this thread:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9955&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=pustulatus
They also get large--the same as a fahaka puffer, about 18".>
And just for some further clarification, are you suggesting that
instead of my powerhead, I should instead have 2 Aquaclear HOB filters?
<The AC mini will not be large enough to handle the messy habits of
a puffer in a 20g. I suggested 1 larger filter.> Again, thanks a lot
for your help! <Good luck on your search! Check the Pufferpedia at
the link I gave you for other FW puffer ideas. ~PP> Eric
Mbu Puffer in Non-Cycled Tank 11/16/06 Hey, <Hey
yourself, it's Pufferpunk here.> I own a 4 inch (not including
tail) MBU Puffer and I've had it for a week so far. He
had been introduced to a tank that had been matured for a month and he
has a very healthy appetite, eating everything from cockles, mussels,
shrimp, bloodworm but the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels in the
tank sky rocket so high that I have to do a 50% water change every 2
days to stop him from dying! <I'd raise that to 80% daily, until
you can get that tank cycled or your puffer will definitely not make
it. They are extremely sensitive to those toxins, because
they are scaleless & have no gill covers. What do you
mean by, "matured for a month"? If you just let
the tank run for a month, that's not cycling the
tank. Or were there other fish that would equal the bioload
of that puffer in there for that month & the water parameters were
perfect (0 ammonia & nitrItes, <20 nitrAtes), then removed, when
you placed the Mbu in there? How big is the
tank? That puffer will grow VERY quickly, needing at least a
300g tank in 2 years, upgrading even larger after that. If
you don't understand the facts of cycling a tank, you may not be
ready to house such an exotic fish like the Mbu. Please do a
search for "fishless cycling". If you insist on
keeping this fish & are prepared to buy it much larger tanks &
huge filtration systems (including veggie refugiums, to keep the
nitrates down), in the very near future, then you can instant cycle the
tank with Bio-Spira. Do an 80% water change, before adding
it to your filter.> I have a fully functioning filter and I regulate
the amount of food he eats (around 2 cockles or 1 mussel a day) but the
water gets dirty so quickly that I'm worried about his health. What
can I do to keep the levels stabilized so I don't have to change
the water so often and why is this happening? I use Amquel
to reduce the levels when I don't have time for a water change.
<You're going to have to MAKE time for
this! Eventually, plan on a 1,000 gallon tank for this
beautiful, 30" tank-buster. Forget about Amquel, it is
just inhibiting the cycle. Bio-Spira is the only way
you're going to save this fish. You may have to search
around for it but more shops seem to be carrying it. To
dechlorinate, use Prime. Please read this Mbu story,
written by a puffer keeper of over 50 years: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150
I know it sounds like I'm being really hard on you but personally,
I think these fish only belong in public aquariums or in the wild,
where they have room to grow & swim. ~PP> Thanks,
M
Pignose Puffer For Sale? 7/7/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here> Do you know where I can find a pignose
puffer, all the sites I have been to have them but none in stock. I was
wondering if you knew of any better sites? <well, this fellow has
one for sale but I think he's in Canada: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4170 Have
you tried Aquabid? ~PP> Palembang Puffer
Purchasing Problem - 11/30/05 I'm staying in Malaysia and I
would like to purchase freshwater puffer fish, can you tell me the
nearest place to purchase for example Singapore, Kuala Lumpur. The
species I'm interested is Tetraodon palembangensis. <Hi
Louise. Although I'm closer to you than many on the crew (I'm
in China), I can't offer you any specific advice on where to find a
Palembang puffer. I understand that both KL and Singapore have good
fish street markets, but I would expect finding a Palembang is pot
luck. I saw a number of freshwater puffers on my last trip to
Tung Choi St in Hong Kong, so there are undoubtedly a few around. If
you are equidistant between KL & SG, I would probably try SG (major
exporter / transit hub of ornamental fish to the world). http://singaporetropicalfish.com
has a database of fish stores in SG... there are telephone numbers, so
you can call ahead if your trip will be long. Good luck! John>
<<Hong Kong is another HUGE source of live fish (good source
for many f/w tropicals, imported often into the U.S.). Usually
sold for the food market, but I'm sure they'll sell you
anything they have for any reason. Marina>>
What puffer fish to get? 9/4/05 Hello, <Hi
there!> I have been an aquarist for four years now. Most of the time
I've kept Firemouth cichlids and Chinese algae eaters,
but recently I have become interested in starting a puffer aquarium. I
have a 25 gallon glass tank with plants, rocks, and drift wood. I was
wondering if you could suggest some puffer fish that wouldn't mind
other tank mates and that aren't too picky about water chemistry.
<Puffers in general are sensitive fish and require clean water at
all times. The only freshwater puffers that will both
tolerate other tank mates as well as be appropriately housed in a 25g
tank are the dwarf puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) or the Amazon
puffer (Colomesus asellus). The asellus is quite a bit of
work though as he is extremely sensitive to ich and will need a
constant diet of snails or regular teeth trimmings to keep his beak in
check, while the travancoricus is very small and in danger of being
eaten by tankmates and will nip the fins of tankmates. All
other freshwater puffers are of a difficult temperament and will not
tolerate other tankmates and grow too large for your
tank. Good luck! ~Heather aka LinearChaos> I appreciate
your help. Sincerely, Eric Fiedler Dwarf
Puffers 6/20/05 Hi Pufferpunk, <Hi there!> I'm
upgrading a 10 gallon tank to a 29 gallon - it's almost cycled,
only 1 ppm of nitrites left! <Good job!> Anyway, that
leaves me with a 10 gallon cycled tank to play with. I
wanted to put 3 dwarf puffers in the tank-2 females and a male, along
with an algae eating/clean up crew. Current tank parameters: 10 gallon,
heavily planted with a small (and growing) snail infestation. Ammonia +
Nitrites 0 Nitrates ~40 (that's what comes out of the tap, will I
need to use some RO water to bring them down?) <You could, but 40
isn't quite toxic.> pH ~7.6 Questions: Are there any good
identifying characteristics of dwarf puffers to tell them from, say,
juvenile any other kind of puffer? I want to double check my
LFS. <Look here: www.thepufferlist.com> To sex: Males
should have a dark ventral line and possibly wrinkles behind their
eyes. What would you add for bottom feeders/clean up
crew? Corys would be cool but I think they like their water
a little acidic. Many people seem to keep Otos with them,
what is your opinion? Shrimp? I love shrimp and
have some Amano ones now that are really nice, but I'm afraid
they'd be expensive puffer food. Would you introduce the
shrimp or Otos before or after the puffers? <Otos & shrimp seem
to work for most folks w/DPs. See: www.dwarfpuffers.com
- Info about Tetraodon suvatti - Hi, <Hello, JasonC
here...> Been reading your site for quite some time now, very
informative on all aqua subjects....love your site ! :) I'm
looking for more info on a puffer "Tetraodon suvatti", the
arrowhead puffer/pignose puffer. I tried google-ing your
site or the web, but I couldn't find much info. Have you had
this puffer before? <No.> My LFS had 2 in, they sold one the
first day. Then the other one was kept with a clown knife(4"), 4
red snakeheads(5") and 2 lung fish. Yesterday when I
went by to check it out again, it's now in it's own tank - he
killed every other fish!! Yeah, so....all I know now is that
he'll be quite aggressive, no tankmates. <Well... I think like
many things, your mileage might vary. Like most puffers, they will eat
most anything that fits in their mouth, but for the most part are
'supposed' to be peaceful. Of course, the puffer might not have
read the same books I did so...> But I would like to know if
they're freshwater or brackish? <Freshwater.> What
temperature should they be kept in? <Tropical temperatures -
75-80F> ( my house is pretty hot during the summer, it could get to
29/30 C with just room temperature) And tank size? <As large as you
please... seeing as this one might end up being kept singly, you
probably don't need anything too large, a 55 would be excellent.
These fish only grow to about 4.5". You might consider a sand
bottom as these fish bury themselves to hide and wait for
food.> Kevin <Cheers, J -- >
Fish as Gifts? 7/20/04 Hi PP, <Hello> Thanks
again so much. I'll let y'all know how the "surprise"
went in September. <I just got another post from a native of the UK
at my puffer forum, http://puffer.proboards2.com. I
started a thread there about puffers in the London area. "Hi, I
live in London. The best place to buy puffers here are from
the chain of shops called Maidenhead Aquatics. There's quite a few
around London. Their website is www.fishkeeper.co.uk, there's map
showing all their stores. But best one is in Guilford just outside
London, that's where I bought my Mbu puffer. The staff there
specialize in puffers." TP <I would go to my puffer site &
keep an eye out for more info there. Have fun
shopping! ~PP>
Freshwater Puffers for
Beginners? 9/13/-4 Hi guys, <Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Just to check with you, which types of freshwater puffers are suitable
for beginners as I really love puffers a lot but the spotted puffers
which I kept lived less than 3 weeks every time... <Oooohh,
that's not good! =o{ They definitely are not FW
puffers! I guess you need much more research on
them. Read my article: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm>
Can freshwater puffers be kept together with blood parrot fish? <I
am presently keeping South American & dwarf puffers with a parrot
cichlid & a frontosa in a 50g tank. How large is your
tank? A parrot needs at least a 30g. Puffers in
general, are really not for beginners. SAPs need a constant
daily supply of snails to keep their fast-growing teeth
trimmed. Otherwise, you'll need to trim them by hand
every 6 months or so. Here's an article on them: http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/sapuffer.shtml You
might be better off with some dwarves. They still require
special foods also, but are not as difficult to keep as
SAPs. They can get nippy though. Here's a
great website, devoted to them:
www.dwarfpuffers.com
Puffers on FAQ Hi, <Hello Laura> I was just doing my
daily (well, since I started reworking our tank) reading of the FAQ and
came across the question on puffers. These little guys are
my favorite fish, and I have kept both species of green spotted, figure
eights, freshwater dwarfs, Canthigaster valentini, C. jactator, and C.
solandri (have avoided the larger dog-faced and spiny marine puffs due
to tank size). I was hoping you could forward this message
on to Tyler Re: what species of puffer to keep in a 20 tall and
ordering puffers online. For a 20H, you could keep 1-2 figure eights
(sg 1.005), 1 green spotted (sg 1.010-1.015), or 1-2 male and 3-5
female dwarf puffers (freshwater). Dwarfs are notorious for
coming in starving or with severe internal parasites (breeding them
would be a noble goal considering how many are lost in the import
process). <Agreed> I've seen three batches from three
different sources (two different LFSs and another group ordered online
for a total of 18 fish) drop like flies even with heavy feeding of
vitamin-soaked, meaty frozen and live foods (these guys just won't
eat dried foods, not even krill like the larger
species). They also really need lots of live plants to hide
from each other when things get sticky. Sexing can be
accomplished as cited in other sources: males are not as round and have
a dark brown dorsal stripe and yellow bellies. For a first
time puffer owner, I would really not recommend them because they tend
to be very delicate. <Yes... need to be quarantined for weeks, fed
foods laced with anti-protozoals, anthelminthics... like
Metronidazole/Flagyl, Piperazine, Praziquantel... to eliminate internal
parasites.> As far as ordering puffers online, I
wouldn't worry about fig eights and green spotteds if your source
is keeping them in brackish but I absolutely would not order dwarfs
online. These are fish you really need to see in person before you buy,
and even then buying them is a fairly big gamble. I finally
got some successful ones that had been started by someone else for a
few months; your best bet is probably to find another hobbyist who has
been keeping them long-term. Anyways, I'm sure you guys already
know all of this and just don't have time to make such an in-depth
reply to every single person who e-mails you, so I hope me typing it
all out will help :). <Thank you for the excellent input. You will
have aided many, and saved many fishes thereby. Bob Fenner> Thanks,
Laura
Mbu Puffer $ Sing along now: "How much is that puffer in
the big tank?" (04/18/03) <Ananda here tonight, with apologies
to puffers and doggies in windows....> Hi, My name is Peta Greenway,
and I was wondering if you could give me an idea of the retail value of
my 18"-20" Mbu Puffer? People keep inquiring about
purchasing him and I have no idea what he is worth. <My goodness,
that's a big one.... A bit of research found a 4"-5" Mbu
going for $87.50 (though that etailer's prices run high), and one
person paid £80 (about $126) for a 10" Mbu. But I found
no prices for Mbu puffers anywhere near the size of yours. I think you
would be completely justified in asking $200 or more for him.> Also,
do you know (rough ballpark) how many large Mbu's are out there?
<Probably extremely few! The largest Mbu I found mentioned online
was 15".> I have been trying to find other owners to compare
notes with. Thank You, Petapyropeta@******.com <You're welcome.
--Ananda>
Male-Female Ratio for the Dwarf Puffers? 5/1/04
Thanks for the advice, it has been heeded. Could you advise me on the
best male: female ratio for the dwarf puffers? <Best is 1 male to
2-3 females, or all females in a smaller (<10g)
tank. ~PP> Cheers, Liam
Availability of Mbu puffers Hi Robert, I am looking to stock
a 29gal tank with some sort of puffer (it is empty now). Can you tell
me where to look for a Mbu puffer? <Your better retailers should be
able to "special order" you one. If not them, the etailers
about can do so. A few of these are listed on our links pages:
http://wetwebmedia.com/links.htm And where to find out water chemistry
requirements? <It's a bit of work, but I'd use fishbase.org:
for instance, cut and paste this URL:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10103 for the Mbu
puffer... you can insert any common or scientific name in
Fishbase's search feature... it will give you habitat information
for many species, references (albeit scientific) for many. Have you
read through the FAQs on freshwater and brackish puffers posted on our
site?: http://wetwebmedia.com/fwpufferfaqs.htm Other people's Mbu
puffer queries/my responses there> If not this species maybe a more
available one like green spotted or Congo. Thanks for any info you can
provide. Jesse Durham, NC USA <Keep studying my friend. Bob
Fenner>
Where can I buy this fish? (Schoutedeni Puffer) Do you know
where I can find this fish to buy? Do you have any information on it?
Books? Does it eat plants? Can I have it in a 20 gallon planted
aquarium by itself? <Have a bit on this species posted here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwpuffers.htm Can likely be special-ordered
through a good sized livestock-carrying fish store... or a good etailer
of same (links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/links.htm Not a plant eater,
territorial with its own kind, so likely one to your twenty gallon
system. Fine solitarily. Bob Fenner> David
