20 Gallon Puffer Tank

[Echinoderm]

I'm starting a 20 gallon puffer tank. I'm pretty sure that I'm capable of keeping brackish or freshwater puffers.

What species should i get? I'm looking for activity, so nothing nocturnal or timid.

I know all of the species that I can get, but which are the "best" to keep.

Are there any species I can get multiple of or mix? I have seen dwarf puffers and irrubescos mixed.

Also, what about tank mates?

So far, it seems like dwarves are the easiest, but they are kind of small for me.



I currently have a 30 gallon tank with mudskippers.

 

[jennybugs]

If you think you'd be ok with brackish water, how about a F8 puffer with some bumblebee gobies? I am not sure I'd put two F8's in a 20 gal...is it US or UK gals?

 

[Echinoderm]

If you think you'd be ok with brackish water, how about a F8 puffer with some bumblebee gobies? I am not sure I'd put two F8's in a 20 gal...is it US or UK gals?

Well, it was going to be 20 US gallons, but I ended up getting a 15USg. It's cycling right now. I was thinking about getting pea puffers and some otos or loaches in a week or two.

I decided not to do brackish.

What about a South American puffer or green bottle puffer? Would one of those fit? If it is too risky, I will probably just get the peas.

 

[eschaton]

You cannot fit a SAP in a tank of that size - they are very active swimmers.

I've never heard of a Green Bottle Puffer, but I'd say no to that too. The only things which will fit in that tank are dwarfs and their close relatives, like the red eye puffer.

 

[Big_eyes]

If you think you'd be ok with brackish water, how about a F8 puffer with some bumblebee gobies? I am not sure I'd put two F8's in a 20 gal...is it US or UK gals?

Well, it was going to be 20 US gallons, but I ended up getting a 15USg. It's cycling right now. I was thinking about getting pea puffers and some otos or loaches in a week or two.

Puffers with loaches?? What type of loaches we talking about here?

 

[jennybugs]

I'd forget the loach idea! Stick with otos if you must have something else in the tank. Your problem then will be the otos like a mature tank that's settled well and if you want to house them with DPs then they should go in the tank first. Then the DPs should be introduced all at once. This way the DPs won't pay attention to the otos as they are already in the tank.

I would just stick with the DPs myself

 

[iSnail]

Well, it was going to be 20 US gallons, but I ended up getting a 15USg. It's cycling right now. I was thinking about getting pea puffers and some otos or loaches in a week or two.

I decided not to do brackish.

What about a South American puffer or green bottle puffer? Would one of those fit? If it is too risky, I will probably just get the peas.

The peas will fit nicely in a 15USG. They won't look so small when full grown. My largest ones are 1" plus tail and "chunky" so not all that small really

 

[Echinoderm]

You cannot fit a SAP in a tank of that size - they are very active swimmers.

I've never heard of a Green Bottle Puffer, but I'd say no to that too. The only things which will fit in that tank are dwarfs and their close relatives, like the red eye puffer.

When you say red eye, do you mean irrubesco or lorteti?

How many red eyes can I fit in a 15USG? What are some good tankmates? I'm pretty sure you can't mix it with a pea puffer, right? Hmmm... if they have similar behavior, as long as tank size permits, it may be ok. I could be completely wrong though.