C. Irrubesco - C. Lorteti

[FishFriendly]

Hi.

I got a 20 gallon tall for my birthday. I want to have a puffer in it. I have experience with a figure 8. I gave him to my uncle a year ago. I've been fishless every since. Irrubesco and Lorteti have been very interesting over the last few days I've been researching, but I haven't found enough information!

1) Is it true that Lorteti are more aggressive?

2) Do I still need plants if I keep one Lorteti or one Irrubesco?
I have driftwood, turned over flowerpot, and a cave already.

3) If I do put plants, about how many?

4) Whats the usual price range for these guys?

5) If you have any pics, can you show me a full shot of your tank(s)?

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[nmonks]

I haven't kept C. lorteti, but I do have two (not yet a pair!) C. irrubesco in a 10 gallon tank along with some Otocinclus, a Rhinogobius goby, and a "spare" male halfbeak. As this motley assortment suggests, I haven't found them to be in the least aggressive. Quite the reverse in fact, they are shy, active mostly in the morning and evening, and essentially peaceful.

I've had them a couple of months now, so I can't pretend to be an expert. Klaus Ebert, in his Aqualog book of pufferfish, describes them as being much less aggressive than C. lorteti but conversely more of a fin-nipper (these two behaviours being, of course, completely different and not linked in any way).

My specimens seem to like bogwood caves and use, even if they don't actually dig, caves and burrows of various kinds. I have some Java fern, hornwort, and lots of Salvinia, and the shade seems to help. The female in particular will sometimes rest under the floating plants if the male gets too pushy.

They feed happily enough on bloodworms and apparently snails judging by the numbers, though I haven't seen them actually attack any snails yet. Don't seem especially difficult fish.

Cheers,

Neale