Community Puffers?

[flakes]

what puffer can i put in a 75 gal. community tank?
what tank mates can i put with it?
what can i feed it?

 

[Corleone]

Simple answer: No. All puffers are at least semi-aggressive (Some are called "peaceful," but it's in the same way that mbuna are sometimes called peaceful - it's relative to their aggressive cousins). Thanks to their beaks, they're equipped to turn fin nipping into lethal damage.

Long answer, this post from nmonks:

Amazon puffers -- Colomesus asellus -- are great fish. But they are fin nippers. I keep three in a community tank (of sorts) with fast moving and semi-aggressive fish. Over the years my experience is that fast moving fish like bleeding heart tetras and glassfish are fine with them -- given space to avoid them of course. And things like Synodontis and small cichlids usually punch back, so the puffers leave them alone. But anything slow (e.g., angelfish) or stupid (e.g., Corydoras) will be nipped. No question.

I'd also make the point that Colomesus asellus is (in my opinion) gregarious. It does far better in groups than singly.

That post doesn't mention, but from the puffer list in the oddballs forum, Amazons also take some extra maintenance, having fast growing beaks and likely needing regular dental work.

 

[andywg]

The only responsible way to try puffers in communities is to make sure you have an adequate tank to remove the puffer or its mates to should any issues arise.