Dwarf Puffer Tankmates

[mikeyk]

hi, in the next few weeks i am hopeing to purchase a 13.7 UK Gal tank and i would love to keep dwarf puffers in it. but does anyone know how many i should keep? i was thinking either

• 2 DP's and 4 Ottos
• 2 DP's, 3 Ottos and another fish (if someone can recommend one?)
• Or 3 DP's and what other fish?

would the 3 DP's and another fish be suitable etc.
if anyone has any sugestions or answers to my questions, then it would be much appreciated.
thanks, mikey

 

[Wonderboy]

DPs are so diverse in aggresion, you really can't tell how mean they'll be to other fish until you try, but to be safe, I'd make it a species only tank with 3 DPs and an otto (And I really don't even know if the otto would be ok... I've never kept ottos with my DPs before)

~ Wonderboy!

 

[mikeyk]

hmm. i see where your comeing from but alot of people are adiment that Ottos should be in groups or 3 or more. also wouldnt there be less tension between only 2 DP's than with 3?

 

[Wonderboy]

hmm. i see where your comeing from but alot of people are adiment that Ottos should be in groups or 3 or more. also wouldnt there be less tension between only 2 DP's than with 3?

To tell you the truth, I can't compare tension between a group of two and a group of three... I had 2 in a ten us gallon, and they did okay with a common pleco... I don't know exactly how they would act. I myself have a community tank with three ottos and agree that they should be in groups; it's just that I don't know if that goes the same in a DP tank. I hope someone else has better insight.

~ Wonderboy!

 

[mikeyk]

ok thanks alot also, can you feed them solely snails?
or do other foods like bloodworn need to also be given?
can you keep ghost shrimps in with them and if so how many?

 

[jkrekord]

otos NEED to be in decent groups they are very social and the bigger the group the better as for keeping them with dp's it is possible but it all depends on the dp's character dp's can be savage monsters if you are going to do it you MUST provide plenty of hiding places so the dp's can hide from each other an get a break an so the otos have at least a half chance as a general rule dont keep anything with dp's you would be upset to find dead and savaged

 

[Wonderboy]

I would give them a variety of foods (sanils and bloodworms are great). I have succesfully kept ghost shrimp with mine (I had 4)... but I am not sure if that was luck of compatibility... You can give it a shot - no harm in trying.

 

[mikeyk]

thanks alot both to both of you. i think i may get 2 DP's, 3 ghost shrimp and 3 ottos. play it safe and reduce waste. that set-up means the dwarves get 5gal each and the rest get 3.7.

 

[jkrekord]

thought i would forewarn you the ghost shrimp will be mutilated dp's eat shrimp of all type and the ghost shrimp will become lunch

 

[Wonderboy]

Just be careful with the shrimp!

 

[mikeyk]

Just be careful with the shrimp!

is there any way that i can help to ease the situation between the shrimp and DPs?

also any other fish that can be used in the set-up with the DPs, instead of Ottos? especially bottom dwellers?

 

[Wonderboy]

Not sure - like I said... My coexisting of the two was luck.

Smaller pleco species (rubberlipped pleco) worked for me.

 

[kimmers318]

Even though I have an dp with an attitude who won't accept other dp's, she has never bothered the ghost shrimp or oto, and I purchased the ghost shrimp small hoping they might become food for the dp when we went on vacation so that my neighbor wouldn't have to feed frozen bloodworms!

 

[SLC Flyfishing]

Dwarf Puffers can be quite aggressive, that being said, I have had a few on different occasions and find that when they are kept alone (just one per tank) their aggression is minimalized. I have them in with guppies and so long as there is only one dwarf puffer, they have not been overly aggressive. just my personal experience, and by the way, with feeding variety is truly the spice of life. give them bloodworms, crushed prawn, frozen krill, I even turned my tank into a bit of a snailarium before adding the puffer, he killed them all off in a matter of weeks. Anyway, I highlt reccomend the Dwarf puffer, but consider only getting one.

 

[mikeyk]

Ok thanks alot. i could get a single DP but as i am getting a 13.7 UK gal aquarium it may be abit bare.
any fish other than ottos that i could add in to add a little verity?