Dwarf Puffers

[SilverDollar_03]

Hey Im thinking of getting some dwarf puffers. I hear they are totally freshwater fish. I am wondering if they would be okay with 5 silver dollars, 3 swordtails, and 5 aeneus corydoras? would this be ok? the tank is 55 Gallons with a Aquaclear300 filter and a topfin 60 filter. It has many fake plants and some caves.

 

[diVer]

The puffers will be OK but your other fish won't. The puffers will more than likely shred the fins of your other fish. They would be better off in a tank by themself with some bottom feeders like otos or a small pleco.

 

[Aquascaper]

I agree with diVer.

Most of the info i've read about these guys is that they should be kept in species only tanks as they are aggressive and territorial.
I don't think i've heard of any puffers that mix well with other fish

 

[Becca]

Hey, I can relate to this post!!

I'm setting up a small tank for 2 Dwarf Puffers and after much research, I've decided (as diver suggests) that it might not be wise to add other fish, other than the usual bottom feeders and pleco, to the same tank. The fish might get along for a while, but all the research I've done and experience I've heard of has lead to the poor fish being subjected to an untimely demise at the fins of the puffers.

Of course, I've not kept puffers with or without any other fish, yet...so please don't take my word to be the absolute end-all advice on Puffers.

Good luck!!

Edit: P.S. - I've also heard that Dwarf Puffers can live in freshwater, but they do better in brackish. Hope this helps!!

 

[jsescher25]

check out the oddball section there is always alot of good info on DP's. I also agree withe the two posts above me. puffers are very nippy (i have two 1 green spotted and 1 figure 8) but with the right fish(bottom dwellers) you can get away with diffrent fish. i have some gobies with mine and my puffers leave them alone. they also need good spots to hide.

 

[jsescher25]

I'm pretty sure dwarf puffers are freshwater only but i could be wrong

 

[Dwarfs]

Your better off setting up a small species tank for them

 

[StingrayKid]

I'm pretty sure DP's are strictly freshwater Becca. I could be wrong...

 

[Becca]

D'oh...I'm confusing Dwarf Puffers with Leopard Puffers. Sorry guys...don't take my advice on the freshwater/brackish water.

 

[SilverDollar_03]

this sucks, i dont have the money to buy a new tank or anything. and i really want some of these. are you sure they are this nippy? they looked pretty innocent looking in the lfs. i cant believe they finnip that much! Hmmm....do you think it would be okay to just try them out? i thought it would be really cool to have them in the tank with the other fish. the other fish will all be bigger too, so i wouldnt think that the puffers would finnip them so much! oh, and how the hell am i supposed to find baby snails for them to eat?

 

[StingrayKid]

YAY! Right for once!!!!

 

[SilverDollar_03]

this sucks, i dont have the money to buy a new tank or anything. and i really want some of these. are you sure they are this nippy? they looked pretty innocent looking in the lfs. i cant believe they finnip that much! Hmmm....do you think it would be okay to just try them out? i thought it would be really cool to have them in the tank with the other fish. the other fish will all be bigger too, so i wouldnt think that the puffers would finnip them so much! oh, and how the hell am i supposed to find baby snails for them to eat?

 

[bunjiweb]

If you dont have the money wait and save it.

Theres no point compromising if you cant do it properly.

Ben

 

[SilverDollar_03]

oh well. im going to try them in the big tank. anyways, id rather remove the bigger fish before i removed the puffers. they're the coolest fish ever!


1 question. how big of snails can you feed them, cause I heard they will eat snails twice their size. also, where can you get these snails?? I would buy them at the pet store but that would be too expensive.

 

[TracyRee]

I tried them with 5" blood parrots a couple years ago. I thought that since the blood parrots were sooo big that they'd be ok.

The next morning my blood parrots had no fins and the puffers went back tot eh store (of course the store wouldn't refund my money since it was my fault)

I highly suggest you do a species only tank.