Help.. I did something retarded

[staredecisis]

Well, I went and bought a fish, and apparently his tiny cuteness (and dwarfish implications) is misleading?

I've been hearing constantly that dwarf puffer fish are vicious when adults, due to their bone plated mouth that can chomp through other fish. Is this true? He is only a baby now.. So I have time to reconcile the situation. But I really like him. He is currently in a 20 gallon with:

5 guppies
1 swordtail
1 platy
1 cory
1 glassfish
1 dwarf frog
1 ghost shrimp

Do I either:

A. Leave him in, it'll be fine, the rumors are exaggerations!

B. Buy him his own 3-5 gallon tank with sponge filter.

C. Take him back, he's a tiny monster that needs a huge tank that I can't afford!

I heard something about bumblebee gobies being good tankmates with a dwarf puffer. But they are brackish (sp?), correct? Are dwarf puffers brackish? If someone can tell me how I can set this up, that would be great. Thank you!

 

[Loveless]

take him back or you'll regret it

 

[chris_harper]

also, if i understand correctly, glassfish are a schooling fish, and cories too. someone correct me if i'm wrong.

 

[suemack]

set him up in his own little 5 gall tank.....they are apparently real little characters who do much better in a species tank

- that way you could enjoy him and the other fish would not be hassled by him.

and yep chris cories love having company of their own.......a group of 3 or 4 is lovely to watch......not sure bout the glassfish as haven't got them

sue

 

[bstier]

I would say put him in and try it out. If you have a lot of food for the puffer and a lot of caves and things for him to be occupied with, he just might be a nice guy. You can always try...make sure your tank is cycled though. Personally, I would try it myself and see what happens, if he is aggressive you can remove him but I would have a backup tank standing by. He also might be fine while juvenile, then you could move him to another tank when he gets bigger! I think the bigger tank would be to his advantage while young. Plant it alot! This is just my thoughts tho, and im not a fish expert so..

 

[staredecisis]

glassfish are a schooling fish, and cories too.

Does this mean it is bad to have them alone? They both seem active and healthy..
Based on this list, is it even safe to add more glassfish/cories, in a 20 gallon?

5 guppies
1 swordtail
1 platy
1 cory
1 glassfish
1 dwarf frog
1 ghost shrimp

I think the puffer is just going to have to have his own 3-5 gallon tank. He is adorable and I don't want to give him up, but I won't risk injury or death to my other cuties, either.

Does anyone know anything about bumblebee gobies? I need to know if they make ok tankmates with dwarf puffers. I heard this somewhere, but being that they are brackish fish, I don't know how to set them up with a puffer.

 

[Morrgan]

Schooling fish will definitely be happier when kept in a group. They get stressed when they're alone, for being in a group is their form of security.

I'd say you can get more cories, a small group will fit in fine. At least 4 of them will do, but the preferred minimum size for a school is 6. I suppose whether you can get 6 or not depends on if you want more glassfish as well. I'm afraid I can't say anything about those, for I've never had any.

 

[freshwatergal]

If I were you, I would get a 10 gal tank and buy 2-3 more puffs. There are FW BBG's. It has something to do with their stripes. If they go all the way around without being broken, then they are FW. If the stripes don't make it all the way around the body, then they are BW. They make great tankmates for puffs.

HTH
Tiff

 

[chris_harper]

my lfs said glassfish are a schooling fish, so they probably aren't. hehehe. glassfish are a brackish water fish, too.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Glass catfish are schooling fish but should be kept in even numbers to avoid one being left on their own. Glass cats being kept on their own are known to die of lonliness. Some won't even swim never mind eat!

I have only 2 and although they are always together, they seem totally fine as a pair. I had one on his own for a short time after the other 2 purchased with him died.

However, not all fish are the same and if it works for you to have one then who are we to say otherwise? Many would say that I shouldn't have 2 but I know that mine are hunky dory!

HTH

 

[chris_harper]

Glass catfish are schooling fish but should be kept in even numbers to avoid one being left on their own. Glass cats being kept on their own are known to die of lonliness. Some won't even swim never mind eat!

I have only 2 and although they are always together, they seem totally fine as a pair. I had one on his own for a short time after the other 2 purchased with him died.

However, not all fish are the same and if it works for you to have one then who are we to say otherwise? Many would say that I shouldn't have 2 but I know that mine are hunky dory!

HTH

i am thinking he is talking about glassfish not glass catfish, as he said glassfish.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Glass catfish are schooling fish but should be kept in even numbers to avoid one being left on their own. Glass cats being kept on their own are known to die of lonliness. Some won't even swim never mind eat!

I have only 2 and although they are always together, they seem totally fine as a pair. I had one on his own for a short time after the other 2 purchased with him died.

However, not all fish are the same and if it works for you to have one then who are we to say otherwise? Many would say that I shouldn't have 2 but I know that mine are hunky dory!

HTH

i am thinking he is talking about glassfish not glass catfish, as he said glassfish.

D'oh!

Sorry about that. Got mixed up. Glassfish are the tetra looking ones that are often painted, right?

Oooops

 

[billy61788]

i dont know much about the glassfish but the cory definatly needs to be with others...i had 2 and one died and ive been noticing that he is very lonely so i need to get aother one. i recomend you get another also.

 

[yekim_4321]

Yes glassfish are a scholling species and i would reccomend a group of 4 min, they also benefit from a teaspoon of salt per gallon in their water..hope this helps.

 

[staredecisis]

Thank you all for the info, definitely have a lot more options to consider now!