I wanna, I wanna, i wanna puff er er eeer!

NeilP · Nov 16, 2003

Sorry about the title - I'm in one of those funny moods!

I've just got a 8 (UK) gall tank for my wife, and she wants a/some puffers.

I've searched the forum, and it looks as though Dwarfs are out, C Asellus is a poss....

Heeeelllllllpppppppp :crazy:

What species can you guys suggest, i would like either

a) more than one puffer (don't they get lonely?

)
or
B) a puffer with other tankmates.

The tank will have a fluval 204 filter, 50w heater, gravel substrate and loads of plants. Will this do - i read that they need hidey holes ....

Your help would be GR8 :fun:

Pufferpack · Nov 16, 2003

Hi NeilP

An 8 gal tank is a little small for more than 1 Colomesus asellus, you might get away with 2 but would IMO need to do water changes ever 2nd day, it would be fine for 4 Dwarf puffers thought (how come Dwarfs are out? Planning other tankmates?)
I always think my fish will be lonely without some friends of the same species, but there are quite a few puffers out there (Dwarfs included) that are kept in a "Bachelor tank" by themselves because they can't/won't get along with anyone else, and reportedly they are happy and healthy.
In a small tank like the 8 gal UK you are limited to some smaller tankmates, I would suggest Otto's (excellent clean up crew, do best in groups of 3 or more) and Bumblebee Gobies (if you can find a FW strain) are a good addition as they will clean up any of the live/frozen foods that the puffers miss.
I'm not familure with the 204's flow rate, but I try to have the enough filtration on my pufer tanks to turn the water over at least 10 times/hr, so if the flow is 80 gal/hr or more it should be fine. As for the rest of it....sounds like a very nice set up for small puffers.

NeilP · Nov 16, 2003

Thx Puffapack B)

With the Ottos and Bumblebee Gobies (if ican get a FW strain..

) do you suggest the Dwarfs (you mention that they don't get on with others) or with the C Asellus?

My lfs has some green eye puffers (i think - i was there yesterday...... i must be getting old! :lol:

).....

What type of puffer would you reccomend?

:dunno:

NeilP · Nov 16, 2003

I also meant to ask about hiding places/caves etc - are these a def need? :blink:

Pufferpack · Nov 17, 2003

Sorry Neil, I guess I was a little unclear there, Ottos and BBG's are, so far, the only tankmates I've found that work with the Dwarf Puffers. For the 8 gal I would recomend 4 Dwarf Puffers, 3 Otos, and 2 or 3 BBG's. I find that the Dwarfs are a hardy little puffer with great personalities (try for 1 male 3 female if possible). C.asellus are a great puffer but their teeth grow about the fastest of any puffer (I had to trim the teeth on all 3 of mine a month ago) and unless you provide a diet of predominantly snails, dental work will be necessary eventually.
I'm not sure what species Green eyed puffers are (may have been Green Spotted if so they are BW and too large for an 8 gal).
I would ask the LFS for the scientific name, the Dwarfs are Tetraodon travancoricus (sometimes Carinotetraodon travancoricus)

The Dwarfs being a very territorially puffer needs multiple spots for sleeping and hiding, and strategically placed plants to break up sightlines so that the little guys can get out of the way if being chased by another puffer. The plants also help to cut down on the size of the territory the individual puffers feel the need to defend