Mbu Puffer Compatability

[goldfish261]

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking of keeping an Mbu puffer for some time now. I have a 48x18x18 tank that just has community fish in it for now with lots of bogwood and ferns growing everywhere. My plan is to remove all of the exsiting fish to make way for an Mbu. The tank is fully mature with two large external filters and has sand for substrate so i think it should be ok for a puffer to go straight in.

My question is would it be possible to keep an algae eater or two in there with the Mbu, as i know some puffers really dont get on or eat other fish. I have a few ancistrus at the moment that could happily stay in the tank to keep the algae down, but dont really want them to become fodder.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated!

LungfishUK.

 

[@ombomb]

That tank is way too small for a Mbu, they grow up to 2 feet long...

 

[goldfish261]

initialy i'm after a juvenile so will update to a larger tank as he grows!

 

[@ombomb]

Well I'm no expert, just thought I would give the warning.

Can't see the attraction myself, tank that size could house so many fish, why restrict it to just 1? 1 being the maximum number of fish you should keep in a Mbu tank I believe (1 being the Mbu )

 

[goldfish261]

Also got the Fahaka puffer (Nile puffer) in mind too as these dont get quite so big as the Mbu but dont know if they'll mix with ancistrus.

Any thoughts?

LungfishUK

 

[Fella]

As a general rule (and as should be stickied at the top IMO), puffers are not community fish. People get lucky with fish that aren't typically community (Ottos, bichirs, plecs, etc, not shoaling tetras or whatever) and some people simply aren't as lucky. Puffers vary from each individual in temperament and compatibility, so my advice would be that if you wish to house a puffer with other fish, get the puffer first, establish whether or not you think he or she would tear apart a tank mate, and then take the risk. I could only describe it as a risk because even though some puffers may get on fine with all kinds of fish, that doesn't mean that all will.

With regards to a Tetraodon lineatus (fahaka/nile puffer), they grow quite fast and have a reasonably fast metabolism. A 55 may suit as a very temporary home, but a 125 would be much better in the long run.


HTH

 

[richard t]

Hi Lungfishuk your 48x18x18 contains a 24" South American Lungfish. If you get a Mbu/Nile puffer, where are you going to keep "BARNEY" (the lungfish) ?? Prehaps your girlfriend will let you keep him in the bath

 

[holty]

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking of keeping an Mbu puffer for some time now. I have a 48x18x18 tank that just has community fish in it for now with lots of bogwood and ferns growing everywhere. My plan is to remove all of the exsiting fish to make way for an Mbu. The tank is fully mature with two large external filters and has sand for substrate so i think it should be ok for a puffer to go straight in.

My question is would it be possible to keep an algae eater or two in there with the Mbu, as i know some puffers really dont get on or eat other fish. I have a few ancistrus at the moment that could happily stay in the tank to keep the algae down, but dont really want them to become fodder.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated!

LungfishUK.

Hi there lungfishUK i myself have a Mbu in my community tank and he gets on fine with everyone had him for a year and a half now and no insidents as yet, got him as a baby so maybe that helped i have heard that some just won't be mixed with other fish though, but i have problems.

Leigh

 

[CFC]

The trouble with MBU puffers is that when they do decide to go to war its all over for the other fish very quickly, i have personally seen the aftermath of a MBU losing its temper with a tankfull of African Cichlids it had shared a tank with peacefully for years, for reasons unknown the puffer had gone beserk and killed every other fish in the tank over night cutting most of them cleanly in two. If you do decide to go with a MBU in a community then i wouldnt recomend keeping anything you may be attached to with them.

 

[mbu man]

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking of keeping an Mbu puffer for some time now. I have a 48x18x18 tank that just has community fish in it for now with lots of bogwood and ferns growing everywhere. My plan is to remove all of the exsiting fish to make way for an Mbu. The tank is fully mature with two large external filters and has sand for substrate so i think it should be ok for a puffer to go straight in.

My question is would it be possible to keep an algae eater or two in there with the Mbu, as i know some puffers really dont get on or eat other fish. I have a few ancistrus at the moment that could happily stay in the tank to keep the algae down, but dont really want them to become fodder.

Any thoughts or info would be much appreciated!

LungfishUK.

your tank is far to small,they need alot of water and alot of filteration due to the food that they eat. i have 1 mbu,hes 3 inches long,hes in with neons which is risky but they swim faster than the mbu,not that he has gone for them. do not have more than 1 mbu in a tank,i found that one out. do not put any other sort of puffers in the same tank,no matter how small or sweet they are,in the end it will end up with only 1,that being the mbu. ive got a black plec and a zebra plec in the tank,the mbu takes no notice of them at all.

 

[goldfish261]

Thanks guys for all your advice, will let you know how i get on!

LungfishUK.

 

[hellohefalump]

doesn't an adult mbu need an eight foot tank?? They're lovely fish, we had a huge one at work, I love their 'smile'!