Mbu Puffer

[digdog]

I bought a mbu puffer this weekend and picking him/her up next weekend. can anyone tell me if, for a temporary messure if you think he will be ok in 180liter tank with 1 adult kissing gourami, i adult clown loach and a family of bristle noses? the mbu is only about 3 inches at present. thanks.

 

[Xenon Junkie]

how long is temporary?

the main thing to bear in mind is that you do not have small fish in the tank e.g. anything that could fit into the mouth easily, and secondly no nippy fish as they will bite the tail of the MBU which can cause a lot of stress.

The fish would also need a supply of crustaceans in its diet to keep their beak filed down.
Some of my puffers have taken chuks outa my fish as they were interested in what they are,
So correct me if im wrong that they sometimes test new objects with bites like sharks do?

Also remember Mbu puffers can grow to an excess of 2ft, so ideally you'd want a 5 ft plus tank.

 

[flash.dan]

how long is temporary?

the main thing to bear in mind is that you do not have small fish in the tank e.g. anything that could fit into the mouth easily, and secondly no nippy fish as they will bite the tail of the MBU which can cause a lot of stress.

The fish would also need a supply of crustaceans in its diet to keep their beak filed down.
Some of my puffers have taken chuks outa my fish as they were interested in what they are,
So correct me if im wrong that they sometimes test new objects with bites like sharks do?

Also remember Mbu puffers can grow to an excess of 2ft, so ideally you'd want a 5 ft plus tank.

i have kept 3 mbus oover the years currently have 1 18" after loosing a 9" mbu 2 months ago due to a brain hemerage. in my expierence MBUs are completly peaceful i keep my largwer mbu in a community tank with tetras even now from when he was 3" so tankmates is something you shouldnt worry about.

with reference to tank size ultuimatly a 8x3 will be great i think a 6x2x2 should be made avail within the next few weeks - 2months if fed properly you should see a growth rate of 1" per month and they put a huge strain on bioload my tank currently runs 8x flow through its sump but 4-5X is more than enough with weekly 30% WCs if you have any queries pm me with your email i am more than happy to share my knowledge of this wonderful puffer

 

[nmonks]

Tetraodon mbu is a difficult fish; Stuart Morse wrote an article called "Mbu for You?" where he argues, cogently, that they're simply too big to survive for long in home aquaria. Google the article; it's on various web sites as well as having been printed in TFH magazine some time ago.

Obviously when young it can be kept in any aquarium offering adequate size and filtration rates, but as it matures, you need simply huge aquaria: Stuart recommends around 1000 gallons. While some might argue that's overkill, not many of those who've kept them in smaller tanks have kept them alive long enough for the puffer to reach full size. The main issue is perhaps water quality, in particular oxygenation, so a smaller tank, but one with very strong filtration (super-high turnover rates, say 8-10 times the volume of the tank per hour) might be adequate, especially if steps were taken to keep the nitrate levels low. They are riverine/great lake fish adapted to strong currents and deep waters, and are much more active than many other Tetraodon.

Here in the UK some shops won't stock them, notably the Maidenhead Aquatics chain, simply because virtually no-one outside of a public aquarium can keep them properly. That said, they're fairly mild mannered on the whole, though I agree with Aqualog pufferfish book author Klaus Ebert that this varies, with some being distinctly more "forward" than others.

Cheers, Neale

 

[jennybugs]

Stuart's article is very good and written from experience of keeping his beloved Mbu Clooney, who he sadly lost some time after writing the article

 

[lilacamy931]

I really would listen to what the others say, these are great fish but only if can house them properly and safely

 

[digdog]

Mbu now home and in with tetras in 180ltr. eating well and playing in bubbles from airstone.

 

[River Dog]

Tetraodon mbu is a difficult fish; Stuart Morse wrote an article called "Mbu for You?" where he argues, cogently, that they're simply too big to survive for long in home aquaria. Google the article; it's on various web sites as well as having been printed in TFH magazine some time ago.

Obviously when young it can be kept in any aquarium offering adequate size and filtration rates, but as it matures, you need simply huge aquaria: Stuart recommends around 1000 gallons. While some might argue that's overkill, not many of those who've kept them in smaller tanks have kept them alive long enough for the puffer to reach full size. The main issue is perhaps water quality, in particular oxygenation, so a smaller tank, but one with very strong filtration (super-high turnover rates, say 8-10 times the volume of the tank per hour) might be adequate, especially if steps were taken to keep the nitrate levels low. They are riverine/great lake fish adapted to strong currents and deep waters, and are much more active than many other Tetraodon.

Here in the UK some shops won't stock them, notably the Maidenhead Aquatics chain, simply because virtually no-one outside of a public aquarium can keep them properly. That said, they're fairly mild mannered on the whole, though I agree with Aqualog pufferfish book author Klaus Ebert that this varies, with some being distinctly more "forward" than others.

Cheers, Neale

Great post and one I wholeheartedly agree with, other than the fact you say that MA chain of stores not stocking them. Worthing branch of MA has 8 for sale as of this morning and Hickstead has one on display notable for the name he has 'chicken drummer' lol. They will order an Mbu for you at around £100.

 

[DarkEntity]

Clooney was a stunner of a fish, RIP

 

[jennybugs]

That he was!

 

[davethedogface]

At 3" the mbu will be fine in that tank but much past 6" and you will probably have water quality issues due to the amount of shellfish they consume.


I would get at least a 6ft 150 (uk) gallon as a starter and he would be 'ok' in here for a while but for an adult nothing less that 300 gallon. some do say 1000 galls but to be honest your going to need at least 3ft width to the tank preferably 4 ft.

MBU's from experience need excellent water quality and considering what they eat this is always a problem. they dont tolerate nitrate above 50ppm well and tiny amounts of nitrate and ammonia kill them, although to be honest the same goes for most puffers.

I have a tropical pond and have a mbu and he is 26" and thought to be 5 years old, he was an unwanted one due to his size as he had grown to 18" in 4ft tank. i doubt he will get much bigger as he is probably stunted. In my honest opinion and i know i have one but they really should stay in the rivers and lakes they come from. They are adorable creatures and become a major focal point and part of the family like any dog or cat you will become very attached but i cant empahsise enough you need to plan now what you are going to go with the mbu when he grows.

Also if you have a local fish monger or fisherman as them to keep crab claws etc for you as they need them to wear down there teeth. or it means using ms222 and a dremel and its not easy as puffers are sensitive to ms222 and nail clippers dont work on mbu beaks to well.

They generally dont harm other fish but mine did 'accidently' kill a cichlid that had the food he wanted.

There are some very decent articles on the web about mbus and there care once you get past the tank size arguements.


any questions just ask

 

[divegirl]

Please tell me you have pics of your Mbu....please please please!!!!!!!

Lisa x

 

[davethedogface]

Please tell me you have pics of your Mbu....please please please!!!!!!!

Lisa x

i most certainly do i will post but they are more views from the top as its a pond although i do have a side panel but if he sees you he splashing around begging at the top

 

[digdog]

Thank you davethedogface. I am looking for an 8/10ft tank now. i am in the process of applying for planning permission to build a house and the plan was to include an indoor pond, i would be grateful for any advice on that front nearer the time. but knowing our local planners it could be a littlt while!!!