Mixing Puffers Together

[Sliceofbeef]

Helloooo people,

I'm getting a figure eight puffer within the next couple of weeks, and if I do get more than one, apparently I should get them at the same time. I would like to get two, but I want them to be different types (I know it's sad, but it's so I can tell them apart, so I can name them). Would a figure eight and a dwarf puffer go? What about a figure eight and a red-eye?

Thanks in advance

George

 

[SirMinion]

Figure-eights do well together as long as they have plenty of room.

Red-eyes do not like company other than a single member of the opposite sex of the same species. They would attack the F8s
Both the F8s and the Red-eyes would attempt to eat the dwarfs.

However, as F8 are a brackish species and the other two are freshwater, it's fairly academic anyway.

Nearly all puffers do not mix well with other fish species and most don't even tolerate others of the same species.

 

[Sliceofbeef]

Figure-eights do well together as long as they have plenty of room.

Red-eyes do not like company other than a single member of the opposite sex of the same species. They would attack the F8s
Both the F8s and the Red-eyes would attempt to eat the dwarfs.

However, as F8 are a brackish species and the other two are freshwater, it's fairly academic anyway.

Nearly all puffers do not mix well with other fish species and most don't even tolerate others of the same species.

So since the dwarf puffers are so small, they will just be eaten by the fig 8's?

Thanks for the reply

 

[geo7x]

Is this in the 4g tank you mentioned in the other thread?

 

[Fella]

Figure-eights do well together as long as they have plenty of room.

Red-eyes do not like company other than a single member of the opposite sex of the same species. They would attack the F8s
Both the F8s and the Red-eyes would attempt to eat the dwarfs.

However, as F8 are a brackish species and the other two are freshwater, it's fairly academic anyway.

Nearly all puffers do not mix well with other fish species and most don't even tolerate others of the same species.

So since the dwarf puffers are so small, they will just be eaten by the fig 8's?

Thanks for the reply

For best maintenance they'll need different kind of waters. You couldn't keep a goldfish in a saltwater tank with clownfish, and or vice versa. You can't keep figure 8 fish and dwarf puffers together.

 

[Crazy fishes]

As I said in my thread which nobody has replied to ( maybe I should take the hint), I have kept dwarf and F8 in the same tank for a good 8-9 months and I have had no problems. In all that time they have had 1 fight that I have seen but most of the time they hang out together in their respective domains. Come feeding time they come together with no problems and generally ignore the food until the light goes out. Provided they have space and plenty of food they are happy as larry together. I should be reiterated though each puffer has it's own personality and it could be that I have particularly civilized puffers!! How do you know unless you try......... I let you decide on the rest

Regards.

 

[DarkEntity]

As I said in my thread which nobody has replied to ( maybe I should take the hint), I have kept dwarf and F8 in the same tank for a good 8-9 months and I have had no problems. In all that time they have had 1 fight that I have seen but most of the time they hang out together in their respective domains. Come feeding time they come together with no problems and generally ignore the food until the light goes out. Provided they have space and plenty of food they are happy as larry together. I should be reiterated though each puffer has it's own personality and it could be that I have particularly civilized puffers!! How do you know unless you try......... I let you decide on the rest

Regards.

That may be so, but Dwarf Puffers are Freshwater and Figure8's do far far better in brackish, so what you have isn't in the best interest of the fish.

 

[Sliceofbeef]

As I said in my thread which nobody has replied to ( maybe I should take the hint), I have kept dwarf and F8 in the same tank for a good 8-9 months and I have had no problems. In all that time they have had 1 fight that I have seen but most of the time they hang out together in their respective domains. Come feeding time they come together with no problems and generally ignore the food until the light goes out. Provided they have space and plenty of food they are happy as larry together. I should be reiterated though each puffer has it's own personality and it could be that I have particularly civilized puffers!! How do you know unless you try......... I let you decide on the rest

Regards.

Thanks very much for your reply, I will try it, the dwarfs are so cute, but the figure eights are good looking.

 

[nmonks]

I'm strongly against this idea of mixing these two species of puffer. Their long-term requirements are just too different.

There are alternatives that would work well. Carinotetraodon irrubesco seems to work very well with midwater puffers like Colomesus asellus, so I'd warmly recommend those. Neither needs brackish water, and both have proven to be (usually) peaceful and adaptable. Indeed, some aquarists would go as far as saying that Colomesus asellus is the ideal beginner's puffer. Apart from being a bit highly strung, it is hardy, easy to feed, and sociable among its own kind.

Another plus is that these two species are completely different in behaviour. Carinotetraodon irrubesco is quiet, likes to stay at the bottom of the tank, and generally is most active at dusk and dawn. Colomesus asellus is very active during the day, quickly learns to beg for food, and almost never hides. I keep three Colomesus asellus and a pair of Carinotetraodon irrubesco in a 180 l community tank, and they're just plain, good fun.

Cheers, Neale

 

[jennybugs]

As I said in my thread which nobody has replied to ( maybe I should take the hint), I have kept dwarf and F8 in the same tank for a good 8-9 months and I have had no problems. In all that time they have had 1 fight that I have seen but most of the time they hang out together in their respective domains. Come feeding time they come together with no problems and generally ignore the food until the light goes out. Provided they have space and plenty of food they are happy as larry together. I should be reiterated though each puffer has it's own personality and it could be that I have particularly civilized puffers!! How do you know unless you try......... I let you decide on the rest

Regards.

Thanks very much for your reply, I will try it, the dwarfs are so cute, but the figure eights are good looking.

I wouldn't if I were you!

As said by others, F8s are happier by far in brackish water and dwarf pufers are true freshwater fish. One of the other will suffer in the long run if you have them both together.

I have a 120L metre long tank that houses 2 F8s and a swarm of bumblebee gobies happily together.
Have a look here if you'd like some inspiration.

How big is your tank? EDIT: I see you're talking about a 17L tank. One dwarf puffer for a tank that size I'd say. Definately nothing bigger.

 

[Mr._Fishy]

I think it would be impossible to once the species are adults. The gsp will need a much higher salinity that the dp can handle. Also, the gsp will probably decide to try and eat the dp some day.

Ryan