Puffer questions

[savannahlj]

Hi, I am new to this forum and website but am contemplating getting an F8 puffer. We ideally wanted an Amazon puffer but have found them nearly impossible to get our hands on. We want him to be a community fish but I am getting mixed signals. We do not have brackish water but the guy at the fish store said many people keep it fresh and still the fish lives 8+ years. We have a blood parrot, four gourami, and ..... angelfish..... I am willing to get another tank for him alone if it doesn't workout and work from home so I can keep a close eye. Someone tell me I'm crazy or tell me it's worth a shot if it actually succeeds... HELP.

 

[Wills]

Puffers in community can work but not that mix too much of a risk with the cichlids and a figure 8 is a brackish fish - some fish may survive 8 years in freshwater but not many so a huge risk all around.

If you want puffers that are possible in a carefully selected community look at South American puffers, spotted congos, red eye red tails or dwarfs but none of them are compatible with your current fish.

Wills

 

[Acorno]

Hi, I am new to this forum and website but am contemplating getting an F8 puffer. We ideally wanted an Amazon puffer but have found them nearly impossible to get our hands on. We want him to be a community fish but I am getting mixed signals. We do not have brackish water but the guy at the fish store said many people keep it fresh and still the fish lives 8+ years. We have a blood parrot, four gourami, and ..... angelfish..... I am willing to get another tank for him alone if it doesn't workout and work from home so I can keep a close eye. Someone tell me I'm crazy or tell me it's worth a shot if it actually succeeds... HELP.

I want a puffer as well. Based on my research the figure eight puffer is not hardy in fresh water but is actually very sensitive. So I wouldn’t risk it.

 

[Acorno]

I did find a 50$ Amazon puffer online but it’s to expensive for me.

 

[Colin_T]

In my opinion, pufferfish are not community fish and should be kept on their own, especially puffers like the figure 8. These are aggressive fish that regularly eat their tank mates. They are not a beginners fish and not community fish. And the figure 8 puffer should have salt in the water.

Your blood parrot shouldn't be kept with angelfish either.