Puffer Selection?

[lilacamy931]

Hello Peeps
I have a spare 17g tank and still long to give puffers a proper go. What would my selection be? Dwarf puffers I have tried and would like a larger species for the space. F8 would seem like a good option, unsure what others are out there. I am not going on the proper salty side, just considering fresh or slightly brackish. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. As experience would be fab over websites

 

[nmonks]

Take a look at Carinotetraodon irrubesco, a pair of which could work quite well in a tank this size, assuming plenty of hiding places (e.g., lava rock and Java ferns). Carinotetraodon lorteti is arguably more colourful, but the males are that bit more aggressive, so keeping a pair in a small tank is riskier.

Though less often seen, a single Tetraodon cochinchinensis might be an option, though at 7 cm long, it is quite a bit bigger than Carinotetraodon irrubesco. Neither of these requires brackish water. Personally, I don't think Tetraodon biocellatus is a good call here; while colourful and charming in its way, it is quite an active fish and deserves more space than you're offering here.

Cheers, Neale

Hello Peeps
I have a spare 17g tank and still long to give puffers a proper go. What would my selection be? Dwarf puffers I have tried and would like a larger species for the space. F8 would seem like a good option, unsure what others are out there. I am not going on the proper salty side, just considering fresh or slightly brackish. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. As experience would be fab over websites

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks as always Neale for such excellent advice. I only knew of parameters for the F8 as an option and had completely forgotten about irrubescos. I think out of the irrebescos and the loretti I prefer the first if was to go for a pair though realise there is a risk with putting any puffs in multiples together. Can I ask how easily these are to spawn, do they breed as a pair (just so I do not get a huge shock if I do decide on these).

I had also forgotten about the fangs puffer (cochinchinensis)!

Thank you again Neale, have you any preference or recommendations out of the above species? Amy x

edit: to release fangs a definate lone specimen,

 

[nmonks]

Hi Amy,

Happy to help.

Spawning Carinotetraodon irrubesco is similar to Carinotetraodon lorteti, and at least some reports of the latter being spawned actually refers to the former. Are they "easy" to breed? Not as such, though they probably spawn fairly readily. The fry are very small though, so more comparable to things like gobies than cichlids when it comes to providing the right first foods.

Yes, Tetraodon cochinchinensis will have to be kept singly. Like most of the freshwater Tetraodon, it seems pretty aggressive and is a known "biter".

Of the three species, Carinotetraodon irrubesco is the only one I have strong (positive) opinions about. I kept Carinotetraodon lorteti some 20 years ago and don't really remember very much about them other than the aggression between the four specimens I had. Actually, I was baby-sitting them for someone else. In any case, they didn't stick in my mind as being terribly impressive pets. Carinotetraodon irrubesco is probably my favourite puffer. It is fairly peaceful and extremely hardy. I had an aquarium disaster over the weekend that killed both my South American puffers as well as a couple of glassfish, but the Carinotetraodon irrubesco didn't seem at all put out. Yes, they were at the surface looking a bit unhappy, but they perked right up once things was fixed. In that regard, they matched the air-breathing fish they were sharing their tank with. So while their colours are a bit subdued, their overall adaptability and generally sweet personalities makes them favourites of mine.

Cheers, Neale

 

[lilacamy931]

Thank you so much for your experiences that is exactly what I needed. I had in my mind narrowed to the irrubesco and fangs but had read quite a lot of the "biterness" of the fangs I will read into each of the species more and see also what can be gained, though surely wont mind sourcing the right puffer for me. The irrubescos sound absolutely amazing and the pictures and videos I have seen they are extremely sweet. I won't be rushing into this decision one bit as currently have a dirty tank at my feet. Im going to take a bit of time to get it clean, running cycled and off course ensure I get it really well planted

Really sorry to hear about your poor SAPs and glassfish deaths really glad that some fish survived though including the beautiful puffs. Best wishes for them all Amy x

 

[jennybugs]

I've had irrubescos and they are lovely! The males red tails are gorgeous.

Wildwoods have lorteti in at the mo (although they spelt it lortedi on the tank label ) as they were in the tank in front of my miurus when I went in on Saturday Nice specimens too
Sorry to hear about your losses Neale!

 

[nmonks]

Wildwoods have lorteti in at the mo (although they spelt it lortedi on the tank label ) as they were in the tank in front of my miurus when I went in on Saturday Nice specimens too

Last time I was up there, the fish they were selling as C. lorteti were actually a mixture of C. lorteti and C. irrubesco. See the photo below, taken at Wildwoods, with a male C. irrubesco in the middle and a male C. lorteti at bottom right. So be careful. Females of the two species are quite similar at first glance.

Sorry to hear about your losses Neale!

Thanks!

Cheers, Neale

 

[jennybugs]

Wildwoods have lorteti in at the mo (although they spelt it lortedi on the tank label ) as they were in the tank in front of my miurus when I went in on Saturday Nice specimens too

Last time I was up there, the fish they were selling as C. lorteti were actually a mixture of C. lorteti and C. irrubesco. See the photo below, taken at Wildwoods, with a male C. irrubesco in the middle and a male C. lorteti at bottom right. So be careful. Females of the two species are quite similar at first glance.


Cheers, Neale

They were all quite pale but had full bellies. I only noticed them because the bright orange T. miurus they had reserved for me was in a tank just behind them and it made me want to try irrubescos again.

 

[lilacamy931]

I can see the difference just about in those puffs if looking carefully Having spoken to a couple of shops only found one that will order specially the lortetis. The one thing I presume though is that I need to have a male/female pair to lessen aggression of say two males instead? I take it the two species above will not get on if misidentified especially due to lorteti being much more aggressive? I have the day off today so going to speak to some more stores just to see the options. Thanks so much for the help guys and especially that photo Neale as it shows the differences pretty clearly! Oh Jennybugs you will have to send some my way

 

[nmonks]

Telling Carinotetraodon irrubesco and Carinotetraodon lorteti apart isn't hard. Essentially, on the males check the colour of the tail fin, and on the females look at the belly.

Carinotetraodon irrubesco
Males: Dark brown, with grey to coffee-coloured bands on the dorsal surface; red tail fin.
Females: Mid brown, with lighter brown bands and numerous speckles on the dorsal surface; tail fin speckled brown; ventral surface cream-coloured with short, irregular, roughly parallel brown squiggles.

Carinotetraodon lorteti
Males: Olive green-brown, with yellow bands on the dorsal surface; blue tail fin with a white edge.
Females: Very similar to Carinotetraodon irrubesco, but the belly is unmarked with no squiggles. Their overall colour also tends to be a bit lighter.

Cheers, Neale

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks for the clarification One of the LFS happen to be getting some in this Friday apparently, there is no rush for me to get any but at least I can take a trip down to see what they are like in the flesh and check (they are getting in the irrebesco) might take pics just to be sure

EDIT: One avenue can I consider. I know with puffers, a species only would be the best set up but can I ask about them in a 160 litre community? I have read of some success with these in a community. Occupants would be a bristlenose, cories and tetras? (Probably a very stupid suggestion but just a thought to ask)

 

[lilacamy931]

One last avenue to add if considering using the 160 litre community tank..how would SAPs fair in there instead also. I am aware of teeth trimming with these and happen to have correct clippers and clove oil ready (though would invest in the proper form if considering these). Would love to hear your thoughts on this in the community (willing to move fish around). Tetras easily moved, cories not so easily so if the puffers were the only midwater fish would this be ok? Sorry brainwave there

 

[nmonks]

In my experience, Corydoras are nipped on mercilessly by SAPs, so I'd nix that combination. Ancistrus seem to avoid problems by hiding all the time.

You might think about a Southeast Asian fauna tank, with lots of bogwood, Java ferns and floating Indian fern for the tank. Keep one or two pairs of Carinotetraodon irrubesco in there, and for midwater fish choose the rasboras or small barbs of your choice. Loaches seem to work fine with these puffers, being too fast. I have cherry-fin loaches in the tank and they work extremely well, and are also huge fun to watch. I have a Garra in there too, so algae control is easily handled.

Personally, I wouldn't trust Carinotetraodon lorteti with any tankmates.

Cheers, Neale

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks for that Neale so SAPs out for definate then. Im thinking irrebesco..I plan to add lots more bogwood anyways, would it be worth me attempting these with corydoras?

p.s. just turning my thoughts over, thinking about moving bits and pieces around as quite like the idea of puffs in the larger 160 litre. Would it still be best just a pair of irrebescos in that size or depending on stocking leeway for a small group. If the cories were moved, how many SAPs would be healthy in there? (please forgive my ignorance on stocking and tankmates with these little guys)

 

[nmonks]

I don't really think Corydoras work in tanks with lots of bogwood. They aren't very agile, and look happiest on flat, sandy substrates where they can cruise about in a pack. If you have lots of bogwood, you want more 'bendy' things like loaches, driftwood catfish or maybe Synodontis nigriventris. I don't think Corydoras are at as much risk from C. irrubesco as they are from SAPs, but I wouldn't risk it myself.

There's no need to dedicate 160 litres to just one pair of C. irrubesco. Indeed, they seem to like dither fish, so a school of Puntius pentazona or something similar would work very nicely, plus whatever catfish or loaches you go for. Wild C. irrubesco apparently live in dark, murky water among submerged plants and alongside rasboras, bumblebee gobies and halfbeaks, according to Fishbase at least. Some food for thought!

Cheers, Neale