Puffer Species
- Thread starter Pufferpack
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Pufferpack
Fish Herder
Short answer, None.
As a rule puffers do NOT make good tankmates, they have a tendency to kill or seriously injure other fish they are housed with (regardless of the size of the other fish). Now pufers are notorious for having varried personalities, within most species you will find the whole range of personalities from mega wuss to psycho killer, so if you have a lot of luck you may get a puffer that gets along with all other fish, but odds are against it.
The puffers that are generally considered to be on the lowest end of the aggression scale are South American puffers (Colomesus asellus), they do tolerate tankmates for the most part, with a little fin nipping, so they may work with the Tiger barbs, but I'm afraid the Gourami's fins would be too tempting for them to resist.
I would recomend that if you are seriously wanting a puffer, that you dedicate a tank towards the species you choose, then research what (if any) tankmates stand the best chance of survival.
As a rule puffers do NOT make good tankmates, they have a tendency to kill or seriously injure other fish they are housed with (regardless of the size of the other fish). Now pufers are notorious for having varried personalities, within most species you will find the whole range of personalities from mega wuss to psycho killer, so if you have a lot of luck you may get a puffer that gets along with all other fish, but odds are against it.
The puffers that are generally considered to be on the lowest end of the aggression scale are South American puffers (Colomesus asellus), they do tolerate tankmates for the most part, with a little fin nipping, so they may work with the Tiger barbs, but I'm afraid the Gourami's fins would be too tempting for them to resist.
I would recomend that if you are seriously wanting a puffer, that you dedicate a tank towards the species you choose, then research what (if any) tankmates stand the best chance of survival.
afplayboy18
New Member
well...after reading this entire thread my thoughts about my new fish tank are going to change.
before getting the tank from a friend, 50 gallon tank for free...good deal, i took my g/f to the pet store and had a look.
we have settled on the sandy bottom and picked out a few fish that we liked. an eel, pufferfish, barracuda, shark, suckerfish. asked the guy that worked there and he said that all those fish could live together.
but...after reading on here that puffers dont make good tankmates, i dont know what im going to do. im going to the pet store tomorrow to look around and get a filter and some other stuff while im there.
this is my first fish tank so i really have no idea what to do so i'll probably spend a couple hours on here tonite and talk to the people tomorrow. my only concern with that is that they are trying to sell fish so will most likely tell me what i want to hear unless i get someone that actually loves fish and wants to help instead of somone that knows nothing and just trying to make a sell.
any advice is greatly appreciated. thanks guys.
BTW: pufferpack...you sound pretty damn smart about fish...kudos to your fishy
intellect
before getting the tank from a friend, 50 gallon tank for free...good deal, i took my g/f to the pet store and had a look.
we have settled on the sandy bottom and picked out a few fish that we liked. an eel, pufferfish, barracuda, shark, suckerfish. asked the guy that worked there and he said that all those fish could live together.
but...after reading on here that puffers dont make good tankmates, i dont know what im going to do. im going to the pet store tomorrow to look around and get a filter and some other stuff while im there.
this is my first fish tank so i really have no idea what to do so i'll probably spend a couple hours on here tonite and talk to the people tomorrow. my only concern with that is that they are trying to sell fish so will most likely tell me what i want to hear unless i get someone that actually loves fish and wants to help instead of somone that knows nothing and just trying to make a sell.
any advice is greatly appreciated. thanks guys.
BTW: pufferpack...you sound pretty damn smart about fish...kudos to your fishy
intellect Pufferpack
Fish Herder
Thanks, key word there is "sound" smart...lol...there are a lot of folks on here with tons more practical experience keeping fish, I just do a lot of research on fish I want, and spend hours every day observing the habits of the ones I do keep....well zoning out in front of the tanks anyways, but I do love my puffers.
As far as the fish listed, I would steer clear of the cudda's, will grow too big for a 50 gal and are quite the predators, the suckerfish could be any number of different fish, but is likely a type of Plecostomus, best to find out what type as some get quite large. Most "Sharks" are carp type fish that have a tendency to either grow large and get aggressive, or are very skittish and delicate (definately not suited to puffer tanks). Eels I don't know much about, but I believe the majority that you find are actually Brackish water fish.
Your best bet would be to find out the scientific name of the puffer in question and then research their needs, you will find that the majority of fish shops have little to no knowledge on the keeping of puffers, and what they do tell you is usually wrong. These forums are likely the best source for info that you will find, as the info comes from folks that actually care for the fish in question.
As this is your first tank make sure you read up on "Cycling" your tank, it could save the life of your fish.
p.s. WELCOME TO THE FORUM
As far as the fish listed, I would steer clear of the cudda's, will grow too big for a 50 gal and are quite the predators, the suckerfish could be any number of different fish, but is likely a type of Plecostomus, best to find out what type as some get quite large. Most "Sharks" are carp type fish that have a tendency to either grow large and get aggressive, or are very skittish and delicate (definately not suited to puffer tanks). Eels I don't know much about, but I believe the majority that you find are actually Brackish water fish.
Your best bet would be to find out the scientific name of the puffer in question and then research their needs, you will find that the majority of fish shops have little to no knowledge on the keeping of puffers, and what they do tell you is usually wrong. These forums are likely the best source for info that you will find, as the info comes from folks that actually care for the fish in question.
As this is your first tank make sure you read up on "Cycling" your tank, it could save the life of your fish.
p.s. WELCOME TO THE FORUM
SherriSixxx
Fish Fanatic
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Errmh, I know this may sound like madness, and propably is, but is there any large puffer's that would be happy in a room-temperature tank (18-23C) keeping company to a common pleco and a common eel (Anguilla Anguilla)??
Puffer_freak
Put the trombone down, *****!
The eel could present a problem for you. I don't have much experience with eels, but I would imagine they are quite active?
You could possibly try a collemesus assellus (South American Puffer), but you would have to keep a VERY close eye on it, and Iwouldn't advise it.
You could possibly try a collemesus assellus (South American Puffer), but you would have to keep a VERY close eye on it, and Iwouldn't advise it.
Deja-vu?
I'm sure I've already answered this, or am I going mad?
There are no temperate puffers and any puffer big enough to not be in danger from the eel would be a danger to the eel.
collemesus assellus don't get very big and would certainly be bite sized to the eel leading to the death of both fish.
I'm sure I've already answered this, or am I going mad?
There are no temperate puffers and any puffer big enough to not be in danger from the eel would be a danger to the eel.
collemesus assellus don't get very big and would certainly be bite sized to the eel leading to the death of both fish.
Puffer_freak
Put the trombone down, *****!
Hmm...SirM, can I add the picture of the tetra to my post, to help prove the point trying to make? (The one in my sig)
Puffer_freak
Put the trombone down, *****!
Depends. If you want a big puffer, then I cannot think of any species which are compatible.
Erised
Cheer up, the worst is yet to come. ~ P. Johnson
Honestly, I can't think of any puffer that will peacefully go with bottom dwellers. The most peacefull of puffers is the South American Puffer, and in my experience they will make special effort to actually go after corydoras to nip their fins. They got my banjo cats too, and one of them will always have a deformed top fin because of it. I really recommend you simply get 1 bigger puffer for that tank, or perhaps a shoal of South Americans or so, but no other fish at all. Puffers just aren't community fish.
pica_nuttalli
don't be a twit
depends on your definition of "leave them alone"... 
SAPs like their veggies, but don't just devour plants. but i've heard plenty of tales about SAPs biting little round holes in leaves.
i'm not aware of mine being a plant eater, but then again i pretty regularly feed that tank algae wafers.
SAPs like their veggies, but don't just devour plants. but i've heard plenty of tales about SAPs biting little round holes in leaves.i'm not aware of mine being a plant eater, but then again i pretty regularly feed that tank algae wafers.
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