Green spotted Freshwater puffers

[gregg604]

Really like Green spotted freshwater puffers, for size and overall cuteness. Have read some conflicting info about them. Some books say they are good community fish while others say they are agressive. I have 4 parrot cichlids, some neon tetras, 2 silver dollar fish, catfish, cotton candy tetras, 6 clown loaches, various sharks, dwarf frogs, and a docile ghost knife in a 90 gallon tank. Anybody had experience with the puffers? Are they better solo, if agressive?

[MonoSebaelover]

First they are really not a freshwater fish, they are actually brackish. Second they can get very nasty and will destroy most of the fish you currently have, especially since they can reach 6 inches. Third they do best in a species only tank. So I would avoid them if your 90 is your only tank. Hope this helps.

[Katz]

I have looked at Freshwater Puffers myself. Are you thinking about the Dwarf Puffers from India, because those are the only puffers that are freshwater, as far as I have found out? They stay about 1 inch and are still agressive toward other fish. They are also picky eaters, who need meaty foods and crustations to trim their beak. Do a search under Puffer in this forum, there are a lot of things to learn.

Good luck!

[gregg604]

Thanks, guess I will stay away from them for the time being.

[cdawson]

Out of curiousity where in BC did you see them?

[RTR]

Er, umm, There are many FW puffers, Katz. Whoever told you that the dwarf puffer was the only FW member of the family was seriously mistaken, along with the fact that there are at least two species of the dwarf. Ever heard of Colomesus asellus (the SA or Peruvian?), the Auriglobus modestus or A. silus?, the Carinotetrodon irrubesco or C. lorteti?, Tetraodon cochinchinesis, T. cutcutia, R duboisi, T. lineatus, T. mbu, T. miurus, T. palembangensis, T shoutedeni, T. suvattii? FW, one and all.

[gregg604]

Originally posted by cdawson
Out of curiousity where in BC did you see them?
Saw a bunch of the GS puffers at Big Al's in Richmond, they were also at the Super Pet down the street. They were in with Clown loaches so I assumed they were freshwater. Wanted $20.00 each for them. Nice fish.

[cdawson]

GRRRRR I hate big al's now!! the one on north road had FW pipefish for sale there saying they'll thrive in FW which is total BS! They need almost marine conditions!
BTW when you were at super pet did you by any chance see my mudskippers? =)
I've been waiting about 2 1/2 months...last time they came in nobody phoned me and they died. =(

[gregg604]

I was looking at pipefish at Big Al's the other day. They told me the same thing, guess I will scratch them off my "to buy" list as well. Didn't see any mudskippers in at Superpet but they seem to get quite a wide variety of fish weekly. They keep their tanks nicely planted as well. Which is more than I can say for Petcetera. If you are looking for a great place to go try King Ed's Pet Center. You probably been there. Great selection of fish. If you know of any other cool places, let me know, I'm always looking for new stores to check out.

[Katz]

Thanks for telling me about more FW puffers, RTR. Always learning... My LFS has some in and they are used to frozen foods, so maybe there is a chance for my office tank after all... I'm just amazed how much small tanks cost! The five gallon is more than my 10 gal was. I want to keep the tank small so there isn't a big "you can't do that" at work.

Thanks again :-)

[cdawson]

gregg604: I've been to king ed's MANY times =)
I'm a steady customer, however I really don't like that place. Not a good variety of stock, bad smell throughout the store and they give REALLY bad advice.
Perkys pets in new west is an excellent place to shop, they've got new and used equipment (trade ins as well), cheap tanks (not that king ed doesn't, in fact cheap equipment is the only reason I go to king ed) as well as used tanks and some that I think he custom makes which are awesome (such as the rectangular tall 20g and 30g). They also have REALLY cheap snails and shrimp (15 cents for a malaysian trumpet snail, 69 cents for ramshorn snails, 99 for nerite snails). They also carry native fish once and a while (pumpkin seed sunfish, sturgeons, sculpins). Aquariums west on burrard is excellent for plants, need any info on plants call them.
Hmm I'd love to tell you more but I'm gonna be late for hockey, I have to leave early and theres an accident on the alex fraser right now =(

[ScottoMacD]

I work at the Big Al's here in Montreal.

There is NO WAY in any shape or form that anyone in my store would ever tell anyone that our pipe fish can live in freshwater. Let alone "thrive".
In fact they are in our salty section in the delicates tank.

As for the store. It is spotless and doesn't smell at all. Our fish selection is the best anywhere in Montreal. (customers words not mine) As are the prices. The Local Hagen store employees shop for their fish and plants with us since their employee discounts at their store got cut and they now have to pay full retail price. We're cheaper by a mile.

So all Big Al's aren't the same. But I will print this out and fax your complaints to the head office and see if we can't help clean up your local store. The company is actually quite good when it comes to fixing customer complaints.

No names mentioned of course.

[cdawson]

Big al's doesn't smell in fact as far as uptaking of tanks and service big al's out here is awesome. It's just the prices and knowledge of rarer specimen that frighten me =)

I was talking about a local store called king ed pets owned by a money hungry man, he just wants the almighty dollar and will do anything to get it. However the store is good for prices on tanks and equipment, I paid 100 can. for two aquaclear 500s, 195 for a rena xp3, and 640 for a 135g tank + stand. They also have a deal, 3 plants of any kind for $7. They have an awesome selection of driftwood (already leeched and sunken) as well as a wide array of bagged substrates ($5.95 for 20 lbs!!). I shop there for the stuff I already know about and need, not for stuff that I need to ask info about. They're idiots when it comes down to info, I'm not kidding they told me I could cycle my 135g right away after I bought it by taking the water from my old tank and putting it in. Of course I knew that wouldn't work. However, big al's needs to really improve on their staff. just hiring for the sake of hiring to meet demand is a BAD idea. There's several people working at the local store that doesn't even really know anything about fish. One of them actually asks me to help customers when I'm in there (I actually enjoy doing it, owning my own big al's chain would be a dream come true to me).

[gregg604]

Originally posted by ScottoMacD
I work at the Big Al's here in Montreal.


Big Al's is one of the best shops I go to. Been to one in Calgary which was equally impressive as the BC ones. However, I will admit that they are making a few mistakes here and there like the one with the pipefish. I think they have high turnover rate which leads to alot of new staff who are still learning.