puffers ok or not

FISHLORD_8

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Nov 22, 2004
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i saw a freshwter puffer at the petstore and i was wondering if it can be kept in 29g community . I think it was called a green puffer and it was pretty small. All posts are welcome :bowing: :p :)
 
there are differing opinions on this. I asked a while ago and the general consensus was that some get away with them in a community tank but be careful b/c they're fin nippers. Others say they're very agressive. I would try one, but be sure to have another tank ready to transfer it to if it's violent. I set up a 10g tank for a few dwarf puffers (the spotted ones) but as soon as I got it set up the fish store sold out of them.
 
Not all puffers are aggresive. My figure-8 is a little bit shy from the other fish but is more shy with me. Also I've notcied small nips form the puffer off the tails of my discus and the other fish. I have a larger puffer in another tank that can be a real pain for my oscar when he decides to take a chunk of his tail. Don't forget that puffers will live a lot better in a brackish tank.as
 
You will get varying opinions on ALL fish- this is what I have learned from working at a fish store. Normally, puffers are notorious fin-nippers, and somewhat agressive as well. This behavior will probably be brought out by the small tank. They do generally prefer brackish water, but can be kept in fresh (or pure salt for that matter). It is pretty much up to you. If you do go for a puffer, try to stay with the semi-agressive fish, though... or something that is fast ;)

One thing I forgot- I can almost GURANTEE you that the puffer will do at least SOME damage to the other fish's fins.... I would not recommend that you get it for a peaceful community in a 29
 
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I have had many puffers namely green puffers, green spotted puffers, pygmy puffers, red tailed red eye puffers, Congo Puffer and a Fahaka Puffer. The Fahaka and Congo were the only ones that were ever actually aggresive towards other fish. The other would nip fins but never did any serious damage. Just try and find out whether the puffer in the LFS is a Green or Green spotted Puffer as there is a difference in size and a green spotted is actually a small brackish fish that will not last very long in a freshwater tank. Where as a green which is also a brackish fish but will last longer in a freshwater tank than a green spotted puffer but also gets a bit bigger.

Here are some links to help you tell the difference

Green spotted Puffer:
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/puf-nigr.htm

Green puffer:
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/puf-fluv.htm


Hope this helps
 
Oh also all of these except the pygmy puffer will readily eat feeder guppies and fish of similar size of feeder guppies so if you have any fish that size I would stay away from the puffers. This does not mean they are aggresive though.
 
Puffers are poor community fish. They are predators, and extremely well equipped to bite.

Any labeled "green" or "green spotted" is likely to be BW, and does not belong in a FW tank in any case. Common names are worthless for puffers.

There are multiple real FW pufers, but they are not good community fish.

The Spotted congo puffer has not ben seen in the trade in many years.
 
RTR said:
They are predators, and extremely well equipped to bite.


my finger can vouch for that one....ouch
 
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