Congo/Potato Puffer (T. miurus) tank mates and other questions

Hello all!

Yesterday, after several months of searching for one, I was lucky enough to get a Congo Puffer. That Pet Place in Lancaster, PA was able to get one in for me. TPP is an awesome store and I would recommend it to anyone without a second thought!

The puffer is somewhere between 2" and 3", give or take, and is staying in a 20 Long. The tank is currently bare with a 2" layer of sand. I prefer to use bare-bottom or a thin layer of pea gravel, just for ease of cleaning on a busy schedule, but Congo puffers likes to bury themselves in the sand, stingray-style.

I would like to have some tank mates in there, but it's not a necessary thing and I would wait a while until the puffer is settled in and the tank is definitely stable. Some fish that I would like to have:

~Pair of small cichlid (probably kribs, Congochromis spp. if I could get my hands on them, some kind of Jewel cichlid, etc.)
~Freshwater moray eel
~African butterfly fish

Another thing, could plants work with one of these guys? I know that they bury in the sand, but would they uproot plants?

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, and thanks!

PS: The tank is fully cycled, etc., etc., etc.

tanker said:

A congo puffer can grow to over 5" long, a 30gal IMO is too small. A 55gal would be better.

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Are you saying this for 1 fish? They do sometimes get to 6", but they're not very active at all. I do understand that I need to upgrade if I wish to get tankmates.

bettalover said:

You can do some anubias or fern tied onto driftwood or rocks but I would stay away from rooted plants like you said, it will eventually get uprooted.

I would also add more sand, the more the better he can hide himself once he gets bigger.

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Yeah, I do plan on some Anubias. I'm also thinkign about planting some larger plants (swords) with their bases surrounded by hardscape, so that the puffer can't rearrange.