If I have a 20 gallon long tank, is it okay to house a Figure 8 puffer Tetraodon biocellatus with a Dusky Panther goby Neovespicula depressifrons? These each have special needs, and I wonder if they can coexist peacefully.
Brackish tankmates
- Thread starter blazex1000
- Start date
Well I just looked up the goby online as I have never heard of one, it seems that they have venom in their spines. Puffers are known for nipping so I wouldn't want to risk it.
If you want tankmates for your F8 in that size tank you could get away with some bumblebee gobies, it is however always a risk and your puffer could decide they look like a tasty treat
If you want tankmates for your F8 in that size tank you could get away with some bumblebee gobies, it is however always a risk and your puffer could decide they look like a tasty treat
I have 3 bumblebee gobies housed in the same tank with two figure-8 puffers and everyone gets along. However, my tank is a 55-gallon, so that provides plenty of space and hiding spots. Just make sure you provide plenty of hiding spots, plants, rocks, etc.
If you haven't introduced the fish to the tank yet, and you wish to try bumblebee gobies, I highly suggest introducing the bumblebee gobies to the tank first. If you did it the other way - puffer first, then bumblebees - the puffer will have established the tank as it's "home" and when you drop bumblebees in there, they might think, "What's that they're putting in my home? Oh, it must be food!" If the other way around, it might trick them into thinking that the BBGs were there first and they're not food.
Then again, puffer personalities vary from one to the other. Spock is right, you never know if they decide it's something to eat (I'm still wondering if there will be a day that I find no BBGs in my tank and two fat puffer bellies - crossing my fingers!). I've been able to get away with them just co-inhabiting the tank together, but I know PufferPunk had bad luck with housing her F8 with BBGs. So, I suppose either way, you're taking a risk. But, then again, you never know.
All-in-all, you might get away with a few BBGs, but I suggest housing puffers in their own tank. Puffers are such comical creatures and once you go puffer, you can't go back! =D
If you haven't introduced the fish to the tank yet, and you wish to try bumblebee gobies, I highly suggest introducing the bumblebee gobies to the tank first. If you did it the other way - puffer first, then bumblebees - the puffer will have established the tank as it's "home" and when you drop bumblebees in there, they might think, "What's that they're putting in my home? Oh, it must be food!" If the other way around, it might trick them into thinking that the BBGs were there first and they're not food.
Then again, puffer personalities vary from one to the other. Spock is right, you never know if they decide it's something to eat (I'm still wondering if there will be a day that I find no BBGs in my tank and two fat puffer bellies - crossing my fingers!). I've been able to get away with them just co-inhabiting the tank together, but I know PufferPunk had bad luck with housing her F8 with BBGs. So, I suppose either way, you're taking a risk. But, then again, you never know.
All-in-all, you might get away with a few BBGs, but I suggest housing puffers in their own tank. Puffers are such comical creatures and once you go puffer, you can't go back! =D
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