freshwater puffers?

khaos1331

Sara
Mar 23, 2008
22
0
0
41
delaware
hi everyone!

new here to AC (already did the usual "hi, how are you" posting on the introduction page).

basically, i have a 29 gallon tank. in it i have 3 tiger barbs, 2 cherry barbs, 1 goldfish from the feeder tank (yes, i know, i'm wierd for rescuing the dumb poop machine), 1 julii cory cat, 1 emerald cory cat, 1 small plecko, 2 black skirt tetras, 1 red paradise gourami and 1 snakeskin gourami.

i've got ich in my tank now (it's being treated...no idea what set it off...my levels are all fine and no new fish have been introduced...i did recently begin giving them some brine shrimp to munch on, but i didn't think that would set it off), but i've been thinking of possibly getting another fish after the ich clears (yes, i'm treating it...raised the temp, added the appropriate drops, and i'll do a 25% water change in a day or two. i'll also add some salt).

anyways, there's a few stores around here selling freshwater puffers. any opinions? should i just keep what i have (don't want to crowd the tank too much), or should i go for it?

thanks everyone!
 
I think you are overstocked as it is and like lupin said, puffers can be alittle aggressive and would cause problems with your current stock. Also, the goldfish is a coldwater species (and extremely messy) while the others are tropical.
 
Puffers can be kept in community tanks as long as there is enough decor to break the line of sight and you keep them fed well. I have a dwarf puffer in a tank with other with so it isn't a problem. I have more trouble with my pictus and red tail shark. But your tank is stocked as it is. Puffers are messy eaters and I would not introduce one into your tank until after 3 weeks after the ich has passed. They are scaleless so its dangerous for them with ich still present in the tank.
 
if you take out every other fish, you could have like 1 or 2 male DP's and like 4-5 females.

DP's are the only true FW puffer, from my understanding.

but your stocking issues really limit your option to "what can i take back"
 
puffers CAN NOT be in with other fish as not so much they will be a problem but the are slow amblers and don't like to be rushed around and will not fight for food against faster fish, they need live snails, or thawed bloodworms, it would be hard to make sure they got fed with other fish there stealing everything and they will spend most of the time hiding and starving to death, they wont even chalenge each other when fed as i have experienced that a dominate puffer will eat and the rest will hide till dead, that is why they should be very few in a tank, for it usually ends in this happening, and i have to move it to a separate tank so they begain to eat in stead of die, which i have lost a few they would not eat too scared to come out..,,..
 
hm, ok. thanks everyone, i think i'll just keep what i have then. i had been told that a puffer would be fine for my tank, but i thought it kind of odd (hence the posting here).

:-D thanks!
 
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