puffer question... and a hi im a newbie

[ArrIbeAPirate]

1st of all im a newbie so be kind i have a 44gal corner freshwater tank that im slowly stocking.....

i am looking to get a puffer but have heard that if they die they can kill off the whole tank?!?!?!

my fish consist of a rainbow shark, a red tail shark, a rosy barb, a few zebras a pictus cat, and a few blue crawfish(very small)

thanks
chris

i also have a 72 reef ready tank that i got off craigslist for a great deal that im trying to figure out what to do with..... but heres what im starting with..

here are a few pix of the tank in progress sorry 4 the flash in some pix.... and pardon the fugly wallpaper... im in the process of tearing that down too LOL

 

[mee-mee]

It probably all depends on if the freshwater pufferfish you want to get is poisonous or not....and if it is, and probably if the other fish eat the dead puffer...but you should do research on which puffers are not and are poisonous...so you would know which to get...

Here is a link about some freshwater puffers..
just scroll down to the almost bottom and it will give you 6 names of some freshwater puffers

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Puffers/Pufferfish.php

hope that helps somewhat...

 

[mee-mee]

Oh, I also forgot...

WELCOME TO THE AC...and hope you find the answers to your questions...

 

[jameswc]

I'm really sorry for cluttering up your thread, but I just wanted to say that you have a beautiful tank!

 

[ArrIbeAPirate]

thankyou mee mee...... it gave me a lil more insite on them

thankyou james i hope to add more and will post up more pix as time progresses

 

[soccerkidbs]

i have to ask have you cycled it? also puffers are a fish that likes to be by themselves. i have a green spotted puffer that is in a 30 gal brackis tank all by him self. there are no freshwater puffers that i would suggest for your tank. but look into it and im sure you will find a way to keep a puffer. i love mine and all of his/her personality. good snag on the reef rdy tank i am setting up one right now.

 

[ArrIbeAPirate]

i let the tank cycle for a week and a half before stocking it, and have done 1 25% water change.... 1 of my buddys works for an aquarium showcase store so he has helped out a bunch and given me a few hints and pointers..... but he hasnt delt with many puffers so he wasnt sure about them...

i have a test kit and check it once a week to make sure my levels are correct

thanx 4 lookin out

i have read that they can co-exist with other fish but may nip the fins... so i will keep my eye on that.... or if anything i have a 20 gal that is just sitting on my window sill waiting for me to do something with it( when i told my buddy i was interested in a fish tank he went crazy and gave me a tank and filters n stuff even after i had already gotten the 44 and the 72 gal tanks LOL)

 

[kay-bee]

Precisely what species of puffer are you interested in acquiring?

Generally, they probably do best in species tanks or in solitary tanks due to possible incompatibilites with other tankmates (depending on the kind of puffer, small blue crayfish=puffer food).

 

[ArrIbeAPirate]

either a target or a dwarf puffer..... and i was gonna wait to get the puffer till after the crayfish grew a lil more......

 

[soccerkidbs]

DP's are great but i have only kept them in a species only tank. if you want a fun fish i would look into a fire eel the one i had was a lot of fun and loved to play with me.