Freshwater Puffers

[PlecoLad-UK]

Hi all

I'm hoping there is a puffer boff around that can help me. I'm looking for a freshwater puffer that I can have as more of a proper pet and interact with a little more than a normal fish. I would love a T. lineatus but only have a 30Gal tank at present. Does anyone have any ideas of a decent sized puffer that will interact and actively swim around like the fahaka?

Thanks!!

 

[PlecoLad-UK]

Anyone?

 

[scatz]

sorry mate, never kept them before, do find them fascinating though

 

[jessonthenet]

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/

I thought you should really have them in a brackish setup even though they are called freshwater and on their own. I would think good for a snail problem too.

Was very tempted to buy these a while ago.

The ones I have a link too may not be the ones I am referring to about brackish not sure about latin names.

Edit:

From wiki, totally freshwater. Do know of shops that have kept these in brackish , not sure you should do that. Still think they are funny.

"The dwarf pufferfish, also known as the Malabar pufferfish, pea pufferfish or pygmy pufferfish, Carinotetraodon travancoricus is a small, freshwater pufferfish endemic to the River Pamba in Kerala, Southwest India. Maximum size is 22 mm (less than one inch), making it one of the smallest pufferfish in the world.[2] Although closely related to marine pufferfish, they are not found in brackish or salt water, and reports to the contrary are based on misidentification.["

 

[Jackson]

For a thirty gallon I would look into a Miurus puffer aka Congo puffer or a Suvatti aka arrowhead puffer. I've had both and from the two my favorite is the Congo. Very aggressive fish who love to just hang out under a sand substrate. The arrowheads will Also do the same but the personality of the Congo IMO is hard to top.

Check this site out best one out there IMO
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/

 

[Sambo]

Wouldn't bother with any of the above.. try the south american puffer colomesus asellus, fantastic little pet, very much like a dog, tolerates handling, always active, very intelligent, get two in that size tank or three, make sure to over filter and provide snails and cover.
the only and best puffer people would buy if they knew.

 

[Jackson]

Wouldn't bother with any of the above.. try the south american puffer colomesus asellus, fantastic little pet, very much like a dog, tolerates handling, always active, very intelligent, get two in that size tank or three, make sure to over filter and provide snails and cover.
the only and best puffer people would buy if they knew.

LoL

I've kept those as well and a pair is not fun. A group of ten or more really shows what they're all about plus their teeth maintenance can be a huge pita.

To each their own I guess.

 

[Sambo]

Sambo

You really don't have to worry about it if you give them snails everyday-if you didnt i would consider this cruel-ignorant even, I have kept them with success not having to clip their teeth ever in the last three years, they love being two and any more than that and i would have to use a larger tank, these are fine how i said and the best puffer hands down, you really could do with some facts, here you go.

 

[Sambo]

to be perfectly honest

I will however mention they are in a 180 litre tank in a community setup - no, no fin nipping here either-8pepper corys, bolivian rams2, chameleon plecs, ottos, upside downys-s.nigriventris3, plus a snail population that holds strong maybe for having only two puffers?, over filtration (approx double) to be fair i have had my worrys in the past about this but they have a tree shaped wood in the middle breaching the surface they circle it all the time looking for snails and it seems to distract them from the community, they have damaged plants- but so minimal its almost not worth mentioning, you could definitely be right about having ten to see them really come out but i have two as one alone got sad, not only but also- i dread to think what mess ten could make as puffers are really messy eaters and i'm guessing that ten would decimate the snail population beyond regeneration and into extinction plus you would need a lot larger tank but it's worth the work for a couple, they really are a joy and my childrens favourite species i have-out of hundreds-including other puffers. With such a success story, how can i not reccomend them above all other puffers-proof is in the pudding my friends