# Puffers best kept alone or a small group in a nano tank.



## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Alone.


----------



## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

I think a 5 gallon would be tight for more than one myself. Maybe two if you got lucky. I have 3 in a 10 gallon with some other fish and they get along fine. Actually they actively hang out with each other in the same area of the tank most of the time. A few chases now and then but nothing major. But I could see how that might change if they were forced together more though. Likely going to depend on individual fish, male/female, etc.


----------



## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Pea puffers hang together until maturity. After that, unless a pair, watch out.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

Thank you everyone for the responses. I will continue as I originally had planned to just have the one puffer in the Nano tank. When I do the setup I'll be sure to post some pictures.

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

Every tank is different.

We have 8 of the Carinotetraodon travancoricus (pea puffer) in a 74 tower.
They are mature, but we'll see how much more as for the aggression gets.
They chase, but no one has been hurt.
Zero nipped fins.

They do not bother the 2 twig catfish or farlowella cats either.
Assassin snails (8-10) are all over the black sand and plow the substrate well.
The pea puffers kicked the snot out of the pest snails from any plants or driftwood we had from other tanks.

Feed the puffs live black worms for great results.

1 puffer is great, 2 are trouble.
-one becomes dominant.

A group usually serves well.

Your tank is small. 
I'd just do one for now.
As they age, male and females are easy to sex.


----------



## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

OVT said:


> Pea puffers hang together until maturity. After that, unless a pair, watch out.



These are relatively mature. Had them for about a year. 1 male with 2 females. The smaller female is kind of a third wheel and goes off alone more but they don't really bother her other than a chase now and then. Actually think that they've chilled out a little from when they were first in there by themselves. Adding other fish seemed to give them some distraction from just each other all the time. But that's also kind of a dicey proposition. They absolutely hated Emperor and Pristella Tetras. Black Phantom Tetras they've never bothered at all. Amanos they've been OK with. Even though people say that they're OK and I never actually saw them actually go after some Otos, they were looking at them way too hard for me to feel comfortable leaving them in there. Nerite snail, no way. After it right away and had to pull it out which I pretty much expected. 

The best answer with puffers always will be in a tank alone. Whatever you're thinking otherwise probably isn't going to work. Be surprised if it does.


----------



## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

Mike A. said:


> *Amanos they've been OK with.*


I had 2 amano, but removed them before the puffer project came.
- I wonder if i should try an adult amano in the dwarf puffer tank??

I never thought it would work and moved on.
hmmmm....

Thanks for the tip.
$3 amano lesson learned coming up.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

Wish I could find them that cheap lol


theDCpump said:


> I had 2 amano, but removed them before the puffer project came.
> - I wonder if i should try an adult amano in the dwarf puffer tank??
> 
> I never thought it would work and moved on.
> ...


Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

@theDCpump, wow, how do you get to the bottom of that thing?


----------



## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

theDCpump said:


> I had 2 amano, but removed them before the puffer project came.
> - I wonder if i should try an adult amano in the dwarf puffer tank??
> 
> I never thought it would work and moved on.
> ...



I would have bet on that being a loser too but mine have been OK. Looked at them a little when I put them in but don't really even pay any attention to them at all now. Tried some larger ghost shrimp first just to 'test the water' so-to-speak and figured if they ate them then it would be a good meal. Didn't bother them either. Smaller shrimp? Yeah, probably not a good idea. lol

Need something in there to help keep it clean. That's about the only thing that I've been able to do. Corys should go on the no list too. They got nipped.

Added an image... Not a great pic but if you look close you can see two of the puffers above and a couple of the Amanos down between the rocks. (Ignore the ugly algae on the back glass, that tank's always kind of a mess.)


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

Well instead of making a new thread I'll ask some scaping questions here. 

I am thinking either dragon stone or Malaysian driftwood as a hardscape. 

So what's the opinion here in a 5 gallon. 

I think the dragon stone looks beautiful in a larger tank but I'm not sure about a Nano. 

Also I'm debating on a white sand or dark sand?

I'm going low tech and using plants like anubias petite, java fern. Any maybe an easier dwarf sword. Also considering microsword or DHG if the lighting is good enough. 

Also the tank is taller than wide. 









Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## swarley (Apr 12, 2018)

maybe dwarf sag for a carpet too. In low tech it does fairly well. I'd recommend doing dirt-capped or aquasoil if you want to ensure a good carpet.

For stone, consider Pagoda stone. Since you're doing a nano tank, a stone with finer details would be better for the scale.


----------



## Rnasty (Jun 30, 2017)

I have 2 females in my 10 gallon. When I got the second puffer I noticed the first one improved in color and became much more active. They frequently swim in a pair and generally are gentle toward one another, but occasionally they spar and it can get violent. If it weren't for frequent line of sight breaks I have in my tank I think they'd do damage to each other. They very distinctly spend time together, and then spent time on opposite sides of the tank. It's interesting to watch.

Maybe, and it's a big maybe, a male/female pair would work but I wouldn't trust 5 gallons to be enough room for one to flee the other.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

Ok I'm getting a different tank. 
I got another 5 gallon like the one I had instead. They had it on sale for $20 off and it has a better light anyway. 









I have to rethink my aquascaping ideas though lol. 

I kind of like these two ideas. Not sure how well I could do the look in the tank though. 
















This is another type I looked at.
















This was my original inspection when I thought about a small puffer tank. 










What do you all think? Would any of these idea work well in this small a tank and no CO2?

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

Daniel.E. said:


> So what's the opinion here in a 5 gallon. [/IMG]
> 
> Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


Pump the brakes.

A 20 long or 20 high or even a 15 gal. is a great priced tank for the price.
Normal 5 gallon tanks have thin glass.
The 20s are getting thicker, and the 15 is the same thickness I believe.

There are a ton of lights out there that can be controllable as well as dimmed on a timer.
A glass lid is about $16.50 and a tank is $20 to $30 for the 20gallon long in black silicone or $20 on sale for clear silicon.

- more landscape is there for you on the 20 long.
- more places to watch the puffer zip around.

Go bigger!

Bump:


OVT said:


> @theDCpump, wow, how do you get to the bottom of that thing?


Assassin snails and two twig cats.
Not much to clean down there.

I have a tunze 6040 on a ramp pulse that keeps the flow moving the garbage along too.
I can always turn it up to high and do a deep clean one day. All the tiny cracked snail shells and driftwood chips find their way to the back corner.

The Pea puffs love it in there, and the poop load is super low.
I may replace the two twigs with 2 Red lizard whiptail cats that stay small.
They eat bottom stuff like frisky madmen.

Glad you like the tank.

I hop Daniel E. goes bigger than 5gallons.
They love the room.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

I have a 36bowfront, 40 breeder, 80 gallon, 29gallon, three 10 gallons, and a 15 in the basement lol. I have been out of the hoby for a couple of years and just wanted to do something small. I want this tank on my bedside table as a nice little thing I can watch and relax before I go to sleep. I could go big again but I just really don't want too right now. 

I understand thought that bigger is better. I was that way before lol. But it's just not where I'm at now. 

If a puffer is not suitable for this tank I'll go another route. I had chosen the puffer because I wanted something small that does not have to school for this tank. I fell in love with them and think they are very neat, interesting fish. 

Thank you for your input and response though. If later I feel I want to go bigger I have the option to do that. 

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

Daniel.E. said:


> I have a 36bowfront, 40 breeder, 80 gallon, 29gallon, three 10 gallons, and a 15 in the basement lol. I have been out of the hoby for a couple of years and just wanted to do something small. I want this tank on my bedside table as a nice little thing I can watch and relax before I go to sleep. I could go big again but I just really don't want too right now.
> 
> I understand thought that bigger is better. I was that way before lol. But it's just not where I'm at now.
> 
> ...



I have one of those same Petsmart tanks. It's an OK little tank for what it is. No puffers in mine but definitely not more than one in that one given the dimensions. Something like the Fluval Spec V that's stretched longer and thinner you might get away with two but it will be too tight in that one. 

One thing that I don't like about it is that larger shrimp and snails are always climbing out through the gap around the top glass. Also the light won't work on a timer. Overall it's not bad though and a good deal for $20.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

Mike A. said:


> I have one of those same Petsmart tanks. It's an OK little tank for what it is. No puffers in mine but definitely not more than one in that one given the dimensions. Something like the Fluval Spec V that's stretched longer and thinner you might get away with two but it will be too tight in that one.
> 
> One thing that I don't like about it is that larger shrimp and snails are always climbing out through the gap around the top glass. Also the light won't work on a timer. Overall it's not bad though and a good deal for $20.


You know it's strange but in my other tank that I've had cycling with a couple of Guppies I have actually lost fish do to them jumping out through the half inch Gap around the rim. I had thought about putting chili rasboras or one of the other micro Rasbora species in it but since they can be prone to Jumping sometimes and are so much smaller I've decided against that. As of right now I am considering sparkling gouramis for it. You would not think that a space so small would be such an issue. I've also considered putting a nerite in the aquarium but I am quite certain that it would probably crawl out lol

Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

Thanks for that Amano shrimp tip.
As for the adult amano shrimp vs Pea Puffer:
2 days of successful living! roud:


-the 8 Pea puffs are not bothering it so far, but did give it a few looks with the curious eyes.

Live shrimp are quite fast.
The few ghost shrimp I tossed in with a larger species of puffer are still hanging out.
I just never believed I'd see an amano make it.
Shrimp are great cleaners and act as a food reserve too.


----------



## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

theDCpump said:


> Thanks for that Amano shrimp tip.
> As for the adult amano shrimp vs Pea Puffer:
> 2 days of successful living! roud:
> 
> ...



Glad that it worked out. Never get overly confident with puffers involved but if they didn't go after them when first dropped in (i.e., like a meal) then I think they'll probably be OK. Mine have been in there for a long time and that tank's right by my desk so I'd likely see any aggression toward them at some point. Haven't at all. Best I can tell they basically just ignore them. Otos they'd kind of follow around and hover over in the same way that they do before attacking snails. Which made me too nervous to leave them in there. But haven't seen them do that with the shrimp.


----------



## theDCpump (Jul 22, 2016)

Mike A. said:


> Glad that it worked out. Never get overly confident with puffers involved but if they didn't go after them when first dropped in (i.e., like a meal) then I think they'll probably be OK. Mine have been in there for a long time and that tank's right by my desk so I'd likely see any aggression toward them at some point. Haven't at all. Best I can tell they basically just ignore them. Otos they'd kind of follow around and hover over in the same way that they do before attacking snails. Which made me too nervous to leave them in there. But haven't seen them do that with the shrimp.


I agree.
Thanks again.
Amano shrimp are useful tools.

I did just try some (3) otos today for the Tetraodon schoutedeni tanks and thought about the pea puffers, but that is a future test and the tank is 30 inches deep, so catching the otos would not be easy.
Dwarf puffers come up for the black worms and are no issue to catch in a 30 inch tall tank rebuild.
There is one ghost shrimp left in the schoutedeni tank which has luck and super shrimp speed.


----------



## Daniel.E. (Jul 10, 2018)

These are not the best pics but does he look thin to anyone?























Sent from my LGL84VL using Tapatalk


----------



## shevek (May 5, 2017)

I tried 2 dwarf puffers in a spec V and it did not go well. One was killed off after a few days. The other puffer lived a few months but then got stuck in the lower filter intake. It then happened again with another puffer recently, so that might be the end of my puffer journey. They were terrific fish though. Neat watching them attack snails.


----------



## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

I tried 3 dwarf (pea) puffers in a densely planted 12g long-could hold 3-4 with that foot print. The male (and worst hunter) killed the other 2 females while they were all still juveniles. The tank was seeded with tons of snails and black worms so it wasn't a lack of resources-he just sucked at getting them so he got rid of the competition. Not every group will end this way but it is a possibility. ps same male puffer also did not eat cherry shrimp (threw in as food) they exploded in population and would swim by his face or take a ride on his head... most puffers will eat them... he was an oddball..


----------



## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I vote alone


----------

