# Dwarf yellow puffer with friends?



## Yann (Feb 16, 2013)

Puffers can be aggressive and very territorial however, under the right conditions, there shouldn't be a problem if proper care and a watchful eye are given...

Now, before you all jump on me for one reason or another, let it be known I have a cycled tank with nothing in it but some plants for the puffer should this co-housing attempt go south.

Let it also be known that I am not encouraging anyone to co-house puffers with other livestock. I am simply attempting to show it can be done safely.

The details...
-30 Gallon fully planted.
-9 White Cloud (Gold)
-9 Otto Cats
-6 Cherry Barbs
-1 Bumble Bee Gobie 
-1 Electric Blue Ram
-1 Dwarf Yellow Puffer

I've had the puffer in there for 3 days so far with no signs of undue stress to any of the pre-existing inhabitants (no damage to fins and no change in social behavior). I must admit i was worried about the Blue Ram as he's probably the slowest, most docile fish in there, though he tends to stay in the middle of the water column except after feeding when he searches for missed morsels. 

Day 1: 
-Kept lights at about half their intensity. 
-All fish showed some interest in the puffer who was more interested in exploring his new home (mostly along the bottom of the aquarium between the crypt leaves and the substrate).
-Bumble bee gobie followed the puffer around for most of the first day without a scuffle

Day 2:
-Lights at regular capacity
-Bumble bee gobie the only fish still showing interest in the puffer
-Puffer much more actively swimming, still primarily in the bottom of the water column or around the hard-scape in search of snails. 
-Still no signs of undue stress / damage to fins

Day 3:
-Everything still seams OK. no missing pieces of fin and no stress signs in fish behavior.
-All fish actually seam happier as they are now getting fed the expensive frozen foods I bought for the puffer.
-Going to try tweezer feeding the puffer to minimize the amount I'm giving the other fish 

Should the situation change, I'll be sure to post updates, but here are the assumptions I made which have led to co-housing success (so far).

-Assuming 1 inch of fish per gallon, I knew there were approximately 4 Gallons of available space for the puffer
-Most of my fish (Otto cats & bumble bee gobie being the exception) spend their time in the upper half of the aquarium which shouldn't infringe on the puffer's roaming area
-Being the smallest fish in my aquarium, the puffer should make more use of the tight spaces between and under plant growth.
-Having enough fast swimming fish to prevent any one particular fish being picked on should the puffer get territorial.

I must say I am glad I took the risk as my dwarf puffer is (so far) a great addition to my community tank and will continue to be unless circumstance requires some action on my part.


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## kaitlyn19 (Nov 5, 2012)

Hmmm.. interesting. I have pondered this myself as I own many puffers and first started off with pea puffers. I can tell you right now that you have a male, most people cant tell but Im pretty much of a puffer pro. 

Its not the puffer I would worry about, its all your other fish. But seeing pictures of your tank I think you might just pull this off, only because how planted it is. It seems it might be able to find a place of its liking to "live". Just watch your other fish for signs of distress. But since you only have one.. I don't see it tormenting your fish, especially since it is full grown now
The only concern I have is feeding it. You will most likely have to hand feed it so it gets a chance to eat. If it eats frozen foods, FANTASTIC! Keep him on that. All mine eat live black worms because they are so picky. So if your having trouble feeding it (its pretty skinny to be honest) try buying those and hand feeding it with some tweezers. It may take some time for him to recognize the tweezers as a food source but it will happen and come for them every time.

Puffers are extreamly aggressive yes, but they all have there own personalties, like us humans do. Ive had some puffers who LOVE other puffers (even as adults) and ive had some that HATE other puffers. Ive had some that don't mind other fish and ive had some who murder any fish (other then a puffer) that it sees. Had puffers who love to hide, had ones that love to be where the action is. They are all different. 

Also note that pea puffers are prone to Internal Parasites. If you see that he has a sunken belly or isn't eating go out and get treatment for him. Primafix works wonders

Good luck with this new addition, it is possible for this to be successful long term (this is coming from someone who knows ALOT about puffers and not just the "facts"). I like how you only got one too, good choice. 

Anyways good luck, beautiful tank and message me if you ever have any questions


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Dwarf puffers (I assume you mean the pea puffer?) generally will be fine so long as there are lots of plants and ways to break the line of sight. Keeping them well fed means they should do fine with any species, even there own. 5 gallons per puffer is generally the rule.

I like your tank, but one thing that I noticed is your one bumble bee goby, these little guys are actually brackish water and prefer to have 3 or more together. I'd suggest you get him out of there, as he will eventually just die off on you.


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## kaitlyn19 (Nov 5, 2012)

Ryan.Wilton said:


> Dwarf puffers (I assume you mean the pea puffer?) generally will be fine so long as there are lots of plants and ways to break the line of sight. Keeping them well fed means they should do fine with any species, even there own. 5 gallons per puffer is generally the rule.
> 
> I like your tank, but one thing that I noticed is your one bumble bee goby, these little guys are actually brackish water and prefer to have 3 or more together. I'd suggest you get him out of there, as he will eventually just die off on you.


Good observation Ryan, I didn't see that little guy in there. Yes these are brackish, sold in freshwater at Fish stores. They are also pretty aggressive little guys. I have a bunch in my brackish puffer tank, since they are so small they need a big attitude to stay alive. The puffers don't bug them at all and they are great little cleaners


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## Yann (Feb 16, 2013)

Thanks Kaitlyn,

Feedings was the only difficulty; I Initially had a Cyanobacteria outbreak from overfeeding, though I have now developed a couple effective methods to keep all inhabitants happy and fed. BGA is nearly gone and none of the fish appear to be stressed.


Thanks Ryan,

Wasn't aware that it would be a problem as Bumble Bee Gobys spawn in fresh water... He was the first fish i acquired along with the Cherry Barbs after cycling this tank a year ago. Unfortunately I do not own a brackish water tank or have space for more of his brethren in his current residence :/


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

I too would like a pea puffer for my community tank. I have an abundance of MTS in that tank and I've read that pea puffers will eat them. I'd like to hear some opinions on whether this is a good idea or not.


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## kaitlyn19 (Nov 5, 2012)

solarz said:


> I too would like a pea puffer for my community tank. I have an abundance of MTS in that tank and I've read that pea puffers will eat them. I'd like to hear some opinions on whether this is a good idea or not.


Puffers LOVE to hunt. That puffer will eat those snails within a few days. He wont give up until they are all dead


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## Yann (Feb 16, 2013)

solarz said:


> I too would like a pea puffer for my community tank. I have an abundance of MTS in that tank and I've read that pea puffers will eat them. I'd like to hear some opinions on whether this is a good idea or not.


a couple assassin snails would do some damage too.


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## Modo (Oct 9, 2012)

I have one pea puffer in my planted community tank. It's not bothering any fish, except maybe some baby guppies and baby platies. I also have tons of nails in there. The puffer is always full and round.


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