Mixing puffers

F

Franks Reef

New member
I was wondering if you can have more than one type of puffer in a tank? I was thinking like a stars and stripes and a dogface. Both would be small for now 3"-4".

Has anyone had success or problems with mixing these?

Thanks,
Frank
 
I'd like to know this too. Not so much for the size of the tank but just about whether or not multiple puffers will tolerate one another, same type or different.
 
I have seen two very large puffers coexisting long term before. I think they were different species. These were the "house mascots" in a restaurant tank, and had been kept together for years. Both were extremely fat, but seemed happy and (other than being morbidly obese) healthy.
 
I have a masked puffer with a golden in one tank. a golden and a narrow-lined in another, and a reticulated and a dogface in another. Typically I have found that puffers tolerate eachother if they arent similar looking....like a stars and stripes and a reticulated, or guineafowl. They also dont tolerate other puffers of the same species. Also try and make sure there is a noticeable difference in size, if they are both the same size one might try and intimidate the other.
 
i hva a stars and stripes in with a dogface. the dogface is around 5 inches and the s&s is about 2.5 when the stars came to be in the tank with the dogface for the first few days the dogface swam around thinking of the s&s as a little gremlin. after about a week they were buds.
the key to keeping multiple species of puffers is to match personality. two laid back puffers will do great together, but if you have a puffer that is so overly zealous that he tries to take your hand off when you put it into the tank, chances are that he wont like a puffer friend. do not mix puffers of the same species, even if they are of different color morphs (golden and guineafowl for example) i would think that color morphs within the dogface should be okay, as long as they dont exist in the same region together in the wild.
also keep in mind that my puffers are really fat and dont pick at eachother poddibly for this reason.
the single most important thing to consider about puffers is that they need individual houses aquascaping with many large caves is a must! i have a housing "condo" on one end with several medium to small houses for the s&s, and on the other side of the tank there are severa medium to large sized houses for the dogface. terracotta pots make great "doghouses"
i do need to mention that many of the tanks i have viewed on this forum are highly under aquascaped. i will see what i can do aobut posting some pics of my "houses" for you.
 
Thank you Petstorejunkie....so many people spend (okay well ALL do) a ton on tanks, skimmers, filtration, etc (just look at your credit card statement fer cryin out loud) but not much is ever done or thought about when it comes to aquascaping a tank. Be it less mass of liverock with more surface area or giving fish some caves to feel secure it just seems like one of those things that gets skipped.

That said, puffers are known for their personalities....love them or hate them they have more social interaction than most other fish. Going laid back specimens and feeding them in as separate as possible locations in the tank really helps. Just like people they do best when they can get away from each other for short periods of time.

I would avoid 2x dogfaces or any other specific species but mixing dog w' S&S isn't a problem. Just make sure you can afford the tankspace these wonderful fish will require when they get bigger. If you pick them up at 3-4 inches that is YEARS away so enjoy in the meantime and set $10-$20 from every paycheck aside to get them a bigger home. By the time they need it you will have more than enough set aside.
 
Agree. dont mix 2 of the same species together and dont put two similar looking species together.

From my experience guineafowls are most aggressive, then reticulated, stellar, narrowlined, masked, dogface, but thats just me.

Also I have plenty of caves of rock but NONE of my puffs "sleep" in them at night. THey all either wedge themselves in a corner by a powerhead, lay on the sand or lay on the rocks.
 
My Stars & Stripes Puffer was the very first saltwater fish I ever got! (he's in the picture by my name). I enjoy him so much I decided to get another puffer. So I got this guy...

83549Black_Puffer.JPG



They get along great! Of course both of them are very laid back fish. As long as they get their food they are happy. The only problem I have had is twice when I have fed the S&S accidently bit the black guy when going for the same piece of food. But I'm going to fix this problem by upgrading them to a 215 this weekend!

Puffers are awesome! Good Luck!
 
LOL, you if you look in that pic you can see my S&S's butt over the black guy. They are always swimming next to each other. Especially when I approach the tank with their food. They literally beg like dogs... :D
 
I have seen gunea fowl and golden in the same tank for a long time with no issues. I have also seen a golden and gunea fowl refuse to get along. Their personalities (or fishalities) have a lot to do with it.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6638545#post6638545 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by XtrmCHoPZ
Also I have plenty of caves of rock but NONE of my puffs "sleep" in them at night. THey all either wedge themselves in a corner by a powerhead, lay on the sand or lay on the rocks.
Click to expand...
Yah, had a S&S, dogface, and porcupine that used to all sleep together on top of each other. Would swim around together all the time too.
 
Thanks Guys.

Don't you hate when the thread starter bails on the thread!? Sorry!

That was just the info I was looking for. I have a 3" S&S and was thinking of a panda or a dogface, maybe even a porcupine.

I just wasn't sure about the direct compatability of puffers, given the proper sized aquarium.
 
Pufferskick, one way I've helped eliminate the "tunnel vision" puffers get during feeding time is to try to distract them to opposite ends (or at least a couple feet apart) and then put in the food in both locations at once. With a bit of practice in "fish herding" you can keep them from going after the same chunk of food. You may get squirted a few times while trying to get the puffers in position but its part of their charm....

JC1, sorry to hear about it....hopefully the porky didn't poison/kill the starry in a last turn of revenge!

FranksReef, best way to observe is watch the fish for awhile at the LFS. If you can at all afford to just hang out for a half hour or so and watch how the puffer behaves. (this really requires tankmates) You can also look at what kind of fish are in with him and what their condition is. If he has quiet fish in iwth him that still get food and are not torn up that is a good sign. "beak" marks or everyone hiding is not so good. Doesn't mean he/she isn't a cool puffer, just not one you want to try to have live with another puffer.

Hope this helps...
 
WOW, I went to one of my LFS after work today to pick up some supplies today and guess what they had....

An AWESOME Black Dogface for only $75! Actually he was kind of a cross between black, brown, & white. Sweet looking fish!

But like I mentioned before I already have my Stars and Stripes and my other black dogface (as pictured).

This weekend I'm upgrading my current 100 gallon tank to a 215 gallon tank.

Would I have a problem adding this 3rd puffer to my tank? I don't think tank size would be a problem in a 215. I only have 3 other fish besides my puffers (a picasso, a volitan, and a lunare wrasse). But a couple of you did mention above to try to avoid have 2 of the same species (or that look similar). I would have to say the new guy looks similar to my current black puff.

But since they are all going to a new tank would it be ok since they will all be starting on equal ground? And neither of my 2 current puffers are aggresive at all.

What do you guys think? I have him on hold until tomorrow and need to make a decision. I hate to pass on this fish. He's awesome! And a great price too!

For what it's worth the guy at the LFS store told me I shouldn't have any problems. Especially since I'm going into the 215. But of course I take everything I hear from those guys with a grain of salt...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6646447#post6646447 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LRS078
[
JC1, sorry to hear about it....hopefully the porky didn't poison/kill the starry in a last turn of revenge!

no the starry is fine he is like 13in now, 4months ago he killed 3 fish for fun two 5in triggers and the 6in porky:(
Click to expand...
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6646447#post6646447 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LRS078
Pufferskick, one way I've helped eliminate the "tunnel vision" puffers get during feeding time is to try to distract them to opposite ends (or at least a couple feet apart) and then put in the food in both locations at once. With a bit of practice in "fish herding" you can keep them from going after the same chunk of food.
Click to expand...
Yah, you gotta train them to go to separate spots for their food.
 
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