Puffers at war

[val1]

Hi all
After 2 weeks in a QT I add my new puffer to my tank and in 3 seconds all hell broke lose. They are both dogface puffers and are not quiet the same color. I put egg crate to keep them apart but the old guy still wants to take a chunk out of the new guy. What do I do? And how long will it take for this war to end? Do I return the new guy and get something else?
Thanks

 

[zoebeaglezoe]

I don't think you can keep them together return it if you can I would like to get more
than one puffer but most the time they will fight

 

[sean48183]

Probably not going to be good. That tank is your original puffers. It will be hard to add any fish much less one of it's own kind. I find it also helps to add 3 fish at once to distribute the aggression out. While the old guys are chasing one fish the other fish gets a break. Works for me.

 

[limitedslip]

A rule of thumb I learned from first experience and from others who have had puffers. 1 smooth puffer and 1 spiny puffer per tank.

 

[reefergeorge]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11744149#post11744149 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by limitedslip
A rule of thumb I learned from first experience and from others who have had puffers. 1 smooth puffer and 1 spiny puffer per tank.

True. You can add a porcupine, but I don't think to dogface will work.

 

[edmlfc1]

A porcupine puffer may not be a good idea either. The dogface is more docile and shy and the porcupine is more agressive. But if you put two dogface puffers together they will fight. Here is part of an article I just read last night.


"These puffers are also accepting of other puffers as tank mates, though the choices are limited to their closer cousins, like the "Stars & Stripes puffer" (A. Nispidus), or the "White-Spotted" puffer (A. Hispidus). It's not a good idea to have a dog-faced with porcupine puffers, due to the laid back nature of the dog-face."


Hope this helps.

 

[val1]

Well I guess the new guy is going back. I was hoping I was going to get lucky and have no problems. Maybe I should get another tank and put the new guy in there. Any reason for one more tank right?

 

[edmlfc1]

You can put up a divider until your new tank is cycled.:rollface:

I can't stand the thought of you bringing the new guy back.
So I say yes it's time for another tank!

 

[pinkie]

You may want to consider a Spiny Box Puffer to go with your Dogface, they get along great, as the Spiny Box is also very passive.

 

[limitedslip]

As I said before, The puffer rule of thumb. I have a S+S and a porc, Ive know/known people have have had dogface/porcs, mappa/burr, and many other combos.

 

[val1]

Well I took the new guy back and I think I will stick with one puffer now begins the search for a new fishy.

 

[limitedslip]

Good luck on your search

Hopefully the next fish works out better for you.

 

[stdreb27]

I've read that puffers get along, never seen it work in a private tank, I've seen in work, In Corpus they had a 20,000 gallon tank with two full grown I want to say they were mappa puffers. And they swam around that tank together. But that was a 20,000 gallon tank.

 

[devils_rejects]

puffers are usually very mellow twards other puffers . I have kept multiple puffers together . Its completely doable .

 

[reefer334]

I have a sapo puffer and a stellatus puffer together and all is well.But to put 2 togehter of the same species is asking for war.Do more research before purchasing a fish in the future or have a backup plan, but doing both is better.Goodluck
Chris

 

[val1]

Hey Chris you can do all the research in the world and still be wrong. People try all kinds of funky things in this hobby some work and some don't.

 

[reefer334]

Yes , you are right I do some things of those things to.But puffers and groupers seem to be true to there desriptions.I keep several triggers together and some of the same species with no problems, but when I tried 2 mappa puffers instant war.The same with 2 guenia fowl puffer one golden and one regular color another instant war.The same happned with 2 miniatus groupers to as well as 2 polleni groupers.
So a backup plan I gues is the best advice or try to get opinions from people on here that have had experience with those fish you want to keep.Be aware of those with just book knowledge and no hands on experience.

 

[Puffer Queen]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11745605#post11745605 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edmlfc1
A porcupine puffer may not be a good idea either. The dogface is more docile and shy and the porcupine is more agressive. But if you put two dogface puffers together they will fight. Here is part of an article I just read last night.

This is not true - I have seen the reverse in many cases....unfortunately a blanket statement about puffers can not be made.....puffers are like people - different personalities on any given day as well.

"These puffers are also accepting of other puffers as tank mates, though the choices are limited to their closer cousins, like the "Stars & Stripes puffer" (A. Nispidus), or the "White-Spotted" puffer (A. Hispidus).

Stars and stripes puffer - arothron hispidus
White spotted could be either the arothron hispidus, arothron meleagris or arothron reticularis.....they all have white spots.

It's not a good idea to have a dog-faced with porcupine puffers, due to the laid back nature of the dog-face."

I have kept this combination in many different tanks with different sized for almost 16 years without problems.


Hope this helps.