Two puffers together

[Eric Max]

Hey guys,

i just added a new porcupine puffer (about 3" big) to my 55gal which had another puffer of the same size. the new puffer hasnt eaten in about a week and im starting to get worried. i read that two puffers are compatible (and even a group of puffers), what should i do to get my new puffer to start eating and swimming around again? or is it more of a waiting game?

 

[M.R Cowfish]

what kind is the other puffer? How big is the other puffer? A 55gallon is way to small for a porcupine.

 

[Eric Max]

they are both the same size porcupine puffers around 3". theres no need to worry about tank size (unless its too small for they at the size that they currently are) because i plan upgrading to a tank no smaller then 300gal within the next month or so.

 

[lakehorse61]

My porcipines are pigs & i have 2 together. there favorite food is dried or frozen krill as well as mussels in the shell which you can buy at the grocery store.

i have a dogface that almost starved at the fish store because they only fed her krill & she doesnt like it. she likes algae wafers & formula 2 frozen cubes as well as large pieces of shrimp.

 

[Eric Max]

thanks lakehorse, my puffer is starting to show some interest in the food, but hasnt eaten anything yet. shes been in there about a week and hasnt eaten a crumb (as far as i know anyways).

does anyone know the minimum tank size for two full grown puffers?

 

[LRS078]

Eric,
Depends on which two puffers. Mappa's will top 2 feet and stellatus get even bigger. For a pork and a dogface(???) you are talking around 200 gallons when the fish are full sized. If a tank of that size intimidates you may I suggest a pond. The puffers will not care and it can be VERY cool if you have the house/floorspace/etc for it. You can always use live crayfish, ghost shrimp (gut loaded please) to induce a feeding response. It may also help to overfeed and then remove uneaten food after 15-20 mins. I know I"ve said it before but you really should QT for at least a month, that is to say a month from date of purchase or last sign of any illness/problem. Get some shell on clams/mussells and throw them in. I've yet to know a puffer that resists those that will eat other things. Some fish just don't adapt to not being in the ocean sadly.

Hope this helps...

 

[Eric Max]

im looking into getting a tank no smaller then 300 gallons just because of my porcupine puffers. would you suggest keeping them in a pair or having a group of them together if more then one can even fit in a 300.

how would i go about making a pond for the puffers inside? i definatly have the floorspace in the house, would i make it with all the same items as an outdoor pond (plastic shell) with a sump.

 

[Puffer Queen]

A pond with a liner is NOT recommended for puffers. I have a 1000 gallon pond with sharks. The puffers will tear/puncture the liner in no time.

You should see the number they have done on the 600 gallon acrylic tank!

 

[LRS078]

Hey PufferQueen! Good to see ya...

Just curious, for the record, what is the best way to do a puffer pond? I've seen it done before (was mixed FOWLR w' a couple puffers) but that was a custom setup in Buckhead (downtown) Atlanta and they were not talking re any of the details.

I would think any room with a pond of significant size would need a dehumidifier that perhaps fed an RO unit that loops into a topoff.

PS I'll definitely second Puffer Queen's verdict on acrylic. Even a small (3") dogface in an acrylic 58 QT (it was free) mauls the surface in just a few days. It would make sense that they'd do the same to a plastic liner. That does lead back to question number one...