Important: Puffers in community

[pinkfloydpuffer]

This question has come up alot lately, so I thought I'd write a bit on it.

Here's my personal experience: I had a dalmation, a lyretail, and a sailfin molly with my two green spotted puffers. The sailfin bullied all my other mollies, eventually leading to a slight swim bladder injury in my dalmation. A few days later I found one of the puffers eating the dalmation. After that I rehomed the other two mollies, and I would never use mollies with gsps again. I'm just going to keep it to a species only tank.

What you need to know:
The general rule is: puffers are not community fish
Of course there are some small exceptions. Some examples are otos with dwarf puffers, and the Amazon puffer, which is the most peaceful puffer and may work with some other fish.

The bottom line:
If you attempt community with a puffer, be prepared for failure. The most likely outcome of a puffer in a community is lots of dead fish.

Why keep a puffer, then?
I like to compare them to bettas. As we all know, bettas are extremely personable fish, and you can really see their personality shine when they are housed alone. Puffers are the same way, although some of them can be kept more than one to a tank. It just depends on the individual puffer's personality and aggression. Puffers are unique, adorable, exciting, and extremely smart. Setting up a species only tank for them is more than worth it. They're the best finned companion a person could ask for.

[Lucy]

Great post PFP.

Thanks for posting this important information.

[sirdarksol]

Well said, and pretty much what the Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine said about the subject.

Originally Posted by pinkfloydpuffer

T

The bottom line:
If you attempt community with a puffer, be prepared for failure. The most likely outcome of a puffer in a community is lots of dead fish.

Precisely. There's nothing saying you can't try it, but have an extra filter in the tank, cycled, so you can easily start up a new aquarium and split the fish up, because it's likely that things are going to go bad. Also, don't do this if you have expensive fish or if you have a problem with seeing fish get killed (ethically, I have little issue with this, as the puffer had a meal. That's the circle of life. Fish is what goes into our flakes and pellets, anyway. On a more personal level, though, this would bug me).

[jgon_]

My local fish store got these guys in recently and apparently one of the newer employees put it in the tank of Pencilfish. The tank was a bunch of happy dwarf puffers buzzing around and the entire bottom was finless dying or dead pencilfish.

[sticky fish]

Thanks for the info pfp!
I have been thinking about getting a puffer and a tank mate for it... andof course doing my fish homework
I will be getting only the puffer now after reading this.

[pinkfloydpuffer]

Originally Posted by sticky fish

Thanks for the info pfp!
I have been thinking about getting a puffer and a tank mate for it... andof course doing my fish homework
I will be getting only the puffer now after reading this.

If you read this post, it is more comprehensive. General Guide to Puffer Care

[Matt]

Awesome Post

From Matt

[sticky fish]

Originally Posted by pinkfloydpuffer

If you read this post, it is more comprehensive. General Guide to Puffer Care

Thanks will finish that one later!

I've been caught under the puffer spell

[pinkfloydpuffer]

Originally Posted by sticky fish

Thanks will finish that one later!

I've been caught under the puffer spell

Another one bites the dust!

[Butterfly]

Excellent information.
Thanks
Carol