Pea Puffer tank mates

[mr big87]

In the near future I'll be setting up a planted 55 gallon for a pea puffer tank. My fiance loves puffers, and after we lost her last puffer last year she has been wanting another. I figure I'll do pea puffers so she can have several. I plan on running two 2217's for filtration. My main question is what have others successfully kept with their pea puffers? I currently setting up a nano to keep some cherry shrimp and snails to try and have a live food source for them. I'm thinking about 7 (2 males and 5 females), and a few oto cat's.

I have in a 20L right now some fish I've had for awhile in various tanks and I'm wondering if they are compatible. A few false juilie cory's, a handful of neon tetras, a dwarf cockatoo, a stick catfish and a small convict cichlid. Would I be able to combine these with the pea puffers?

How about any other fish? Rams perhaps? Thanks in advance!

[suicune]

the only good tankmate for pea puffer is oto cats, any flashy looking fish will be nip/harass to death. 55g you can have several pea puffer if you plant it heavily enough.

[mr big87]

That's pretty much what I read online. Was hoping others who've kept them had some success with tank mates. No biggie. I'll just do a species only tank and keep my other fish in their 20L for the time being. Will have to setup another/bigger tank for them later.

[mistahoo]

In a 55g planted tank with only 7 pea puffers, everything you listed will work except the convicts because they might eat your puffers. They do nip fish fins, but in a much larger space, your fish won't have a problem escaping.

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[mr big87]

In a 55g planted tank with only 7 pea puffers, everything you listed will work except the convicts because they might eat your puffers. They do nip fish fins, but in a much larger space, your fish won't have a problem escaping.

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The convict is seriously like 3/4 of an inch long. He has been for 9 months! Don't know why he won't grow. I removed him from the other covincts because they bullied him. Those fish belong to a friend now, so he's the only one I have. Seems healthy, he's just tiny. Good to know it might work in a 55 gallon.

[mistahoo]

I wouldn't put the convict in just because of they might kill them because of their nature. If it's 3/4 of an inch for 9 months, it might have internal parasites.

[mr big87]

I wouldn't put the convict in just because of they might kill them because of their nature. If it's 3/4 of an inch for 9 months, it might have internal parasites.

Suggestions for treatment? He seems plenty healthy. Eats great and all. He might be bigger than 3/4" (hard to estimate when he moves around/hides from me!), like an inch or so max, but he was less than half the size of his other tank mates who all came from the same batch of fry.

[mistahoo]

Convicts usually grow fast. Even if they have internal parasites, it may look like they're normal and eating a bunch. It's just that they won't grow. The IPs consume most of the nutrients leaving the host empty handed. Best way to treat is to move the convict to a small separate tank and then dose Tetra Parasite Guard.

[troy tucker]

55g. is a big tank for Pea Puffers. you could put 20 in it easy. I agree with no convict.

[mistahoo]

55g. is a big tank for Pea Puffers. you could put 20 in it easy. I agree with no convict.

Very true. You can put 20 easily, but 7 is a good number too. Also, I've noticed that they feel much more comfortable and curious when your tank is planted.

[mr big87]

Ok thanks for the heads up on the convict, I'll see if I can get him healthy and maybe move him with the others that my friend has.

It will either be a 55 gal or a 40 breeder. Want to have it planted pretty well with low light plants and give these guys some space. Hoping with only around 7 puffers, a few oto cats and lots of plants, I can cut back on some maintenance (other than simple stuff).

[troy tucker]

Look forward to seeing this.

[mistahoo]

I would go with the 40B. More surface area for more dynamic layouts

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[mr big87]

It will be one of the 2. The space where we have it planned for would fit a 55 gallon better, but we'll see what happens. Getting my new-to-me Fluval ebi nano going for some shrimp and snails right now. So far it has a hollowed out piece of driftwood with alittle moss, and a random plant I found growing in my 36 gallon bow front when I broke it down to clean and sell. It shot up over night. No idea what it is or where its from. Hoping the pea puffers will like shrimp and snails! I've read mixed results that some do and some don't pay them attention.

[mr big87]

Well I picked up a 40B with stand and a eheim 2217 today, and 7 pea puffers! And yesterday I picked up a ton of plants. The pea puffers are in a 20L holding tank I have for a few days till I get the 40 up and running. The 2217 is cycled and so is my 2215 on the 20L. Here's a quick pic of the puffers and of my nano which will be used to raise some snacks for them!