SA puffers and Apistos

[Scooter]

Has anyone ever kept SA puffers (or any other puffers) in the same tank with Apistos? I'm considering it and I wanted to see if anyone has had any real problems with the combination. TIA.

 

[Neil]

Scooter,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

I really don't know anything about SA puffers, but i think that they are probably not the best match for an apisto. They are fin-nippers aren't they? I think it would ultimately depend on the behavior of the individual puffer(s) that you intend to keep. I doubt most apistos would be too concerned with them in the tank, until breeding time!

 

[Scooter]

Thanks Neil. I have some Somphong puffers (Tetraodon lorteti) on hold at my lfs. They only get about 3" long so they won't overwhelm any apistos. Perhaps the dwarf puffers would be a better fit, though.

 

[carinotetraodon]

scooter,

actually Tetraodon lorteti,(red eye) seem to not like any other fish. they will even attack fish double they're size. but its handy and you are correct they stay small around 7 cm.

i think the dwarve's would be a better match with some apisto's although as Neil mentioned puffers are fin nippers. so id keep an eye on whatever you choose to mix.

good luck

 

[Scooter]

Hey carinotetraodon. Thanks for the info. After close review, I've come to the conclusion that what my lfs is calling the somphong (lorteti) puffer is actually not. They've got them in quarantine and I've looked them over pretty good. The first thing that clued me in is that they are already about 3" in length and they lack the distinct red eye. Personally, I think what they have are bronze puffers (Xenopterus naritus), which to me look more like a fish than a puffer at a glance. But I haven't told them that.

Since I started this thread, I've had to re-evaluate my plan anyway. I agree with you that the dwarves may be a better fit. And I was also thinking about Colomesus asellus, which my lfs gets occasionally as well. Have any thoughts on that idea? Thanks.

 

[carinotetraodon]

well,

it really depends on your tank size.. maybe i read over it but whats the tank size they are going into? wondering about the tank size because Colomesus asellus get as large as 5 inches. but as far as Colomesus asellus with apisto's you could give it a go. they are usualy very timid and very active. i know people who have kept Colomesus asellus with some dwarves.

as far as Xenopterus naritus's go ... its a no they get 11 inches and will destroy Apisto's... no offence to Apisto lovers :wink:

but...
if you really like puffers and you have enough space you can add a Colomesus asellus and a couple dwarves with your apisto's. im new to apisto's and i dont know how aggressive they are but they might even beat up your dwarves. dwarves tend to be a little lazy and perk up when being fed.

blah blah me rambling about puffers again.. sorry
anyways good luck with your decision

 

[carinotetraodon]

by the way thats one heck of a lfs if they can get all those species in... where are you located

 

[Scooter]

Knoxville, TN. The store has been here a while, but the owner moved into a much bigger building that he had completely remodeled. The fishroom (fresh, salt, and brackish) alone is probably close to 2200 sq. ft. Add in sq. footage of the supplies room and I'd say he's pushing 4400 sq. ft. total, and that doesn't include his outside patios of pond plants and koi ponds. He's also a wholesaler to many of the other stores in town as well as stores outside of town. A sales rep for one of the major product lines told him he's got the best store in the SE.

Anywhoo, the tank I'm referring to is a 75g. Right now it only has a single A. hippolytae (which I thought was A. steindacneri but Neil and Z Man have me convinced otherwise), a single L. dorsigera, and L-102 pleco (snowball). I don't think the smaller puffers will overwhelm the dwarf cichlids in the tank. I wouldn't put any of the larger ones in there. The dwarf puffers are probably my best bet, if I choose to go that route.

Welcome to the board, btw. I don't have the experience either to match many here.

 

[strohl71]

I started my apisto tank with 3 Indian Dwarf Puffers. All went well for the first couple of months but the puffers started nipping apisto fins excessively. They went right back to the LFS that I purchased them from.