puffer recommendation

[Native Keeper]

Hi everyone!

my mom seems to be fond of puffers, and she currently has an empty 5 gallon, so my question is this:

Is there any species of puffer that can live comfortably in a 5 gallon?

[Jennifer V]

I have pea puffers and adore them. Sadly, it isn't recommended to keep them as a single fish although some have kept a single if that specific fish has proven to be so aggressive that it can't live with any friends. They're a shoaling species and get bored very easily. They're also extremely messy which makes keeping water quality where it needs to be is very difficult in small tanks. I'm not well versed in other puffer species but maybe there is an option with others. 

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

Bigger is bigger volume wise. 

I haven't ever done a single pea puffer and defer to those who keep them for better advice. If I had a 5 that needed a resident i would try a single pea puffer and rearrange the plants etc occasionally to keep the puffer interested in the tank. 

This is an older video Cory did on the Pea puffer

 

Edited January 24, 2022 by mountaintoppufferkeeper

[Biotope Biologist]

I have heard horror stories of bored pea puffers in 5 gallons. Terrorizing the tank, uprooting plants, moving substrate to one side of the tank. Killing anything you put in the tank. If you do go ahead with the 5 gallon give him/her toys and things to do. Setup the tank in a more active but still not vibration heavy area so it can people watch. 
 

I always recommend them to all who keep intelligent fish friends. Tackle and bait shops sell neutral buoyancy bobs of varying size and color. Fish love pushing them around the tank.

 

of course it’d be preferable to get a bigger tank. The water parameters will be more stable and you can get a school.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

If we need an alternative....I started a 3 gallon tank for my Mum...has two very happy African Dwarf Frogs- she LOVES them. The tank is very stable with them and 1 Nerite snail, some Duckweed and a couple Anubias. If you get a boy, you can hear them singing at night when it's very quiet. They area admittedly not as "interactive" as a pea but my Mum has target fed them from the beginning with tweezers and boy do they know when it's time to be fed. They come to the front of the tank. It's fun to see them swim and interact with each other. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Native Keeper]

@mountaintoppufferkeeper and @Biotope Biologist, I was never referring to Pea Puffers, we've already decided against them. 

I'm asking if there is any species of puffer that could live in a 5 gallon, any.

[Schwack]

On 1/24/2022 at 1:28 PM, HydraSlayer said:

@mountaintoppufferkeeper and @Biotope Biologist, I was never referring to Pea Puffers, we've already decided against them. 

I'm asking if there is any species of puffer that could live in a 5 gallon, any.

If peas are off the table, I think you're sort of out of options with puffers. Amazon puffers are small, but also prefer to be in a group and need lots of space to move.

If it was possible to bump up to a 10 gallon you'd have more options, but puffers in general are going to want a larger space than 5 gallons.

[Mydonkeyfish]

Pea puffer but dont put anything else in with it.😁

[mountaintoppufferkeeper]

On 1/24/2022 at 2:28 PM, HydraSlayer said:

@mountaintoppufferkeeper and @Biotope Biologist, I was never referring to Pea Puffers, we've already decided against them. 

I'm asking if there is any species of puffer that could live in a 5 gallon, any.

Beyond the pea puffer, Carinotetraodon travancoricus, i do not know of one.

Redeye puffers of Carinotetraodon like the irrubesco and similar are generally on the smaller size.  I haven't personally kept any redeyes (yet) but would consider them to be more of a 20 long or bigger puffer based on the reported adult size of 2" to 2.5".

 

[Biotope Biologist]

On 1/24/2022 at 1:28 PM, HydraSlayer said:

@mountaintoppufferkeeper and @Biotope Biologist, I was never referring to Pea Puffers, we've already decided against them. 

I'm asking if there is any species of puffer that could live in a 5 gallon, any.

The only reason I referred to the pea puffer is it’s the only puffer species that can reasonably be housed in a 5 gallon, I probably should have clarified that point. 
 

The other thing about puffers that’s of note is not necessarily their size but their diet. They are very messy creatures and keeping them in a smaller tank makes the water parameters harder to control.

 

I would say if she has her heart set on puffers, which I don’t blame her, a 20 gallon or bigger will really open the realm of possibility. But I am just reflecting others sentiment now.