Pea puffer dilemma!

[Teresa72]

So I was going to do a 20 gallon long with 7 pea puffers and a few Khuli loaches also. I am not sure the puffers will be ok with them. I am not sure if puffers are a good choice for the tank now.FYI the tank is empty as of now. Not sure what to stock it with. I really wanted puffers but I would like a bottom dweller to help with left overs.

[Fish Folk]

Pea puffers are probably best in a species-only setup. I wouldn’t put them with Loaches. An empty 20-long is an exciting space! What have you kept before? What level of experience are you at? 

[Teresa72]

On 10/12/2023 at 7:00 PM, Fish Folk said:

Pea puffers are probably best in a species-only setup. I wouldn’t put them with Loaches. An empty 20-long is an exciting space! What have you kept before? What level of experience are you at? 

I am still fairly new but have kept fish when I was younger. I currently have a 40 gallon community tank, lamp eye rasboras phoenix raboras  Corydoras habrosus, colbolt blue gourami x2 and a l204 pleco 6 gallon betta tank and 10 gallon guppy tank. When I was younger we had a semi aggressive community tank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AnimalNerd98]

I agree, pea puffers can be quite voracious and don’t tolerate other tank mates well. 

Did you want to try your hand at breeding, get some oddballs, or setup a nice show tank?

Here are my stocking ideas for an empty 20 gallon: 

1) Platinum halfbeaks (I’m biased because I currently have these in my 20 gallon tank). They are livebearers but are semi aggressive. I found that the more you keep though, the less likely it is for one to be singled out. 

2) There’s just something about neon tetras that I find irresistible. Put in some good plants like Vallisneria and maybe a school of sterbai corydoras at the bottom, you could watch it for hours everyday. 

3) Setup a tank full of Neolamprologus multifasciatus (shelldwellers). They are very interesting to watch and are relatively easy to breed. 

4) A river type setup with gold white cloud minnows, hillstream loaches, stiphodon gobies, and bamboo/vampire shrimp. Get some nice rock work, stick in a power head, and watch the fish dance in the current. 

[Odd Duck]

Unless you are prepared to maintain multiple live food cultures, pea puffers are not a good option.  I have whiteworms, Grindal worms, Daphnia, Ceriodaphnia, scuds, bladder snails, pond snails, and ramshorn snails.  I also have microworms and vinegar eels in case I ever have babies again - but I also use them for other fish and babies.  My pea puffers have never taken any type of dried food at all and are barely interested in frozen bloodworms.  Frozen Daphnia and brine shrimp are a complete bust.  I’ve tried and will try again with blackworms as soon as I can get some again.