# Are Puffer fish compatible with others?



## marko (Jun 11, 2010)

I'm trying to find a puffer fish that would be compatible with my Cichlid tank any suggestions? every fish store says no go But I have seen vids with puffers mixed with other fish I have a female Green Terror any thoughts


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## plantedinvertz (Apr 21, 2010)

I wouldnt if I were you..


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## AWW (Apr 22, 2010)

I wondered the same thing when i had my large fahaka. Most puffers need to be alone, they like to be alone. As far as i know, they dont claim territory, they just roam. They are natural hunters, and eat anything meat. That being said, Some are more agressive than others. 

Fahakas, and crossrivers are probably the worst choice. You dont want any brackish puffers, that is if you want to mix them with cichlids. At the store, i have red chromides with figure 8 puffers. That is the only exception i know for brackish, and they are only juvaniles, so i dont know if they would work together long term.

If you are wanting to keep any puffers with cichlids, you will be limited to the larger ones, and most are too agressive. I dont know most of the species, but the ones you dont know about in my opinion tend to be more shy, and you probably dont want to mix them. The only thing i can think you can mix would be a mbu, but in my opinion, on their own, they need at least a 200 gallon to them selves. 

I dont know how experenced a fish keeper you are, but if i were you i would stick to one group, or start two tanks. Dont start mixing untill you have been keeping fish for awhile


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## joker1535 (May 23, 2010)

They will nip all the fins away in no time. And puffers need allot of salt in the water, too much for cichlids to handle.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

not all puffers need salt. amazons dont. but they are loners


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

Actually, u can com amazon puffer. Best to keep 6-8 in a small tank. Puffer like mbu doesnt need salt. They are known to be the least aggressive one. I have a customer with a 14" mbu along with small cory and a couple of teacup rays.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

oh wait thats right charles.. i forgot about that.. i kept thinking loners, but i remember when i was trying to get them here months ago, it was suggested to me on another forum that they would mix with corys... so yeah. try them?


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

people have mbus with other fish all the time .my fahaka was ok with alot of fish too if there the same size as the fahaka i would say go for it from my exp it would be ok . south american puffers i would say green terrors would pick on them


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## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

I have a gps in a tank with tetra's, pleco and 3 turtles and eveyones getting along just fine


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## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

Gsp I mean- green spotted puffer


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## darb (Apr 21, 2010)

katienaha said:


> oh wait thats right charles.. i forgot about that.. i kept thinking loners, but i remember when i was trying to get them here months ago, it was suggested to me on another forum that they would mix with corys... so yeah. try them?


I have my SAPs in with Peppered Cories. Supposedly, fins and scales are a normal part of SAP diets in the wild. There were problems at first, the weakest SAP did start going after the Cories, but they rebelled and fought back and things settled out. The SAP that was going after the cories eventually died, but there are no further issues between the two groups.



hi-revs said:


> I have a gps in a tank with tetra's, pleco and 3 turtles and eveyones getting along just fine


GSPs get meaner as they mature and they need to be in brackish water also BTW.


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## beN (Apr 21, 2010)

well for our Fahaka tank, i have geos & some convicts & beleive it or not a clown knife.(hes really tiny right now). 

but then there is our Congo Puffer. I do not recommend it all. He will catch or bite whatever fish you would keep with him.Same goes for our Arrowhead Puffer, these puffers are super aggressive and will destroy any tank mates.


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