Pond snail irradication system for planted tanks - puffer tank pics

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I now am the proud owner of a juvie. Moving bettas/apple/nerite snails out of each tank and letting him enjoy pond snail snacks for a week or so in each. Figure I'll have no pond snail issues in six weeks.

Afterwards, I can either give him to a friend who has a Tiger Barb tank - or create a 'phaux saltwater' tank in a 29G tank. Debating on what predatorial cichlids would do well with him in a planted setup.

I'd set up a species tank for him. Puffers are fascinating fish to watch hunting and will provide plenty of entertainment. If you really want a fun show wait until you know he's hungry and drop in some live blackworms. They'll stalk them carefully before moving in. They do the same thing with ghost shrimp but I'm a bit of a softie and find it hard to watch them with the shrimp. They really are murderous little beasties when it comes to their food. As for tank mates, choose carefully and observe closely for days or weeks after adding them. Tiger barbs could tear your puffer to shreds as could cichlids or your puffer could start picking them off. I like keeping them with danios when I keep them with any other fish, especially some of the larger species. They're not as nippy or aggressive but they're lightening fast and can generally evade all the the most persistant puffer. Really, though, in the end it usually comes down to trial and error but if you watch your puffer enough you may be able to get a feel for what type of fish might do well with them. Just be sure to stay away from anything with long fins and extremely nippy fish like Buenos Aires tetras. I'd also avoid the more shy fish like rams and rasboras. Kribs may be able to cohabitat with them if adequate hiding places are available. Whatever you decide, make sure there are lots of plants, live or artificial, they can use to define boundries and get out of each others line of sight and you'll diffuse a lot of problems right there.

he is so cute!!! i have wanted a puffer since i saw them but don't have a tank to put one in.

i threw a few snails into my crayfish tank, and to my surprise they went to town on them like crackers.

Fell in love, now have a 'new' planted 10G just for the puffers. I now have two of them. They get along great with a set of black light tetras, a small pleco and so-so with a female betta. Just planted this tank last week, so it'll look better in a month or two.

I just pick out snails and extra ghost shrimps from my other tanks for these guys. They seem very healthy and happy with loads of personality! They love to hunt amongst the 'boulders'.

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Nice setup

Looks great! I bet that is one happy puffer!

Are they pretty easy to keep? I've been thinking of doing a puffer tank. I'm still researching about them. I read that they produce alot of ammonia to keep them in a 10g, are you having any troubles with this? That is a VERY nice tank you have!

What species of puffer is it?

My F8 puffer could not have a tankmate of any kind - he's a terror! He is a brackish species though, so even though there are many plants supposedly that do well in brackish water I've yet to achieve success! I love my puffer tank, though - he's the only fish of mine with a name!

These were both sold as F8's. I've had great success with just adding 1tbsp salt per 5G in all of my planted tanks. I do it mainly for my bettas, and it doesn't seem to impact the plants at all. The puffers are also doing well with that salt level. Gives them just enough of their electrolites.