Non-typical cichlid tankmate :)

[Norbert]

Momentary malfunction with photobucket but here you go Ed

Tetraodon pustulatus...Cross River Puffer aka Porkchop :)
http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/best111.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/Malawi%2012-09/post-14528-12427042091.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12147891651.jpg

[joe_jaskot]

Can I assume that you have had success keeping theses puffers with cichlids? I was always under the impression that puffers should be kept by themselves.

[Norbert]

Can I assume that you have had success keeping theses puffers with cichlids? I was always under the impression that puffers should be kept by themselves.
Yeah, he has a pair of Pelvicachromis sacrimontis as tankmates...the male will put his mouth between the puffers eyes and push him away from the fry (not that the puffer has any interest in the fry) well, he swims against the puffer as fast as he can...can't say he successfully pushes the puffer anywhere :)

The puffer has zero interest in the "Giant" Kribs or the Congo Tetras in the tank...or anything other than shrimp and clams to tell you the truth.

here's a pic of the pair..
http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/DSC_00013741.jpg

[emartin]

*drools*

GORGEOUS PUFFER!

What was the price tag on that sucker!? DAMN! I saw one for sale at 5" once for $500 wholesale...

What size tank do you have it in? I hear people recommend minimum a 4ft 120g, but I'd think a 75g should be fine...

[emartin]

Yeah, he has a pair of Pelvicachromis sacrimontis as tankmates...the male will put his mouth between the puffers eyes and push him away from the fry (not that the puffer has any interest in the fry) well, he swims against the puffer as fast as he can...can't say he successfully pushes the puffer anywhere :)

The puffer has zero interest in the "Giant" Kribs or the Congo Tetras in the tank...or anything other than shrimp and clams to tell you the truth.

here's a pic of the pair..
http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/DSC_00013741.jpg

ROFL!!!!!!

If you can, get a photo or a video of the male doing that next time ROFL. Gotta love cichlids....

I actually heard of Fahakas, Pustulatus, and Mbus SOMETIMES getting along with tankmates before...just that you should keep them wellfed to maintain the peace...

[Cichlidgeek]

Outstanding, Paul!! It just gets better and better!!

[emartin]

If I head out to the Oregon/Washington area again I'm going to have to stop over...

[emartin]

Oh and how big is the guy?

[ValleyAquatics]

Beautiful picture. That puffer has great color to him/her.

[BlondeFishGal]

hehehe, "Porkchop" is a beauty!

Thanks for sharing the pic!

:ty:

[Norbert]

GORGEOUS PUFFER!

What was the price tag on that sucker!? DAMN! I saw one for sale at 5" once for $500 wholesale...

What size tank do you have it in? I hear people recommend minimum a 4ft 120g, but I'd think a 75g should be fine...
Thanks Ed
Less then that at retail actually.
I recently moved it back to a 75g from a 120g...the 120g was in a spot where for some reason he would freak out every once in awhile...weird. He seems much happier in his original home (the 75g)

Outstanding, Paul!! It just gets better and better!!
Thanks Brian :)

Oh and how big is the guy?
10" at close to 2 1/2 years (got him at 4-5")

Beautiful picture. That puffer has great color to him/her.
Thanks much, yeah his color is great but sometimes...usually if I drop his clam in a spot where he can't get to it...he turns a charcoal grey with dark black rings around his red spots.

hehehe, "Porkchop" is a beauty!

Thanks for sharing the pic!

:ty:
Hey thanks!

[emartin]

Thanks Ed
Less then that at retail actually.
I recently moved it back to a 75g from a 120g...the 120g was in a spot where for some reason he would freak out every once in awhile...weird. He seems much happier in his original home (the 75g)


Thanks Brian :)


10" at close to 2 1/2 years (got him at 4-5")


Thanks much, yeah his color is great but sometimes...usually if I drop his clam in a spot where he can't get to it...he turns a charcoal grey with dark black rings around his red spots.


Hey thanks!

So how much was he? Don't be ashamed to admit how much you paid... LOL I'm more than aware how rare that puffer is and how much they go for and how rarely they are imported...

That is one puffer I will definitely consider devoting a large tank to keep... Just a beautiful species...

I demand videos of it feeding! There's a wealth of videos of Fahakas and Mbus destroying crayfish and crabs and clams online LOL but not a single one of T. pustulatus...

Plus I'd love to see shots of it in it's 'pissed off' mood coloration LOL. If you have any or can take any let me know. That is one of my dream species of puffers besides true Congo Reds, Congo Greens (almost got a green one but it died in transportation), and Mbu...

~Ed

[Norbert]

So how much was he? Don't be ashamed to admit how much you paid... LOL I'm more than aware how rare that puffer is and how much they go for and how rarely they are imported...

That is one puffer I will definitely consider devoting a large tank to keep... Just a beautiful species...

I demand videos of it feeding! There's a wealth of videos of Fahakas and Mbus destroying crayfish and crabs and clams online LOL but not a single one of T. pustulatus...

Plus I'd love to see shots of it in it's 'pissed off' mood coloration LOL. If you have any or can take any let me know. That is one of my dream species of puffers besides true Congo Reds, Congo Greens (almost got a green one but it died in transportation), and Mbu...

~Ed
$400

They're great fish, not quite as big or ornery as Fahaka and not nearly as big as Mbu...I like the colors too.

no video camera lol

Here's a series of him assaulting a clam though...enjoy

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12427039291.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12427039591.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12427039781.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12427040071.jpg

http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad31/Norbertphoto/post-14528-12427040521.jpg

[emartin]

Nice chompers on that guy!

[emartin]

$400

They're great fish, not quite as big or ornery as Fahaka and not nearly as big as Mbu...I like the colors too.

I think if I ever saw T. pustulatus for sale in person even if it was $500 I would still buy it...


I have NO idea why freshwater puffers aren't more popular.... A lot of the neat species are really hard to get:

Monotrete abei, only gets about 4-5":
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Monotrete palembangensis, about 6-7" TL:
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Monotrete cochinchinensis:
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Tetraodon miuris camouflaged and sand diving:
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[emartin]

Hey Norbert check this out some uploaded HD videos of T. pustulatus on youtube:

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<object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x7Pszqs7fpY&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x7Pszqs7fpY&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>


Some people posted comments on one of those videos saying it was a Fahaka/Pustulatus cross. I doubt it, especially since Pustulatus juveniles are known for being confused with T. lineatus and some people get lucky by buying wild Fahakas and actually getting Pustulatus...

[Norbert]

I've seen vids of Dot before, he's a nice looking puffer...100% T. pustulatus...I love that he has Glass Cats as tankmates lol...puffers certainly can and occasionally do take out other fish but I don't think they deserve the killer reputation they have...lets face it little Pelvicachromis cichlids can be killers if the circumstances are right.

Love the M. abei, that's a great puffer.

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

That puffer is mint !

[emartin]

Well, since Mark Denaro of Anubias Design imported them... I just had to buy two Tetraodon lineatus...!

Only going to keep one though. I seem to have bad luck getting a hold of puffers. Last time I was getting one, it died enroute to my place. It was a very rare puffer, and I never forgave myself for NOT ordering 2-3 instead of just one (it was Tetraodon miuris GREEN (or is it Monotrete miuris now?)).

Norbert do you have any experience or knowledge of the fahaka puffer? I am wondering realistically how fast they grow. Right now they are 2". Like, do they grow like clown loaches...have a fast growth spurt when young but slow down dramatically at a certain size? Or just fast growers period...or what?

I'm assuming it would be similar to your T. pustulatus since they seem to be super close cousins, especially since they can be confused when they are juveniles supposedly...

[Norbert]

Well, since Mark Denaro of Anubias Design imported them... I just had to buy two Tetraodon lineatus...!

Only going to keep one though. I seem to have bad luck getting a hold of puffers. Last time I was getting one, it died enroute to my place. It was a very rare puffer, and I never forgave myself for NOT ordering 2-3 instead of just one (it was Tetraodon miuris GREEN (or is it Monotrete miuris now?)).

Norbert do you have any experience or knowledge of the fahaka puffer? I am wondering realistically how fast they grow. Right now they are 2". Like, do they grow like clown loaches...have a fast growth spurt when young but slow down dramatically at a certain size? Or just fast growers period...or what?

I'm assuming it would be similar to your T. pustulatus since they seem to be super close cousins, especially since they can be confused when they are juveniles supposedly...
I've never kept a Fahaka, Ed but from what I've heard/read don't be surprised if yours reaches a foot long very quickly...my puffer does not ultimately get as large as a Fahaka and I was amazed at how quickly he grew, he has stalled out at around 10"...yours should easily get 14-15"+

[Norbert]

That puffer is mint !
If you were talking about mine, thanks! :)

[emartin]

The folks at http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/index.php (Norbert if you aren't a member there yet you should join. Pretty nice all-puffer online community with profiles. I'm sure they'd welcome you especially if you post those pictures of your Pustulatus you posted here!) said that they aren't exaggerating that fahakas grow fast (I thought they said that on the profiles to keep beginners and inexperienced fish keepers from buying them and thinking they can keep them in 10g tanks for life) that they actually do grow an average 1" a month their first year, so 10-15" their first year.

I think I know which one I am going to keep for myself already so one of them will have a 30g tank for themselves for a little while. Then I may put it in a 40g breeder or a 50g breeder for a couple more months until it is ready to go into the 120g I have.

Though I may buy a 125g-wide from Glasscages. Their 125g-wide are 6ftx2ftx17" and are only $450 plus $96 shipping. But if I do go ahead and do that I'd get a 240g tank from them as well for cichlids. If we sell the house fast that wouldn't be a problem :D

[Picklefish]

I must be doing something wrong with my puffer. He is at least 4yrs old and only 8-9" Maybe I need to get a tape measure and double check as I know they get much larger.
Eats well, lots of water changes, nice color not nearly as nice as that putulatus though. If I see one of those, sad to say, I will buy it.

[emartin]

Pickle yours is a fahaka right?

What size tank is he in and how big was it when you got it?

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

If you were talking about mine, thanks! :)

Yea PORK CHOP. mint !

[Picklefish]

Yes a Fahaka. Maybe 2-3" when I got him. At present in a 75G by himself. Eats great looks great just sounds kinda small from what I am hearing.

[emartin]

Its growth probably got stunted as they should grow to 18" no problem.

At this point it's probably irreversible but Fahakas really need a 120g tank minimum with the 24" width/depth. Like I said, it's probably irreversible at this point and if he's happy in the tank you have him in you'd might as well keep him in there.

[Picklefish]

Thanks for the info. He seems happy and looks good so I suppose I shouldn't worry too much.