When?

[fogger]

I have a dogface puffer in a 55 gal tank, new one is on the way as soon as he reaches maturity. My question is I have 2 neon damsels that continually smack him in the face and I was wondering when he is going to stop taking it and go after them and maybe eat them?
He is 3 inches and the damsels are 2 and 3.5 inches.
Just curious
Tom

 

[titan]

New tank is on the way soon? DFP's will outgrow that tank like yesterday! About the damsels, it may not stop until he gets much bigger, or until he retaliates. I have fish that could remove a finger at will, but my two damsels are the only ones that attack me!

 

[fogger]

I have had him for a month now, he has not gotten bigger that I can see.
What size will he be when I have to move him and what size tank.
I got him at ***** and he is doing well, no signs of any problems. He leaves everyone alone and does not bother the snails or inverts I have.
Newbie but need to keep him.
thanks for the help Titan

 

[titan]

13" in length at adulthood, and 180GL tank and up will be just fine. The tank size is my opinion, and some may say smaller. But if you think about it a 13" fish in an 18" wide tank isn't the greatest, therefore 24" would be better. You have to make a decision the damsels or the puffer, if it's to the point of getting out've hand. They will not give up at this stage, and will continually nip/pester your puffer. You can try to rearrange the rockscape to see if it helps, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I'm not saying go get a 180GL tank for a 3" puffer by no means just as long as the appropriate accomodations can be made or met in the future. Still a 75-90 would've been better at this stage for the DFP.

 

[fogger]

Thank you for the reply, I will get a larger one soon, puffer instead of the damsels, much cooler.
take care
Tom