Mbu Puffer fish

May 29, 2006
104
0
0
33
Sussex, NJ
#1
Does this fish require brackish waters? What do they eat besides guppies? Are there any tankmates for them? I was thinking about getting a nano pirana. They are about 1/4 inch in length. I was wondering if they would bother each other? Is there any other common name and what is the scientific name? Anything else will help.
 

Limi310

Superstar Fish
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
5
0
45
Charlotte, NC
#2
Hi Chuck welcome to MFT,

How big is your tank? The Tetradon Mbu (also known as giant green puffer) get to be extremely large puffers and would require at least a 55 gal minimum. They are a freshwater species found in Africa.

You also need to feed them things with shells (snails, live ghost shrimp,etc) to wear down their teeth. They have a 'beak' like a bird and if it's not kept ground down, it will overgrow and the puffer won't be able to eat.

Here's some more info: http://www.pufferlist.com/puffer/freshpuff.php?puffid=8
 

ram man

Superstar Fish
Apr 16, 2005
1,441
4
38
32
Arizona
#4
from what i have read about these fish is that they should only be kept in the wild and maybe in a zoo aquarium, why not go with amazon puffers? they dont get to big and they are very active fish, also with a puffer tank you need to do alot of water changes, they are very messy fish, and they poo alot, and i have never heard of thes "nano parahnas" sounds like a marcketing technique, they are probably just baby parahnas, and here is a link to the amazon puffers http://www.pufferlist.com/puffer/freshpuff.php?puffid=4
 

Limi310

Superstar Fish
Nov 30, 2005
1,101
5
0
45
Charlotte, NC
#5
Igor The Cat said:
Limi-ARE YOU KIDDING!!!!!??????!!!!!! Even that link yu gave is conservative and says they need at least a 1,000 gall tank, but in realitiy a 1,500 is about the comfortable min.

cheers

-Java
Well.............I posted in another one of his threads too (I think) where he was getting a 55 and I said it would be Ok for a little while because it was small.......not long term......I don't know now I am confused......maybe it was someone else.

Ok..here it was..http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37762 Don't mind me, I've been on pain medicine....................
 

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Pure

Elite Fish
Nov 1, 2005
3,216
7
0
Jacksonville, FL
#6
I have a buddy who keeps one of these and honestly he has had it since it was only 1 inch long. He is constantly looking for a new tank for his lil buddy. He even changed it's name cause it is no longer a baby. Really if fed right and provided good conditions, a 55 is only going to last you a few months. After that you will feel bad for keeping him every time you look at his sad eyes.

 

Oralacerta

Small Fish
Jul 5, 2006
17
0
0
Syracuse
#8
Igor The Cat said:
yes they only person ive seen have a personal tank big enough for and Mbu was i beleve pufferpunk on puffer forum.

cheers

-Java
These fish get absolutely massive, and keeping them in small tanks, upgrading slowly as the fish gets cramped from one tank to another is NOT an ok way of doing business with any large fish.

That type of thing only serves to stunt the fish therefore slowing its growth and drastically shortening its lifespan... If you are going to bother keeping a fish you know needs 1000 gallons, why not wait until you have that 1,000 gallon tank??? It will cost far more over time if you keep buying larger and larger tanks as you go. And if you're going to spend all of that money on a fish, wouldn't you want it to be healthy and actually live a normal lifespan?...

Think about the money it would cost over time if you slowly upgrade from a 55 gallon all the way up to 1000? Chances are if you can't afford it and don't have space for it now, you won't later.

I see this happen far too often, and far too many fish, puffers, cats, arrowannas, pacus, etc. all end up stunted.

There are several awesome species of brackish and freshwater puffers that stay relatively small and won't take over your house with a tank bigger than your bedroom :)
 

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BRANDX

Small Fish
May 4, 2006
37
0
0
Houston,TX
#9
Ouch!

Not much fun...the news that is.

I just entered the "I-have-a-tank-far-too-small-for-my-brand-new-puffer-club" also! The guy at the lfs said it would be fine in a 10g!! But, it would appear that he was either trying to pull one over on me...or just didn't know better.

No advice here, just wish you some luck!;)
 

Aug 21, 2006
16
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0
Brightlingsea, england
#12
My friend had a puffer i think it was a malibu puffer it ate all her neons started on a plec and a siemese fighter mollies etc! she gave it to me as i had a spare tank with just a few ballon mollies it it ate them! We had no idea that this cute little thing was so predatory!
 

Addey

New Fish
Dec 29, 2007
1
0
0
#14
hello just to get the ball rolling dont beleve all you read mate my mbu has been in a 6ftx2.5x2.5 tank swimming happly around with some 30 guppies,10 convicts, plecs of different sizes one 0nly 3"and only one fish has ever lost its fight to tyrone(my mbu)a small scatty catfish 4"long and black tyrone took him mid water but that was about one year ago and no problems since but the only thing i can say is fish dont read books try things slowly introduce your puffer into a tank with a small selection of your choice fish find his food of choice and see how things go .hope this helps ad.
 

Jan 12, 2009
1
0
0
#15
mbu

mbu puffers are large but dont need 1o00g tank thats insane they need a 150 gal tank to be kept happy but bigger is fine to ur not getting a 1000g tank unless ur billgates and have truckloads of $$ there diet is:
small crayfish ghoust shrimp snails and fedder fish but diet shouldnt be mostly fish shell animals are better for them not sur bought price of them but if some one knows price in us dollars email it to me darkmike1212@gmail.com *thumbsups
 

Dec 1, 2007
43
0
0
#16
mbu puffers are large but dont need 1o00g tank thats insane they need a 150 gal tank to be kept happy but bigger is fine to ur not getting a 1000g tank unless ur billgates and have truckloads of $$ there diet is:
small crayfish ghoust shrimp snails and fedder fish but diet shouldnt be mostly fish shell animals are better for them not sur bought price of them but if some one knows price in us dollars email it to me darkmike1212@gmail.com *thumbsups
They do need a 1000g tank, and if someone can't afford that they shouldn't be keeping this fish. They get absolutely massive, and have an enormous bioload. To think they could live in a 150g tank is absolutely absurd.