I am new to aquarium owning (the right way, anyway) and I am loving it. I have a 22 gallon fresh water hex-tank, 7 danios, 1 snail, 1 catfish, one whip tail cat, an Oranda and the newest addition, a green spotted puffer.

The puffer is an issue. He is attacking the oranda (my favorite). We bought him yesterday and the fella at the aqaurium store said he would be fine with what we had, we just needed to add 2 teaspoons of aquarium salt (never knew you could put salt in a freshwater tank before). He also said he just ate the same fish flakes we were feeding the other fish.

Unless you guys know of a way to get the puffer to stop attacking the oranda, we are going to have to put him in the old 1 gallon tank until we can get a new tank (may be weeks). No fish or water have been in the 1 gallon for about a month. The gravel was still wet (we never cleaned it or the filter out) which was surprising. We have it filled up and the heater going on it, but still, with no time to cycle, I don't like his odds.

Do any of you have a solution? :(

I hate to say this, but the guy at your LFS doesn't know what he's talking about and I would not trust his advice again. I am horrified he told you to put a puffer in a community tank!

Puffers are VERY aggressive and they need to be in species only tanks. Your puffer is going to have to live on his own, and you're going to need a BIG cycled tank pretty much immediately. He won't survive in a 1 gal. for long, I can assure you. They are big waste producers and very sensitive to poor water conditions. He's going to need a 30 gallon for him alone, with a heater and a really good filter slated for a 40 Gal at least.

Puffers are also brackish, tropical fish. They need salt in their water for 1.005 to 1.20 salinity, and warm temps of 75 degrees and above....Goldfish require COLD water and do best at temperatures at 65 - 72 degrees with NO salt unless you're giving them a salt water dip for an infection or a parasite.

The puffer is also primarily a carnivore...you can feed them some flakes, but they primarily eat crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish. So he's going to need things like blood worms, brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, clams, oysters, tiny snails, krill, shrimp pellets feeder fish and things like that.

If you can't afford all this, I'd really return him.

I'm sorry you got such bad information for your first time out on aquarium keeping. :(

But aside from all that, welcome to the forum! Glad you could join us!

Thank you for responding! Yeah, a big (for me) tank like that for one fish isn't economical. The wife and I will see if we can find him a good home, it isn't his fault he is what he is, right?

I would like some pretty fish to put in the tank I have (we will probably get another tank soon as well), any suggestions? I want colorful fish. So far the only color I have is the Oranda and the puffer, who is seperated now. We bought the puffer because he was so pretty. Too bad. :(

I saw a really nice Beta, would a beta do well in a community tank, as long as there were no other betas present? Do they just eat flakes?

Definately not a betta. It's another tropical fish that need warmer waters and they are also very aggressive and territorial. They would also attack your Oranda. It would go perfectly in your one gallon tank though!

You're already pretty well stocked with fish for your tank. You could get rid of the danios and add one more goldfish...another Oranda, a Black Moore, or a Fantail (don't mix fast goldfish with slow ones or you'll have feeding problems.) I also wouldn't add more than that in a 22 gal. because goldfish are also big waste producers and dirty their water fast.

Or you could go with White Cloud Minnows. They aren't super exciting, but they also love cold water, are good fish for beginners, easy to keep and have some pretty red tails.

Ok, so the betta for the 1 gallon will work? Good deal! They like it warmer as well, yes? Do they need a bottom feeder of some sort to help keep it clean? Are two cats in a 22 gallon tank too much? Will salt hurt the bettas? I sprinkled a pinch in there for the puffer. :(

I assume I won't be able to get the 2 teaspoons of salt out of the tank, right? The fish in it seem ok so far.

We were going to use the 6 danios to help us set up our NEXT freshwater tank. Hopefully a bigger tank, so I can get more color going.

Which is easier to keep, the fantail or the black moore?

No, it won't hurt the betta. When you find a new home for the puffer, just give it a very good rinse and all should be well.

Bettas are usually just fine at room temperature at around 70 degrees or more Fahrenheit with a neutral PH of 7 or so. Give them Hikari Betta pellets and blood worms and be sure to feed only about 4 pellets or blood worms at a time once a day.

You could put a snail in if you wish, though generally I've never needed snails in mine.

As for Black Moores and Fantails, they are both pretty much the same as the Oranda in far as terms of care so it's really up to you. Though Black Moores are well...black. You also have to be careful of the Moore's protruding eyes. I had one when I was younger and he ended up scraping an eyeball right out it's socket on the filter intake. Scared the crap out of me as a 13 year old!

So if you want color and no eyeball issues, go with the Fantail.

For your next tank, I suggest a tropical freshwater. With warmer temperatures you will have a whole host of colorful fish to choose from. Just be sure to ask questions and do your research first to find out what would be compatible and what wouldn't.

Thank you again for all your help! Are danios warmer or colder water fish? Or does it not matter for them? Also, will my Orandas tail fins heal from the biting of the puffer (found him a good hoem already, btw!).

When I get ready to start the next tank I will start a new thread about tropical fresh water fish! I appreciate all you have done.

You're welcome! I'm really happy that I could help. I'm also happy to hear you found a home for your puffer!

Yes, your Oranda's fins will grow back. Just be very certain to keep up with your water changes and keep the tank clean because the damage is prone to rot and infection right now. You can add a little Stress-Zyme to help.

Danios are great for either cool or mild tropical at about 65 -75 °F or so. They are pretty indestructible fish.

I suggest getting Glo-Fish. They are genetically modified zebra danios and they are AMAZINGLY colorful and beautiful!

Ok, cool! Glo-fish! I didn't even know they existed. How many do you think I should get, and what are the minimum amount of danios I should have? I have 6 now, could I go with three (so, for instance, I set up my next tank and start it with 3 of the danios I already have)? How soon can you put danios in a new tank? Are these dumb questions? I apologize if they are. My next tank will be a tropical freshwater tank like you suggested, I am pretty pumped about that concept. Will it be brakish water for that tank?

Danios are schooling fish, so around 6 is a good number. The glo-fish will school with your regular danios since they are the same species.

And no, these are NOT dumb questions. This is really critical basic stuff that all fish keepers need to learn so they don't lose time and money.

Did you use the your danios to cycle your first tank?

My main 22 gallon tank, yes.

The horrors we inflicted upon fish in that 1 gallon tank (and tanks before that over the years), I can only say we were uninformed and are now remorseful. You know how it is, your kids win a free goldfish, you toss it in a tank, give it water, the tank gets dirty, you put the fish in a bowl, you clean out the tank and wash the gravel, put the fish back in, everything dies, "oh well, dumb fish..." not realizing YOU caused it. :(

So if I have the 2 cats, the oranda, the 6 danios, and a snail, how many glo-fish, if any, can I add to the current tank?

Welcome to the forum.

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Welcome.