Where Can I Buy a Puffer Fish in Texas?

Question: I'm wanting to get my aquarium going again and get a puffer fish. If I can afford to get two maybe I will. Where can I buy a puffer here in Texas? I'm not knowledged on the aquatic stores here in this area. Please help.

Rachelle Eatef replies:
It sounds like your rushing into things you aren't ready for. You haven't even got a tank setup yet and your already wanting the fish. Don't forget the nitrogen cycle before adding fish. Sometimes it takes weeks to a month do.

Puffer fish are usually very territorial fish and you can't mess around with them. They are so dangerous of a fish that I advise you to do a lot of research before just buying them. People die all the time from eating their meat in the wrong way. It's a delicacy to eat the meat in some countries and if eaten or cooked wrong.. Can prove to be fatal.

If your a beginner aquarist, I would say a puffer is just past your experience level. To answer your question though, there are loads of tropical fish and aquatic stores here in Texas. I have even seen some Walmart stores carry some puffers but not sure I would buy from there. You always have the large chain stores like pet smart, Petco and so forth. People complain about them but they do a great job for how wide of a variety of animals they care for. Most small aquatic stores are smaller end shops owned by local business owners. Some prefer to give their money to these mom and pop enthusiast stores. It's really up to you where you want to get the fish.

Pete Souge replies:
I buy all my fish online. They deliver the fish within 24 hours of purchasing it. You spend some money in shipping but they have the system down pat pretty darn well. The fish are safe in cooler like setups and the mail people know exactly what they are.

The Figure 8 Puffer is going to be your best bet. You could put one in a 30 gallon tank and have the water slightly brackish. They are the easiest puffers but still need perfect water clarity and tip top nutrition. They are tough to care for and a lot of people figure that out the hard way by having their expensive fish die.

But past that, a puffer is a pretty hard fish to care for ya know. I wouldn't advise them anyone who hasn't been caring for fish for at least 5 years. The fact that you say you feel like getting your tank back up and running kind of gives off the beginner vibe. I think all of us would never have our tanks "not running" and we are that crazy about our tank setups.

Not trying to burst a bubble but these fish are tough to care for and almost need really big monster tanks to run around in. They get territorial towards other fish and kill them pretty easily. Not to mention of you handle one wrong you could get stung and die.

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Popular Freshwater Aquarium Fish Types - Basics to Know

There are virtually hundreds of species of freshwater fish for your aquarium. Each of them has it own unique characteristics and they are found in numerous shapes colors and sizes.

The decision to choose a suitable freshwater fish for your aquarium requires a very prudent judgment. Will different species be able to live in harmony in a fish tank or there will be any problems? Well, harmony in an aquarium depends on their size and it is necessary that all the fish in the tank should have approximately same size. Sometimes small fishes can become easy prey for their bigger counterparts!

There are two kinds of freshwater fishes:

A) Livebearers- Livebearers give birth to their young ones. For example: mollies, guppies and so on

B) Egg layers- Here the young fish hatch from the eggs that are laid down by the parents. For example: neon tetras, goldfish and so on.

We are discussing some of the most popular freshwater fish for your aquarium:

1. Angelfish- These aquarium freshwater fishes originate in the South American region in the Amazon, the Freshwater aquarium fish Essequibo and the Orinoco. They have unusually round and laterally pressed bodies having elongated anal and dorsal fins that help them in making magical and mesmerizing swimming moments.

These species prefer to hide amongst the plants and roots spread around their habitat. They have striped coloration which provides them additional camouflage.

2. Goldfish- They are one of the most beautiful freshwater fishes that are found in various attractive colors.
If you are interested in some fancy types, then you can opt for pom pom, bubble eyes and celestial.

3. Swordtail- They are quite easy to care in aquarium and their maximum length rarely exceeds 4 inches. They resemble a red colored sword as their tailfin looks like a long sword!

4. Neon Tetra- These freshwater aquarium fishes love to move in groups and they are really fascinating to watch in an aquarium. They look very beautiful in a green colored glowing body. It is better to keep these small sized fishes with less aggressive species.

5. Platies- These freshwater aquarium fishes come in various attractive colors and can breed with ease as long as they reside in an area full of plants as it gives them a good place to hide. They move in groups and have broad bodies.

6. Guppies- Usually most pet shop owners suggest new aquarium owners to start with guppies as they are quite hardy and can live in difficult conditions.