AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>. I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.<BR><BR><B>Organizations belong to</b><BR>American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc<BR><BR><B>Publications</b><BR>Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes<BR><BR><B>Education/Credentials</b><BR>PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)<BR>
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 3/20/2008 Subject: puffer fish
Question hi i bought a 20 gallon fish tank and i want to put the bigest puffer i can in there, but dont know what species will tolerate that size tank. i know spoted puffers can but what is the biggest one i can get for it that will never have to be changed out of the tank?
Answer Hi Jayson,
I think you need to think very carefully about what you are trying to do. If you get a puffer, you him to be happy and healthy. You cannot put any kind of large puffer in a 20 gallon tank. You should only think about getting a small puffer (something on the order of a couple of inches). Putting a larger puffer in such a tank is unfair to the fish.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
