The valentini puffer just keeps on going from strength to strength within the fish keeping community as more and more people add a valentini puffer to their tanks.
After we published our article on keeping a valentini puffer with a clownfish a few weeks back, we noticed multiple people reaching out to ask about other suitable valentini puffer tank mates.
Due to seeing so many people reaching out for advice on what tank mates they can keep in a tank with their valentini puffer, we wanted to publish this article to try and help as many of our readers as possible.
Now, this is not an extensive list by any means and there are definitely more suitable valentini puffer tank mates out there but we feel that the ten feature tank mates below are going to be the more popular tank mates for your valentini puffer.
Your Tank Size Matters!
Before we delve into our list of valentini puffer tank mates, we just wanted to quickly mention that your tank size is going to play a big factor in what fish you can keep with your valentini puffer.
A full-grown Valentini Puffer can reach up to around 6 inches in length and because of this, you’re going to need a tank that is a minimum of 30 gallons just for the puffer.
Due to you wanting to keep a community tank, we would usually recommend a 50 gallon tank or larger though. This is just general advice and some of the potential tank mates below may need a tank larger than 50 gallons too.
The Personality Of Your Valentini Puffer Will Play A Huge Role!
Just like people, every puffer fish has their own unique personality. This means that one valentini puffer may be more aggressive than another.
Some puffers are going to take to a community tank better than others and the same can be said for some of the potential tank mates below too.
This is something that you’re going to have to keep in mind when stocking your tank and we would always recommend conducting plenty of research before you add any fish to your tank, not just valentini puffers.
What Are The Best Valentini Puffer Tank Mates?
Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, let’s get into our list of valentini puffer tank mates!
Tangs!
If you’re looking for a mid to large sized fish that is going to be a good tank mate for your valentini puffer then you really can’t go wrong with a tang.
There are many different types of tangs that you could choose from too such as the yellow tang, blue tang, and even the purple Tang!
Tangs are going to require a tank that is a minimum of 50 gallons but the larger the tank, the better.
The one downside to keeping tangs with valentini puffers is that they can be quite nippy so you will need to keep an eye on them, especially when they are first introduced to the tank.
Clownfish!
We mentioned clownfish a few times in this article already and that is because they make great tank mates for valentini puffers!
Clownfish are going to be a little on the smaller side when fully grown, reaching around 3 inches in length.
They are also going to require a minimum tank size of 30 gallons but, like tangs, the larger the tank, the better.
The great thing about keeping clownfish with valentini puffers is that they are very unlikely to be nipped at by the puffer due to their smaller size.
Cardinalfish!
Cardinalfish are a great addition to any community tank but they make especially good tank mates for valentini puffers.
This is because cardinalfish are very peaceful fish that aren’t going to cause any problems in the tank.
Cardinalfish are also on the smaller side, only reaching around 2 inches in length when fully grown.
They are going to require a minimum tank size of 30 gallons but, like most of the other fish on this list, the larger the tank, the better.
Angelfish!
If you’re looking for a large fish that is going to be a good tank mate for your valentini puffer then you really can’t go wrong with an angelfish.
Angelfish are some of the largest fish that you can keep in a freshwater tank, reaching up to around 12 inches in length!
Due to their large size, they are going to require a minimum tank size of 50 gallons but, like most of the other fish on this list, the larger the tank, the better.
The one downside to keeping angelfish with valentini puffers is that they can be a little nippy so you will need to keep an eye on them, especially when they are first introduced to the tank.
Wrasses!
Wrasses are another great option for valentini puffer tank mates.
There are many different types of wrasses that you could choose from but we recommend the sixline wrasse or the fairy wrasse.
Wrasses are going to require a minimum tank size of 50 gallons but, like most of the other fish on this list, the larger the tank, the better.
Gobies!
There are a number of different types of gobies that can work well in a tank with valentini puffers but you should usually stick to the smaller types of gobies if possible.
Some of the best options include the watchman goby, the neon goby, and the purple firefish goby.
Damselfish!
Damselfish are a great option for valentini puffer tank mates.
There are many different types of damselfish that you could choose from but we recommend the blue green chromis, the yellowtail damsel, or the azure damselfish.
Like most of the other fish on this list, damselfish are going to require a minimum tank size of 50 gallons but, as always, the larger the tank, the better.
Chromis!
Chromis is actually a type of damselfish with the points covered above being true for chromis too.
We wanted to give chromis their own entry onto the list due to being one of our favourite fish and some people who keep valentini puffers also keeping chromis in their tanks.
Butterfly Fish!
If you’re looking for a beautiful fish that is going to be a good tank mate for your valentini puffer then you really can’t go wrong with a butterfly fish.
Depending on your location, butterfly fish can be difficult or expensive to get though so many people opt against this option.
Hermit Crabs!
If you’re looking for a non-fish tank mate for your valentini puffer then you really can’t go wrong with hermit crabs.
Hermit crabs are going to require a minimum tank size of 30 gallons but, like most of the other animals on this list, the larger the tank, the better.
Just remember that there are a number of different types of hermit crab and many of them are land based animals so not all types of hermit crab are suitable for a tank with your valentini puffer.
Snails!
If you’re looking for a non-fish tank mate for your valentini puffer then you really can’t go wrong with snails.
Snails do well in a range of tank sizes and there are a number of different types of snails that can work well in tanks with valentini puffers too.
Summary Of Valentini Puffer Tank Mates!
- Tangs!
- Angelfish!
- Wrasses!
- Butterfly Fish!
- Hermit crabs!
- Clownfish!
- Snails!
- Damselfish!
- Gobies!
- Chromis!
Conclusion
So, there you have it! Our list of some of the best tank mates for your valentini puffer. We recommend sticking to fish that are similar in size to your valentini puffer as they will be less likely to get nipped at and, as always, make sure to do your research before adding any new fish to your tank. Thanks for reading!
