thinking about a puffer tank...

nursie · 07-14-2006, 07:33 AM

I have a 15 gallon tank that I don't have anything in. I've been thinking about this for some time.
What types of puffers are good for this size of tank? Dwarf I'm assuming.
I've been reading on the puffer sites..they are saying that heavily planted tanks are good. They also menton that MTS snails are bad for them. Any comments? Also see that you can have otos in the tanks too...

How may dwarf puffers would you put in a 15 gallon? 3? 4?
Can you mix kinds of dwarf puffers?

RTR · 07-14-2006, 09:00 AM

There is only one dwraf puffer, Carinotetraodon travancoricus. These puffers, unlike the others of their own genus and the more familiar hobby puffers, rarely if ever suffer from tooth overgrowth. But snails are a good nutrition source if you rear them yourself. MTS are too hard-shelled for puffers, they can break their teeth on them (I have lost an adult F-8 from that, and worked for moths to save a South American after such a break), and DPs would never get them at all. MTS also have opercula (trap doors) and will go noctural if snail-eaters are present, so the DPs would rarely see them. Baby common ramshorn or common pond snails are ideal and easy to culture. You may have to crush the first ones, as they may not recognioze them as food (DPs are captive bred commercially - the only puffer which is so).

A really heavily planted 15 can handle up to 5 DPs, but 3-4 is ideal, best scenario would be one male and two females, or maybe one male and 3 females. With the smaller number, a couple of Otocinclus cats can serve as algae grazers (generally ignored by DPs). Some DPs ignore shrimp as well, so I have kept a variety of shrimp with them, but some particular DPs kill and eat shrimp - unpredictable.

DPs are FW fish, native water is moderately hard and alkaline, fairly warm, but standard tank conditions are fine. Another excellent food for them is live California blackworms - use a cone feeder, these fish examine everything carefully that they consider eating and the conne gives them time to do so - watching them helicopter around a cone is a hoot. Large scale water changes are best (50% weekly is standard). Thawed frozen bloodworms are also good food - if you do not already have or develop the common allergy to that food.

DPs are aka Malabar puffers, pea puffers, and several other names. They are sexually dimorphic (rare in puffers - males appear to have "wrinkles" behind their eyes and dark lines down the midline of their belly (not alway sharp, but usually at least visible) - the line represents the dorsal and ventral crests the males of this genus show when displaying for the females). females show neither of those, but they do not show until sexual matirity is approaching. Females tend to have more freckles, but that is not strong enough to be distinguishing. They are sexually mature before or by one year. They are short-lived for puffers, likely 3-5 years, but that still uncertain, they have not been popular long enough to have good figures. My 5 are all over 3 years old, and I have lost none as yet.

RTR · 07-14-2006, 09:01 AM

Sorry, duplicate post - showed as "Server error" but posted anyway.

nursie · 07-14-2006, 11:37 AM

Thanks, RTR. I have hard water, so that's a plus. I have pond and ramshorns snails already so will have some food for them.
Does substrate matter to them? And tank decorations? I usually use sand/fluorite and have some rocks and driftwood.

RTR · 07-14-2006, 01:59 PM

They prefer plants - real or artificial. Mine sleep in wisteria or between leaves of Anubias nana. The use clumps of Java Moss as a spawning site, so if you want breeding, that at least is needed.

They don't have substrate preferences SFAIK. Something easily vacuumed if not live planted - they are small, but definiely still puffers, and messy.

nursie · 07-14-2006, 02:39 PM

I have plenty of plants in other tanks, should be able to get starts for this easy, and a ton of java moss. Do they go in caves?
I'll have to let you know when I get things going. thanks!!

RTR · 07-14-2006, 08:26 PM

Mine have not frequented the caves provided, some folks do report them in caves. It may depend on the level of plant cover. They swim around a lot, but when they nap or sleep, they to want to be visually away as well. That is probably defensive, they are pretty small fish, thouigh quite chunky.

nursie · 10-09-2006, 07:15 AM

I happened to find 4 dwarf puffers at Petsmart sat and got them all!!
Also got 4 otos. So now I've just stocked my Q tank..I need another

LittlePuff · 10-09-2006, 07:28 PM

And the addiction begins....

07-14-2006, 07:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
nursie vroom...vroom... Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, IL: USA Posts: 3,735	thinking about a puffer tank... I have a 15 gallon tank that I don't have anything in. I've been thinking about this for some time. What types of puffers are good for this size of tank? Dwarf I'm assuming. I've been reading on the puffer sites..they are saying that heavily planted tanks are good. They also menton that MTS snails are bad for them. Any comments? Also see that you can have otos in the tanks too... How may dwarf puffers would you put in a 15 gallon? 3? 4? Can you mix kinds of dwarf puffers?

07-14-2006, 09:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 848	There is only one dwraf puffer, Carinotetraodon travancoricus. These puffers, unlike the others of their own genus and the more familiar hobby puffers, rarely if ever suffer from tooth overgrowth. But snails are a good nutrition source if you rear them yourself. MTS are too hard-shelled for puffers, they can break their teeth on them (I have lost an adult F-8 from that, and worked for moths to save a South American after such a break), and DPs would never get them at all. MTS also have opercula (trap doors) and will go noctural if snail-eaters are present, so the DPs would rarely see them. Baby common ramshorn or common pond snails are ideal and easy to culture. You may have to crush the first ones, as they may not recognioze them as food (DPs are captive bred commercially - the only puffer which is so). A really heavily planted 15 can handle up to 5 DPs, but 3-4 is ideal, best scenario would be one male and two females, or maybe one male and 3 females. With the smaller number, a couple of Otocinclus cats can serve as algae grazers (generally ignored by DPs). Some DPs ignore shrimp as well, so I have kept a variety of shrimp with them, but some particular DPs kill and eat shrimp - unpredictable. DPs are FW fish, native water is moderately hard and alkaline, fairly warm, but standard tank conditions are fine. Another excellent food for them is live California blackworms - use a cone feeder, these fish examine everything carefully that they consider eating and the conne gives them time to do so - watching them helicopter around a cone is a hoot. Large scale water changes are best (50% weekly is standard). Thawed frozen bloodworms are also good food - if you do not already have or develop the common allergy to that food. DPs are aka Malabar puffers, pea puffers, and several other names. They are sexually dimorphic (rare in puffers - males appear to have "wrinkles" behind their eyes and dark lines down the midline of their belly (not alway sharp, but usually at least visible) - the line represents the dorsal and ventral crests the males of this genus show when displaying for the females). females show neither of those, but they do not show until sexual matirity is approaching. Females tend to have more freckles, but that is not strong enough to be distinguishing. They are sexually mature before or by one year. They are short-lived for puffers, likely 3-5 years, but that still uncertain, they have not been popular long enough to have good figures. My 5 are all over 3 years old, and I have lost none as yet. __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune

07-14-2006, 09:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 848	Sorry, duplicate post - showed as "Server error" but posted anyway. __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune Last edited by RTR : 07-14-2006 at 09:06 AM.

07-14-2006, 01:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 848	They prefer plants - real or artificial. Mine sleep in wisteria or between leaves of Anubias nana. The use clumps of Java Moss as a spawning site, so if you want breeding, that at least is needed. They don't have substrate preferences SFAIK. Something easily vacuumed if not live planted - they are small, but definiely still puffers, and messy. __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune

07-14-2006, 08:26 PM	#7 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 848	Mine have not frequented the caves provided, some folks do report them in caves. It may depend on the level of plant cover. They swim around a lot, but when they nap or sleep, they to want to be visually away as well. That is probably defensive, they are pretty small fish, thouigh quite chunky. __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune

07-14-2006, 11:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
nursie vroom...vroom... Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, IL: USA Posts: 3,735	Thanks, RTR. I have hard water, so that's a plus. I have pond and ramshorns snails already so will have some food for them. Does substrate matter to them? And tank decorations? I usually use sand/fluorite and have some rocks and driftwood.

07-14-2006, 02:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
nursie vroom...vroom... Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, IL: USA Posts: 3,735	I have plenty of plants in other tanks, should be able to get starts for this easy, and a ton of java moss. Do they go in caves? I'll have to let you know when I get things going. thanks!!

10-09-2006, 07:15 AM	#8 (permalink)
nursie vroom...vroom... Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria, IL: USA Posts: 3,735	I happened to find 4 dwarf puffers at Petsmart sat and got them all!! Also got 4 otos. So now I've just stocked my Q tank..I need another

10-09-2006, 07:28 PM	#9 (permalink)
LittlePuff Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Peoria,IL Posts: 38	And the addiction begins....

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode