A few questions about Dwarf Puffers

[Ritt]

Got a few questions about dwarf puffer fish

I have a three gallon eclipse aquarium with some live plants (click on the link to see a pic.)

Currently I only have one Otto in the tank. I was thinking 2 dwarf puffers would do very well in the tank. I would still be following the 1 gallon to 1 inch of fish rule. Does this seam like a bad idea to any one?

My next problem is I live in a very very small town and the lfs which is an hour way does not carry dwarf puffers they do have figure 8. So does any one know of a good reputable place on line I can buy 2 dwarf puffers. Aquariumfish.net has them but I think paying 40 bucks for two fish and shipping is kind of ridicules. Maybe my lfs would order me some I was going to talk to them this weekend. The lfs is extremely expensive and the people that work there don’t really seam to know what there talking about.

Next question is about food. I can get a hold of small snails and ghost shrimp easy enough but I have never seen frozen food for sail at the lfs. Does any one have any recommendations? Also I have had snails in the past and in a matter of few days they have devoured all my plants? Will the small snails also do this?

My last question is can any one recommend a good reliable heater for such a small tank and where I could get one. The tank stays in the mid to upper 70s already.


http/home1.nikonnet.com/servlet/com.arcs...WHO=memberguest

 

[subopposite]

Hello. I went to my LFS, which isn't so local (hour away) and they had figure 8 puffers. Those things look cool, but they had like 8 or so of them in a 10-20 gallon tank and these things kick each others butts. Not one of them didn't have some finnage missing. A couple of them had no finnage at all in some places and one couldn't even swim right from his fins being nipped to death. He would just float and his head would fly into the wall and the gravel. I love the looks of these things, but these things are jerks. I don't have much advice for you, but I wouldn't get any now after seeing what they do to each other too. If you can't even put them with themselves, what can you put them with. I felt bad for them and so did the fish store guy I was talking to. He said the other day they were fine and he came in today and all heck broke loose and he will have to move some of them or make other arrangements for them. On a side not, they were selling the puffers for $9.99 a piece and I was there when they only had 2 healthy ones and they were $9.99 then too, so I think paying $20.00 a piece on the internet is a shabby deal, especially when you can't even see them. From what I have seen, they are innocent looking, but mean.

 

[Ritt]

subopposite

I see your from vermont

I am also from vermont I am almost willing to bet we are talking about the same fish store.

 

[jumpman]

but these things are jerks

I think maybe that's a bit harsh, with the right amount of space and conditions (and from what pufferpack has said before on many occasions) these are one of the most entertaining and fun fish to keep!!

Most fish will nip and fight when they are kept together in too small tanks

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi Ritt

2 Dwarf Puffers could work well together in a 3 gal tank, depending on their individual personalities. If you get 2 that are good natured it will be no problem, but if one or both of them happen to be "jerks" there will be trouble. It is a gamble in such a small tank because there is less room to keep out of each others way if they don't get along.
I don't know any on-line distributors, becaus I am lucky enough to have multiple fish shops in my city that stock puffers on a regular basis ...but some of the other members may be able to help there ...and 40.00 for 2 is theft...I pay 3.99 for 1
If your lfs doesn't stock live or frozen foods you could try raising your own. There are some posts on raising shrimp and bloodworms on this forum if you look hard enough. Whatever you decide you have to find either live or frozen food as most puffers won't touch anything else....and you won't have to worry about the snails eating your plants, they won't live that long ...you will need a constant supply to keep the little puffer teeth from growing too long

but they had like 8 or so of them in a 10-20 gallon tank and these things kick each others butts......
......I love the looks of these things, but these things are jerks.

subopposite
As with most puffers the Figure 8's are highly territorial, and putting 8 of them in a 10 or even a 20 gal tank is just cruel...especially if there are no caves or even plants in the tank for the less aggressive ones to hide. It is the equivilent of putting 8 Pit Bulls in a 10 or 20 sq ft. room and expecting them to behave.
If kept in the proper conditions puffers are the most personable fish I have ever seen and can be a constant source of enjoyment for their keepers for upwards of 20 years with some species.

 

[Ritt]

Pufferpack

Thanks for the helpful information

I am pretty sure my lfs will order me a few dwarf puffers. If I had the option do you think getting a male and a female or two males or two female would be better.

Also is there another type a puffer that would do well in my small aquarium that I might not know about.

Thanks for all the info

 

[subopposite]

I do agree that Puffers are cool, they just have the potential to be nasty little guys in the wrong set up. Ritt, the place I go to get my fish is the Pet and Aquarium in West Lebanon New Hampshire. I live in Barre, VT, so it is a hike. Actually, some of their tanks do not have the healthiest fish either, but have a much bigger variety and usually less overcrowding than other stores. I would love a 10 gallon with a couple puffers eventually, but don't know if I will ever hit that route. I think they just look cool, even if they didn't do anything. So, am I talking about the same place?

 

[Ritt]

subopposite

We are defiantly talking about the same place. I live in southern VT out side Brattleboro. I go to school at Norwich University so I am familiar with the Barre area. There is a nice fish store I like to go to in Burlington when I am in the neighborhood. It is way out on Shelburn road not as nice as the one in west leb but has a good selection and the guy that works there really knows his stuff.

It’s funny that we are both from Vt

 

[subopposite]

yes, quite interesting. there are 2 places in the burlington area i can stand, but still have yet to buy anything from. one is the Noah's arc. It is next to some pizza joint. They have some interesting fish for the space they have. The other is run down a way on the shelburne road I believe. It seems to be just a fish store and has a lot of tanks. It is on the left. You have to go way past Great Northern Stereo. I thought I would never get to it. It is pretty much just past a pet feed store. That is proabably the other place you are talking about too. Actually, I think it is called Green Mountain Aquarium. The owner seemed to be a little rude though when I was talking with him about fish and my at the moment ditzy girlfriend told him we just got our fish tank and it was in the car from Petsmart. I personally didn't think that was the smartest thing to say when you are trying to get info. Where I buy my fish and where I buy my fish stuff from are 2 different places. I buy the best price for equipment and try to go to the best health places and variety for my fishes.

Up in West Leb. I talk to a guy named Cory. He is pretty smart on most things, although he was just recently wrong about the PH's of apistos. He thought they were just above neutral. I still like him though. I always call to make sure he is there before I go. He must hate me. Oh well.

I actually go past Norwich usually once a week to play volleyball in a Northfield league on either Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. The league is pretty low level, but it can be enjoyable sometimes. Other times I ask myself why I even play there.

 

[Phreaxer]

I would suggest you get 2 females and a male, or one male, and one female...

 

[Pufferpack]

I would agree with Phreaxer 2 females or a male/female would be you best chance for peace. 2 males will definately scrap. For a 3 gal Dwarfs would be about the only suitable candidates.

 

[Ritt]

Last night went to the small pet supply store here in town. I haven’t been in for years because of how dirty it was. Apparently new owners run it and it is very nice. They don’t have a large selection of fish but what they do have are very healthy. To my surprise they had a fig 8 and a spotted puffer. The woman working at the store said she would order me what ever I wanted on Monday and would be in on Wednesday afternoon. They also have a large supply of frozen foods. So it seams that I will have a few new puffers next week.

I need to pick up a heater this weekend I am debating between a 50w or a 25w.

Also the ph in my tank stays at about 6.8 I have some ph up but was told that it would be hard to keep it in the 7.5-8.0 range with out adding some aquarium salt. Does any one else do this? Adding salt for a fw fish doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[Ritt]

By the way happy Birthday Pufferpack

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

You might check out http/www.liveaquaria.com/. I've not purchased fish from them, but it's a subsidiary of Doctors Fosters & Smooth who I've ordered medications for my dogs through before. Their customer service line is amazing, and the prices are very good. They happen to have indian dwarf puffers in stock for $9.99 a piece, and IMHO an excellent supply in general. I've been thinking about ordering some dwarf cichlids from them as it's difficult to find a good variety in my area. They're located in the states, not sure if they ship internationally or domestic only.

Shipping rates are a bit steep... orders under $300 are 24.99, 300 and up are 39.99.

 

[Elisabeth]

Definitely Don't add salt to the tank. Puffers are strictly freshwater fish.