can you suggest a puffer for a 5 gallon tank?

[k2snowboards88]

I have an extra 5 gallon tank lying around, and i want to use it for a puffer tank. I"m assuming i can only get 1 puffer in a 5 gallon tank, but i'm wondering what kind to get.

I've heard oto's can be mixed with puffers, are there any other fish that can too?

 

[LoachLover]

The only puffer you can get in that size tank is a dwarf puffer, you probably could get 2.

 

[k2snowboards88]

I've been reading about puffers and it says you should feed them snails to help wear down their teeth. I've never seen snails on sale anywhere. What should i do if i can't get any snails?

 

[LoachLover]

I've been reading about puffers and it says you should feed them snails to help wear down their teeth. I've never seen snails on sale anywhere. What should i do if i can't get any snails?

Well you have a couple options.

They have small pond snails crawling around in some of the tank stores, wal*mart sometimes has a whole tank for small feeder snails.

Since I can't even get those were I live, I buy like 4 of the "fancier" species of snails, and breed them. I feed the young snails to my loaches.

 

[k2snowboards88]

edit: mistake

 

[LoachLover]

I'd join the Dwarf Puffer forum, I'll PM you the link so I don't get slammed for advertising

 

[Erised]

a 5 Gallon can only keep 1 dwarf puffer. For 2 dwarf puffers its best to have a 10+ Keeping 2 dwarf puffers in a 5 gallon will more than likely give you problems! I'd say, get 1 only and you can try and pull off keeping an otto with it. However, be warned, there are actually quite a lot of dwarf puffers that did fin nip/kill the ottos they were in with.

 

[jflowers]

Yep, one dwarf puffer would be nice with some live plants. Be warned though, get the correct scientific name (pinned post) and get you LFS to confirm that there puffers are the same, mistakes are often made and you could end up with a 5" fish in a 5g tank

Jon

 

[LoachLover]

Yep, one dwarf puffer would be nice with some live plants. Be warned though, get the correct scientific name (pinned post) and get you LFS to confirm that there puffers are the same, mistakes are often made and you could end up with a 5" fish in a 5g tank

Jon

That would definately be bad

 

[bugsy66]

Hi, I have just setup my 5 gal with two dwarf puffers (freshwater) they are the cutest things ever. Can I suggest that if you want two of them which would be your max get them both at the same time. I bought one and then 4 days later bought another one. The first one is a bit nippy towards the new one, but things are settling in just fine now. I do have an otto, I put it in there just to see what would happen, they of course nipped at it a bit. So what I am going to do is put the otto in at night to keep the tank clean and then move it back to my main tank like I did when this was a betta tank. It worked out great.

Yes they do love snails and I have an endless supply in my 25 gal community tank that I just plop in there the odd time. I want them to eat other things than just snails so I don't give them a whole lot of snails at one time.

I tried to get a pair of these little ones and hopefully I achieved it. Time will tell.
Yes that forum mentioned is great, lots of great help and info there regarding the dwarf puffers.

good luck, they are fun.....

 

[TorPeteO]

I have one puffer in a 5 gallon tank. I used to have two, the one I have killed the other one.

A 5 gallon tank leaves you with very little room for creativity, and a fish such as a dwarf puffer like lots to explore. Mine, for instance, always looks bored out of her mind. I'm planning on upgrading her into a 15 gallon tank any day now.

I'd say that when you get a fish like a dwarf puffer, you really should have them in a larger tank than 5 gallons. Most fish like an environment that is similar to nature, and that means tankmates. While they are very territorial and very aggressive, dwarf puffers do like to be with others (especially if the others are of the opposite sex) provided they have suitable space and decoration to distract them.

Another reason to use a larger tank? Otos love to be in groups. Large groups. 5 or more. An oto by itself quickly becomes uncomfortable, timid, and lonely in a 5 gallon tank, and any more than two (or possibly three) in a five gallon with a messy eater such as a dwarf puffer will be overstocked.

Hold on to the five gallon tank. Maybe you'll be lucky like Ren the famous dwarf puffer keeper and be rewarded for you hard work with fry. You can use the 5 gallon as a grow-out tank.

Good luck!

 

[FishGyrlFriend]

From previous experience, I had 3 dwf freshwater puffers in a 15 gallon community tank and only one survived because the most dominant one kept the others from the snail food.

 

[k2snowboards88]

Yep, one dwarf puffer would be nice with some live plants. Be warned though, get the correct scientific name (pinned post) and get you LFS to confirm that there puffers are the same, mistakes are often made and you could end up with a 5" fish in a 5g tank

Jon

I wish i could. But i live in the capital region of new york and theres only one good fish store that i know of. They're great, they take care of their fish. they're always healthy and the tanks are spotless. The only problem is that they don't know the scientific names of their fish. They get them under their trade name.

 

[chris_1127]

my 3 dwarfs live quite happily at the mo in a 15g with 4 otos and 4 fw bumblebee gobies. The puffers seem to get on pretty well amongst themselves - half the time you will find all 3 together - and they actually get chased off by the bumblebees. I have 5 (was 6!!) cherry shrimp and 3 amanos too, and 99% of the time they completely disregard the shrimp - they did eat half of one cherry shrimp (he was the unlucky 1%!!!) but so far the others have escaped unscathed!! i know chances are long term they will be snackfood but so far so good.....

 

[jflowers]

What does a fw bumblebee gobie look like, I have only ever seen them in brackish.

Jon