Dwarf Puffer Advice

[lilacamy931]

Hi Guys had my four dwarf puffs for about 4 weeks now. At the beginning had a really dominant male who bullied everyone. Now it seems the tables have turned. The others have caught up and it seemed I ended up with 2 males and 2 females. The problem I am having is he has been really pale the past two days and today has not eaten. He used to hang with the others (though always been a bit of a loner) but now stays away from them all and submissive. The others get to the food before him, today divided them from him but still wasnt really interested.

After much deliberation and panic attacks of separating them, because he is pale and now smaller than the others and I ended up with two males I will put him in a tank on his own and hope this is a good decision for him and the others.

The help I need is the 5g tank espcially for him I will not have until Friday, I have been running the filter in the main tank to get the good stuff and have active. Worried about him being pale and now today not eating (I know they can go a week without food). But my options are as follows:

1. Leave him there and transfer when get the tank Friday (would need to clean and install equipment, temperature etc before placing so may run to Saturday AM).

2. Place in an empty 38 litre for now with minimal decoration and too small a filter for the tank capacity and then transfer to new tank in 2 days time (worried this would stress him out).

Many thanks for any help

 

[bagu]

i say leave him in his current tank and see if he changes.

If not, move him on friday, let him settle in and see if he changes color and feeds again!

good lucK they are great little fish

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks Bagu!

I have to say I absolutely adore them but had a couple of ups and downs! One being my poor main man being pale last couple of days and not his usual self. The other which now I can look back on as a funny story was a week or two ago, turned the lights off and Piggy went nuts (not sure why but spooked). She leapt the water and went down under the filter. Curious went and checked on her, she had her head against the wood in the tank and was not moving! Me and Alex waited 10 minutes no movement. So tears in my eyes expecting the worst got the net out and gently gathered her up in it. She slowly came round, my silly Piggy had knocked herself out on the wood, so worried, but next morning eating well again. As you can guess by her name she always over feeds and first to the food.

Right will await till Friday unless something further happens and see if being on his own is better. He was begging or wanting me a moment ago so tried to feed again with the others kept away but no... Hoping this works as have been worried for ages about having two males and no where local takes them.

 

[bagu]

glad she is okay!

my little puffer died =( the Co2 airpipe came out and she got sucked in i cried for hours you get attached to their little peronalities sounds like your little miss piggy is gonna be one to look out for hehe

Hope all works out well, keep us posted!

 

[lilacamy931]

thanks so much Bagu. awww so sorry you lost yours always get more

Will let you know if he gets worst or more hoprfully if he peaks up when transfer him (going to be a new experience for both of us as havent caught one before Gulp!)

 

[jennybugs]

What is your planting level like? They pick on each other when they can see each other too well, so the addition of a fair few more plants may help. What size tank is it at the mo? Being crammed into too small a space can also contribute to higher aggression levels.

I agree on leaving it be as it would stress the little thing out even more.

 

[lilacamy931]

It is a 14 gallon which after all my research and discussions with various should be adequate for 4? There are quite a few fake plants in there with swimming space at the front and a clearer end towards the filter. The 3 sleep behind the filter in the corner and my little man has always preferred the plants. There is also a cave and bog wood (large but good size for the tank) for them as well.

 

[jennybugs]

I run with the 5 gallons per fish minimum, personally Ideally you want the tank to look packed with plants so it breaks up their line of sight. I have 4 in a 60L biorb and the tank is just a ball of green leaves when you first look at it, then all of a sudden you spot movement

 

[lilacamy931]

LOL! Mine certianly does not look like that! I will plan on moving him to his own little domain as he has always been the grumpy one to see if that perks him up. Trying my first live plants soon (except for 2 moss balls there are all plastic in the tank). Going to try 5 sets of potted ones and have asked the kind gentleman selling to me to pick beginner ones, if these do down a treat (was going to place in betta tank and maybe one or two in my guys tank) and see how I can keep them! (Ive seen some liquid stuff you dose the water for the plants I hope this is ok and the right stuff?). Also plan on adding Java Ferns to the main tank and perhaps Anubias, java moss to the bogwood, though the other 3 seem absolutely fine though it also won't harm to give them more to explore. Have gravel for both so hoping ok for the plants as well.

Hmmm.. been debating so long on whether to move him or not, don;t think more plants will do it for his unhappiness and worried will do something wrong. I will give him ago in his own tank (please dont die!)

The general information I kept finding and given to me was 5g first and 3g for the extras each. Luckily found this as the store first tried ordering off told me to get about 8 to get the sex ratio right and then return them. a) not nice for them in the tank or safe and b) asked if they would take one back when found out 2 males (bought these elsewhere) and said they wouldn't! So appaulling but there we go.

 

[jennybugs]

You want to be careful what you add to the tank plant food wise. These little fellas don't have scales so are more sensitive to stuff like that

I would go with the anubias, java fern and bog wood idea for sure and maybe taller plants like Cabomba, Hygrophila polysperma - grows like mad and easy to look after and also Lymnophila sessiflora and possibly Ludwigia sp. Easy to grow and will keep on growing fast and well

 

[lilacamy931]

What would you recommend for the plants food wise? Was not planning on a CO2 diffuser. My local LFS has one bottled to dose tank with, or sticks that you break and add to the soil...so little bit limited. If there are certain products you recommend will look on Ebay and such Im such a newb sorry.

 

[jennybugs]

With the plants I listed, they should all do fine on fish poop I have plants in my tanks and don't feed them or run CO2 and they do well. I stick to simple lighting and anubias and such and it all seems to work for me.

Don't apologise for being a newbie! I was once as well and learnt by asking questions

 

[lilacamy931]

Thank you jennybugs, I always have more questions though and some are just ridiculous! LOL

I don't know what is coming from the seller, but if the batch I have does not do well then will get the known ones and try it like that! Did mention the javas, anubias etc as a favoured but unsure of his stocking at the time (very nice man he is delivering me a fish and the plants next week so will ask him straight out what they are!).

Thank you again to both, will keep an update/diary of my main man.

(p,s their names are Piggy (f), Princess (f), mini man (m) and main (m) though main man is now mini (won't change it because he is my grumpy little guy!)

 

[bagu]

Thank you jennybugs, I always have more questions though and some are just ridiculous! LOL

I don't know what is coming from the seller, but if the batch I have does not do well then will get the known ones and try it like that! Did mention the javas, anubias etc as a favoured but unsure of his stocking at the time (very nice man he is delivering me a fish and the plants next week so will ask him straight out what they are!).

Thank you again to both, will keep an update/diary of my main man.

(p,s their names are Piggy (f), Princess (f), mini man (m) and main (m) though main man is now mini (won't change it because he is my grumpy little guy!)

hehe wicked names

another plant (which my puffer used to sleep in) was water wisteria, it grows nicely and i love its leaves!

questions are good; take care

Bagu

 

[lilacamy931]

You have both been brill! Thank you Give a little update later.

They are basic names but suited them! lol