Dwarf Puffer

[CAC]

Hi just wondering weather you could keep a single dwarf puffer in a 3 UK Gallon tank..
do you have to have a filter or can you just do frequent water changes...?
thanks, mikey

 

[pieman]

Bah 10 UK gallon in my opinion!

 

[CAC]

Bah 10 UK gallon in my opinion!

i thought it was 2-3 gal per puffer...

 

[demonmagus]

dunno where you got 10 UK gallons... but i suppose it is better to give more space.

I think 3 gallons is a bit small, but many people keep them like that...

5 gals is better

A filter is essential as they are very messy feeders

 

[kimmers318]

Most info does say 2-3 gallons per puffer, but when I put mine into a 5 gal while waiting for 10 gal to cycle she was not a happy puffer! When she was in larger community tank she was always seen zipping around, and is active again in the 10 gal.

 

[fishwatcher]

According to most of the dp sites, 2-3 per puffer is the smallest you should go. That being said, if you have the money, I'd go for atleast a 5-gallon if not a 10-gal, as they are very curious fish and like to have lots of room to swim and poke around in. Plus, with a 10-gal you could try a pair or a trio (1m, 2fm). If money/space/etc prevents that, I'd say try the 3-gal. If you can get one with a filter all the better, as they are pretty sensitive to ammonia and having to change the water out everyday (yeah, every day! they are messy!) will be pretty stressful on them too. I'd get the biggest tank you can, and get a good filter for it. They are not very hard fish to keep once they are settled in well, but they are a little picky.
kimmers318, what other fish are in with your puffer? I've been very interested in seeing what other fish work with the DPs.
Try the #### site.. lots of good info on it! Also, there are a few people on this board that are pretty knowledgable as well. Good luck, and let us know what you go with... DPs are great little fish!

 

[AMS]

I will agree with the other people and say a 10 gallon tank should be minimum. Not only does this allow space for these active puffers, it makes filtration and heating a lot easier as well. In a 3 gallon "tank" (more like a toilet bowl than a tank) there is little room for swimming and stability in temperature and water chemistry becomes difficult to achieve, which is vital for these sensitive fish.

blink.gif i thought it was 2-3 gal per puffer...

This guide (which is more like 3-5 gallons per puffer) applies to the minimum tank size, which is arguably ten gallons, per puffer. For example, going by the inaccurate 2-3 gallon per DP rule, you need at least a ten gallon tank and within this tank you could house up to 5 puffers (obviously inaccurate but depicts the example well).

Just because it is reccomended to house at least 20 gallons per Red Belly Piranha doesnt mean you can keep one in a 20 gallon aquarium. The same thing applies to DP's but on a smaller scale.

 

[kimmers318]

I have 1 male, 2 females in a 10 gal tank with 3 adf's and one otto. The adf's occasionally jump at the puffers, but they are too quick and no damage has been done, but I may still move one of the adf's to the betta tank and see how it does. The adf's didn't get jumpy with the puffers until I divided the tank for awhile to allow the new dp's to fatten up and get healthy, so they were in 5 gal with 1 dp. The dps do chase each other, especially at feeding time, but again, no damage done. The 2nd female, Lucy, is still smaller than the other 2, so she gets most of the abuse.
A highly decorated tank helps keep everyone away from each other....here is a pic of my newly renovated dp tank that I changed when I added the 2 new ones.

 

[fishwatcher]

Beautiful tank!

 

[kimmers318]

Thank you...I would like to find more plants that reach the top of the tank, but it is working so far! My trio is happy, healthy and always begging for food! I just wish they were a little easier to feed, they are definitely spoiled as my daughter tells me.

 

[CAC]

ok thanks for your advice guys
just wondering really, because im hopeing to get a new tank in a couple of months...
cheers, mikey