Dwarf Puffers?

[fishygirl42]

Hey, i'm sorta new, but i was interested in Dwarf Puffers. I have a question though... I heard that it a 5gal tank would fit just one dwarf puffer, and i wanted to know if that was true or if it was torture to put one in a tank that small.

Also.. With the puffer, i was wondering what kind of clean-up crew would be able to live with the puffer?

thanks in advance... fishygirl B)

 

[kimmers318]

I had to rehome my first dp into a 5 gal when she became too nippy for the community tank and she wasn't too happy. She is now in a 10 gal with another female, and a male, 3 adfs (african dwarf frog) and 1 oto. The adf's do a good job of cleaning up missed bloodworms and everyone seems happy and healthy. Ghost shrimp work well sometimes too, but sometimes the dp's munch them up. It will depend on the dp. All of mine left ghost shrimp and the adf's alone, but that isn't always the case.
Dwarfpuffers .com has a lot of good info on keeping dps....good luck, they are worth the time and effort!

 

[fishygirl42]

Thank you for your fast reply Kimmers! I checked out the site and it was a lot of help. Thanks again, i am now thinking on the setup and am about to ask my parents(very strict parents) if i can buy the setup.

 

[AMS]

Dwarf puffers are not a brackish water fish. Posting in the Oddball section will provide you with more information.

to the forums!

 

[nmonks]

It's also worth mentioning you dont need a clean-up crew.

Pufferfish are nitrAte intolerant and sensitive to drops in oxygen concentration. The more fish (or frogs, or shrimps) you add to a tank, the more nitrate there is, and the less oxygen to go round. Therefore, the best pufferfish tank is the one containing just pufferfish. If you have a 10 gallon or 20 gallon tank, then you probably have some latitude, but a 5 gallon tank is so small you probably shouldn't take any chances.

The definition of a clean-up crew is (apparently) something that eats up leftover food. In a properly run aquarium, there shouldn't be any leftover food because you only give the fish what it can eat, and remove anything leftover. Leftover food becomes nitrate, and nitrate is bad for the pufferfish.

I think you see where I'm going here. By all means keep puffers in tanks with other species, if they're compatible, but don't feel like you have to. That's a total myth.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[demonmagus]

also I heard that the DP will probably eat the 'clean up crew'. Not too sure though

Btw nmonks, what is your avatar?

 

[Nina]

If you have snails in your "clean up crew" then it is most likely that they will get picked at and eaten.

Although saying that they will need snails to help keep their beaks trim. A small snail a week will be more then fine.