dwarf puffers

[fishdude]

do they have to eat snails? Are they compatible with 2 neon dwarf gouramis, 2 powder blue gouramis, 3 swordtails, and 2 opaline gouramis.

also do they eat plants and how long do they live.

As always pufferpack got me hooked.

 

[Jamnog]

they may be compatable but i dont think they are everyone ive spoken to says they will only be ok with fish that hardly move as they nip any fast moving fishes fins. they doo eat plants but then again so do all fish imo. and as for how long they live bette wait for puffer to arive on that one but i think its a fair ol while.

 

[johnq]

dwarf puffers are interesting and smart creatures and are easily kept they are a fw puffer and need no salt they must have at least a snail a week but it would be no problem to find common ponds snails and keep them in a 1 gallon they will breed like rabbits. No I would not put any other fish in with a puffer of any kind but you may at your own risk. I strongly recomend not to as they will turn evne much bigger fish into lunch!

 

[Pufferpack]

do they have to eat snails? Are they compatible with 2 neon dwarf gouramis, 2 powder blue gouramis, 3 swordtails, and 2 opaline gouramis.

also do they eat plants and how long do they live.

Yes puffers have to eat snails to keep their teeth ground down. Some like the South American require snails more often than others as their teeth seem to grow at a faster rate. Dwarfs don't seem to need them quite as often, I feed my 6 about 12 to 15 snails per month and their teeth are ok so far. For best results try to feed them snails that are no bigger than their eye so that they will eat the shells as well, larger ones are ok as well but they only pull the meat out and leave the shells.
I definately wouldn't put them in with any Gourammis, we tried that when we first got our Dwarfs and they chewed the poor Gourammis fins and feelers off. The swordtails might be ok as they are pretty quick, but they will get nipped up some.
Puffers eat no plants at all, only live or frozen foods, that is why you have to be careful how much you feed them as they will eat so much that they can get constipated and die . But if cared for correctly puffers can live in excess of 15 years.