dwarf puffers...

[chris_1127]

I had a panic this morning when i checked on my dwarf puffer tank - i found all three of them piled in a heap on top of each other, on the bottom of the tank looking a bit dead! I turned the lights on and after a second or two they all sprung in to life and started swimming around quite happily and normally! They're also eating normally too so i dont think its any kind of illness. Normally they all sleep on leaves in different parts of the tank - this is the first time ive caught them all sleeping in a bundle together, and was quite a surprise! Anyone else ever seen this behaviour in dwarf puffers??

also, just as a further aside, i have noticed since i got them that theres quite a bit of colour variation between the 3 of them - two are quite yellow with clearly defined dark spots, whereas the third one is a much more olive-y colour with no real defined spots as such, just slightly darker patterns.

 

[rain-]

Mine did sometimes sleep close to each other but not in a pile though. And they really are social and I think they are best kept in shoals. At least they really seem to enjoy it and swim around exploring things together.

The olive one sounds like a male. Does it also have a dark line under it's belly? And wrinkles behind his eyes? Males are more colourful, and females have more contrast between the spots and skin colour.

The pictures are from here.

 

[Erised]

Puffers actually sleep on the floor or in plants at night, and believe me, they can be quite grumpy when you turn the lights on too early as well! Mine somehow always sleep near eachother at night as well, so guess its nothing to worry about

 

[J-Money]

I don't know where/how mine sleep, but I've seen all 5 of them together through out the day just chillin'

 

[SirMinion]

Perfectly normal, especially when they're young.