Got another dwarf puffer

MAM · Nov 26, 2003

well, was at the lfs last night to check for something and saw that they only had 2 of the dwarf puffers left. after watching the tiny one (body was less than 1/2 an inch, but he was full of piss-n-vinegar!!!) chase the larger one around a while (he even went after the poor plec they had in there because it was clinging to the piece of bogwood the puffer wnated to hide under), i decided to take the bigger one home to live with the passive puffer i already have. since one of my gobies died over the weekend i had a fish void to fill. so i introduced the new puffer without incident. didn't bother the resident puffer or the gobies or even the ghost shrimp.
now, i'm wondering how to sex the two puffers. their behavior is strange. i'm not sure if they are just practicing passive territorialism or if there is some courtship occuring. they swim within inches of each other constantly. one slowly swims off and the other follows. they never touch, but they have come within less than an inch of each other, yet they never chase each other off or charge at each other or anyother aggressive type act. they look like maybe theyre just sizing each other up or something. when i fed them i thought for sure there'd be some rivalry, but no. they both just watched the worms wriggle and then slowly moved in to eat some, leaving each other alone completely. at least i know they aren't fighting. the new guy is smaller than the original one and the markings are less defined and more mottled and darker (so at least i can tell them apart), but is there any way to figure out if i have a male and a female? (is my pauly a polly?) :lol:

smb · Nov 26, 2003

I don't know much about pufferfish but I seem to remember that pufferpack told me a couple months ago that males are leaner and not as round as females and the males also have a dark ventral line.

I hope I remembered correctly and if not, someone please correct me.

Lithril · Nov 26, 2003

Can't help you at all on this one Molly, looking forward to PPs reply though as I wouldn't mind being able to sex my Colomesus, was going to wait a few weeks though as I think its easier when they're larger.

MAM · Nov 26, 2003

unfortunately lith, waiting til they get bigger isn't much of an option for me :lol:

. tried looking for noticable diffs, even took a magnifying glass to the tank, but nada. markings are diff though, will have to see if i notice the line smb mentioned. i did find one site with some info, and even though the author's english was questionable, i think i got out it pretty much what smb said. but i'll wait and see if pp has anymore to add to this.

dixaisy930 · Nov 26, 2003

I'd say keep a close eye on those two puffers...they sound like they're acting the same way my two did, before my resident puffer attacked the new one, and killed her. :-(

It didn't happen right away...it was about three days after I got the new one, and there were no problems prior. It might also be nothing...them just getting to know each other...establishing territories and what not.

MAM · Nov 26, 2003

dixaisy930 said:
I'd say keep a close eye on those two puffers...they sound like they're acting the same way my two did, before my resident puffer attacked the new one, and killed her. It didn't happen right away...it was about three days after I got the new one, and there were no problems prior. It might also be nothing...them just getting to know each other...establishing territories and what not.

well, i was wondering about that. like maybe theyre just both being passive for now and see where that gets them. i have a spare tnak to put one in if need be. i did set up the tank into two territories witha break in the site line, and put the new guy in on the opposite side of the tank as the current. guess we'll just have to see what the next few days brings...................

Pufferpack · Nov 27, 2003

When they are young the differences are not quite as pronounced in the Dwarfs, if you look closely you should see the females have a flatter forehead with a bit of a ridge between and just behind the eyes and they have a tendency to stay plumper on average.
Here you can make out the flatter forehead and eye ridge on one of my females

The males while usually slimmer have a more rounded curve to their forehead and little wrinkles between the eyes and the gills, as they mature you will see a brown or black line running down their bellies from lip to tail.
In this picture you should be able to see the difference in forehead and less pronounced eye ridges. You can also make out the little wrinkles behind the eyes.

...as for Colomesus asellus, I have no idea how to tell them apart.

As Daisy mentions, keep an eye on them, but a couple of mine chum around like that occasionally with no troubles so they may just be friends....if they start to shimmy and shake around each other, that is the start to a mating dance

MAM · Dec 1, 2003

so far, so good. they continue to swim near each other but also spend time apart. will be posting pictures soon. petey IS a petey, but pauly is actually a paula.

no mating dance yet as pp put it, but they have been spending a fair amount of time behind one plant at the back of the tank. don't think i have the right conditions going on for mating, but we shall see what happens. i'll just be happy as long as they don't kill each other.

Pufferpack · Dec 2, 2003

Good to hear they are getting along

...If you want to try and induce spawning, I've read that if you put some java moss in the tank and do a 50% water change it will sometimes kickstart the urges :hey: