got my first puffers!

[ryansfish5g]

Hello,

I just recently bought 4 dwarf puffers. At first I just got one to see how it would get along with my 2 neon rosy barbs. When I first put him in the tank, the barbs nipped at him, but after that they got along great. A few days later I added 3 more dwarf puffers, and all seems well for now. The barbs are big enough to where the puffers couldn't harm them, they are pretty fast too.

The puffers were $1.99 at petsmart, and 1 person there actually knows what they are talking about, so I was happy to buy it from there.

My Equipment:
10 gallon tank
penguin bio-wheel mini filter
50w Hagen Submersible heater
thermometer

The food I got:
freeze-dried bloodworms
freeze-dried krill
frozen bloodworms
snails

They seem to be eating a bit. The snails are history....I better get more.

Question:
What temperature should I try to keep my aquarium at? I was thinking 78-82?? It is usually hot here in texas, so if I am going for less fluctuation it is easier around 80-82...(but not now, as we've had a few cold days)

Advice and comments are welcome!

 

[Lithril]

Hopefully the barbs are quick enough to keep out of the puffers way, just hope that they don't do anything to annoy them, dwarfs tend to hold grudges, especially in a 10 gal where there isn't that much room.

I've got my puffers at around 83 at the moment but they're still recovering from ich, going to drop it back down to bout 80.

They'll love the bloodworm, mine go mad for it.

 

[A.K.A Zak]

that's great, but just wondering, it says that you have a 10 gallon tank, and there are about 9 fish in the tank. i would say take out atleast 3, or try taking 4 out. but if you want to be really safe take out the rosy barbs and put in their own tank, and then the 10 gallon would be a puffer tank. i'm not telling you to, i'm just warning you.

 

[ryansfish5g]

that's great, but just wondering, it says that you have a 10 gallon tank, and there are about 9 fish in the tank. i would say take out atleast 3, or try taking 4 out. but if you want to be really safe take out the rosy barbs and put in their own tank, and then the 10 gallon would be a puffer tank. i'm not telling you to, i'm just warning you.

look closer....I have two tanks!

only 2 barbs and 4 dwarf puffers in the 10 gallon.

 

[ryansfish5g]

Hopefully the barbs are quick enough to keep out of the puffers way, just hope that they don't do anything to annoy them, dwarfs tend to hold grudges, especially in a 10 gal where there isn't that much room.

I've got my puffers at around 83 at the moment but they're still recovering from ich, going to drop it back down to bout 80.

They'll love the bloodworm, mine go mad for it.

these are large barbs 3"+ , if anything I am afraid for the puffers.

 

[Lithril]

Probably wouldn't worry bout the puffers, they can take down fishes much bigger than themselves, they're also very quick and as long as you have a few caves for them, they'll be fine

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi ryansfish5g

Sounds like a nice tank for the little puffers , the Barbs are quick enough that they may do Ok, but don't be surprised to look at the tank one day and see a Dwarf puffer hanging on to the barbs tail and going for a ride accross the tank ...my little guys used to distract the gouramis by 3 of them doing a little conga line accross the front of the tank while a 4th would sneak up behind the gouramis and latch on for a ride
I keep my Dwarfs at 79 F, but they are tolerant of a wide temp range so should be fine at 80 - 82.
Good luck with the freeze-dried foods, my guys won't touch it (they seem offended when I put freeze dried bloodworm in for the guppies in their tank, all 8 give me the "fish-eye" until I toss in some frozen stuff ), it they are still small you might do better to get some frozen brineshrimp to go with the frozen bloodworms, I find it is easier for the little ones to swallow and floats in the water a little longer so keeps their interest better.

 

[ryansfish5g]

Probably wouldn't worry bout the puffers, they can take down fishes much bigger than themselves, they're also very quick and as long as you have a few caves for them, they'll be fine

yeah, they do have caves, they will be good.

I am not worried about them.

I will get some pictures up pretty soon...after finals are over.

 

[ryansfish5g]

Hi ryansfish5g

Sounds like a nice tank for the little puffers , the Barbs are quick enough that they may do Ok, but don't be surprised to look at the tank one day and see a Dwarf puffer hanging on to the barbs tail and going for a ride accross the tank ...my little guys used to distract the gouramis by 3 of them doing a little conga line accross the front of the tank while a 4th would sneak up behind the gouramis and latch on for a ride
I keep my Dwarfs at 79 F, but they are tolerant of a wide temp range so should be fine at 80 - 82.
Good luck with the freeze-dried foods, my guys won't touch it (they seem offended when I put freeze dried bloodworm in for the guppies in their tank, all 8 give me the "fish-eye" until I toss in some frozen stuff ), it they are still small you might do better to get some frozen brineshrimp to go with the frozen bloodworms, I find it is easier for the little ones to swallow and floats in the water a little longer so keeps their interest better.

thanks for the info.

You are right about the freeze-dried food. They like frozen much better. I am going to get more snails soon, I think that is their favorite so far.

 

[MAM]

keep in mind, snails aren't just a treat, theyre a necessity. the snails help to keepthe puffers beaks filed down. i've put snails in a spare tank so they can mulitply on their own that way i don't have to go to the lfs to get them as often, then i just take some out and put them into the puffer tank each week.

can't wait to see some pics!!!!