please help me with my new dwarf puffer!

[Jenny514b]

I bought a dwarf puffer and have him in my community tank. Ive had people say he shouldnt be in there but he seems fine, has staked out his own area and swims with the other fish. My problem is trying to feed my puffer without the other fish eating his food. Would my other fish be interested in snails? If I fed my puffer snails would that be nutricious? I will have to remove him i guess if theres no way to feed him in there, but he seems to fit in so well. In my tank I have 5 tiger barbs, 4 diamond tetras, 5 white clouds, 2 dwarf gouramis, 3 oto's, and one puffer. If I can make this work i want to buy 2 more puffers; would they get along and enjoy each others company or feel threatened?

Thanks to everyone in advance. I love my fish!


Almost forgot- 44 gallon

 

[SirMinion]

How long has he been in there?
Dwarfs can work in community tanks with certain fish, but I'm sure about those barbs.
Your puffer may be in as much danger from the barbs as they are from him.

Watch for signs of trimmed tails on the barbs, tetras & minnows, and trimmed tentacles & fins on the gourami.

As for feeding him, it's just a case of watching carefully to make sure he gets enough food as he needs. Feed bloodworm, brine shrimp and snails.

/edit: Oh, and welcome to the forum!

 

[Puffer_freak]

It depends on what you're feeding him. It doesn't seem like hes going to be able to stay in there fopr long if he doesn't get fed.

 

[Jenny514b]

he's only been in there since yesterday. When I bought him he was in a tank with tiger barbs-part of the reason i bought him since my barbs are the the ones who would make the most trouble if any. But so far they dont mind him at all. And He dont try to hurt them either. I have so many live plants and things that he can curl up in whenever he wants to suddenly slip outta sight (he's so tiny!). And i make sure he is also moving about, and seemingly happy which he does/is. He found a sleeping hole in a log already, and likes to look at his reflection in this certain spot behind a rock cave and plants, where i find him often. He's more scared of me looking in on him then he is of the other fish, but i hope he will have a chance to get used to me. And he doesnt yet seem like he would want to hurt my other fish at all. But i will keep an eye on that. I just dont know how to make sure he eats. I tried frozen shrimp but the fish devoured it all before he had a chance. Thats why I'm thinking snails would work since I dont think/know if the other fish would be interested in those. I just also want to make sure that he would be healthy if his diet consisted mostly of snails, and I would try to sneak him the occasional bloodworm/shrimp etc. Thanks again for your help.

 

[SirMinion]

As he's not been in there for long, his behaviour will change as his confidence grows and he may become a little terror. Keep an eye on your fish!

A diet of mainly (but not only) snails is fine, but that's a lot of snails! I doubt you would be able to keep up with him. We weren't able to even though we had a snail breeding tank.

Dwarf puffers favourite food is live or frozen bloodworm in my experience, so try him on those, and try feeding him after stuffing your other fish on something else so that they're full.

Puffers need feeding more often than other fish, (little & often) so be carefull that you don't overfeed your other fish while trying to get food to your puffer!

If your puffer is getting enough to eat, his belly should be nicely rounded before a meal, and should bulge hugely afterwards.

 

[Puffer_freak]

Your puffer should look like the fish at the bottom of SirM's sig! Don't worry about the type of puffer you are seeing there just look at the belly. Your DP shouldn't have the same patterns and stuff on it!

SirM: If thats Martha then she is gorrrrgeous!

 

[Pufferpack]

Your best bet is to try feeding the rest of the fish at one side of the tank and feed the puffer with a turkey baster at the other side...allows for feeding in a targeted area where the puffer is.

 

[LadyMinion]

SirM: If thats Martha then she is gorrrrgeous!

Yup, that's Martha!

 

[Puffer_freak]

Wow, I'm just gonna sit here and drool over all the little fishies that I can't have. I may just have to bookmark your gallery...

 

[Jenny514b]

Thank you all for all of your help. I bought him some frozen brine shrimp today and he liked it. The only thing is that since that stuff doesnt really fall like the worms do its gonna be hard to make sure he eats enough so i looked into getting him a 5 gallon. The one I saw comes w/ an undergravel filter, hood/light, and an airstone. Would that suitable for him? Will he need a heater? Thank again for all your help

 

[fishtankkid]

Yes he will need a heater as dwarf puffers are tropical freshwater fish