Puffer fish

[nikkidee2003]

Okay here is the plan


2 months away so plenty of time for change and set up, i want to keep puffers, decided to keep a 'spare' tank 2ft x 1ft x 1ft is this big enough for dwarf puffers?

what conditions do they need? how many could i have? do they need special decor? can i use sand?

sorry i think thats enough for now hope you guys can help, though i should ask advice first!!

 

[steve-0]

how man yus gallons is your tank?

 

[Jamnog]

id guess its about 15-20 gal im surprised to hear thats its a foot tall normally they go about a foot and a half tall. most of the people here work it out to a formulae of how much fish you can have to how many gallons you have. i dont know how big the dwarfs get so will have to go check it out.

 

[Pufferpack]

Oh boy, Oh boy another potential convert

2 months away so plenty of time for change and set up, i want to keep puffers, decided to keep a 'spare' tank 2ft x 1ft x 1ft is this big enough for dwarf puffers?

Yes , it would be big enough for the Dwarf Puffers

what conditions do they need? how many could i have? do they need special decor? can i use sand?

Dwarf Puffers are a true FW puffer and have little tolerence for salt, their tank should have multiple hiding/sleeping spots for each puffer and should be set up in such a way as to break up the puffers lines of sight. I find that using a sand substrata works well as the puffers are small enough that they don't disturb the sand and all the waste stays on the surface for easy cleaning.
In a 2ftx1ftx1ft tank you could comfortably fit 4 to 6 Dwarf Puffers (If you were thinking about Figure 8's or Green Spotted Puffers it would restrict you to 2 at the most) and if possible try to get 2 females to 1 male (they are hard to sex when young)
Puffers will only eat live (or frozen) foods and won't touch flake or pellets, with the Dwarf Puffers I find the best rule is anything that wiggles or slithers, mine are fed frozen Bloodworms/Brine shrimp/Mysis shrimp which I thaw in a shotglass of conditioned water before pouring into the tank.
Puffers MUST be fed snails (or something with a shell) on a regular basis, I give my pack a dozen small pond snails once a month, in order to wear away their teeth which are really bony plates that constantly grow throughout their lives, and if not ground down can grow to a point where the can no longer eat. Puffers (Dwarfs in particular) are expert beggers, and will constantly mug for food with their cute googley eyes, even right after eating. Use caution not to overfeed the puffers as they have been known to eat so much that they get constipated and perish (puffers won't eat veggies to stay regular ). Dwarf Puffers do have a high metabolism and I find that feeding once or twice a day keeps them fat and healthy, I have read that you should only feed them once every second day but I find if you skip a feeding they are looking skinny the next day, not to mention they will get mad at you and sulk if you skip a feeding. They are the most personable fish I have ever seen and love to get attention. They do not make a good community fish as they are fin nippers, but I find that small Gobies make good tankmates for the Dwarf Puffers.......bla bla bla bla...ok I think I blathered on long enough

HTH...let me know if you have any more questions, as you can see I love talking about my babies

Don