freshwater puffers

[honeybee105]

I'm interested in getting some freshwater puffer fish (the smallest kind I can find) they seem like a good, cute fish. But don't they require live food? If they do what kind or live food, and can you teach them to eat regular food? Thanks for any help

                            ~*Katie*~

 

[Pooky125]

The smallest puffer would be the dwarf puffer (Carintetradon travaincaricus) averaging out at about 1". I've heard of many people who have succesfully kept about 3-6 in a 5 gallon aquarium. They were fed live bbs once a day, but, I've heard of people eventually training them to eat frozen, or freeze dried. If you decide this is what you want for your aquarium, research, research, research.. and then special order, as most of the LFS/LPS don't carry them around here. Also, there quite destructive towards your plants.

 

[colesea]

They are also more brackish water fish than freshwater. Puffers -love- snails and I always feed the puffers at work snails from my plant tanks. But they also have been trained to eat flake as well. I don't know if I'd keep so many in a five gallon, but you could probably get away with that many in a ten.

Research Research<G>
~~Colesea

 

[eseow]

My friend has 4 in Eclipse 3 tank with sand substrate. There about 1.0 to 1.25 inches. Dirty fish, fish poo everywhere! Feeds them small feeder guppies & small ghost shrimp. I'm pretty sure they will eat flakes also. They are brackish water fish, & you can only keep puffers in the tank. Tank has to be dedicated to them. Will maul or kill other types of fish kept in same tank. *twirlysmiley*

 

[jbfootin]

I don't have any puffers but I found this site which is quite helpfull.  It tells you tank mates and which like brackish water and which like fresh.

http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/brackish_water/puffer_figure_eight.htm#top2

Hope this helps.  

 

[honeybee105]

pooky-what are bbs? ???