I am planning on DWARF PUFFERS!!!!!

[Smalltank3]

I couldn't stand it. I saw spotted puffers at my LFS today and they were so small and cute so if the spotted puffers were like that then Dwarf Puffers might be very alike. After reading the profile I feel confident that keeping Dwarf Puffers won't be a problem. After all they are freshwater

For the tank size I plan on getting a 5 gallon eclipse hexagon tank. It is $30 at walmart, which compared to other stores that is cheap. I want to get 3 of them and an oto for algae. Will this be overcrowded?

For the tank setup, I plan on having it heavily planted. For the substrate I think I'll get a few small bags of black gravel. Any suggestions on the plants?
I also plan on getting a cave to put in the middle for the puffers to hide in.

What should I feed the puffers? I have bloodworms that I feed my ADF's so would that be okay to feed them? If not, could you suggest some foods that I could feed them?

I was originally planning this 5g for a betta and some glowlight tetras but after looking at puffers it changed my mind very quickly.

 

[homebunnyj]

I know what you mean, I just saw some F8 puffers yesterday and ever since I've been calculating whether I could provide them a proper home. They are so cute!

 

[MOsborne05]

That would be way too overcrowded, you need at least 3 gallons for each dwarf puffer because puffers are messy. I think you need to do a lot more research about them, here is a good place to start, www.dwarfpuffers.com

 

[Smalltank3]

Thanks Mo, I think I shouldn't get the Five gallon then. I think I'll just go with a 3g and get one DP. Do they need to be in a group or can they live alone? I also plan on doing 50% weekly water changes.

 

[Smalltank3]

Okay I just did a lot of research and according to all the info I read the majority of them said 2-3 gallons per fish rather then 3 per fish. I plan on doing a 50% water change a week so would this be fine:
5g: 2 DP's and an oto?

 

[poppa23]

I do a 50% on my eclipse 6 every week and my puffers do great. I have 2 puffers, 2 otos and a couple of ghost shrimp in there. They are really quite messy, but I think your plan should be fine. I like these guys so much that I probably will get a 10 and add an extra puffer myself...

 

[AGetupKidDan]

Hello, i've kept DP's for almost 2 years... the 2 i have now, have been living in a 10 but will go into a 5 within the next few weeks.
I don't think you will have a problem with the 5gal.. providing you have a lot of hiding spaces and do frequent water changes. (my regime involves a weekly 30 % water change and about 5% daily...) Just make sure you keep feeding clean, ie. I turn down current in the tank, and feed a few bloodworms at a time (they're quick to grab em, and hardly ever miss one)....
My concern would be with the Oto, I've found that they benefit from being in groups and thus would require a larger tank... so i would double think that... if you're worried about keeping the bottom clean.. do ghost shrimp (but don't be suprised if they occasionaly become a meal, although my DPs don't bother them at the moment... but soon they will be alone so the shrimp can breathe easy)...

anyway, good luck, Dwarfs are great fish, very curious, fairly active and who can resist those big bug eyes...

cheers

 

[Smalltank3]

Ya when I saw them in the stores, the eyes got me
I am going to have it heavily planted, so yes there will be hiding spots. I am going to do 50% water changes each week. Would dwarf puffers eat cherry or amano shrimp?

 

[MOsborne05]

Depends on the puffers, some will attack shrimp, others could care less. The bigger the shrimp are, the better. I agree about shrimp instead of otos, otos like company and your fully stocked with 2 puffs in a 5 gallon. Shrimp have very little bio-load, so you can get away with them in there.

 

[Smalltank3]

Thanks Mo, ya I'm not gonna get ghost shrimp because my lfs has very small ones. My lfs sells cherry shrimp 3/15$ and amano 3/12$ The amanos at the store are around 2 inches so I'll get those. Right now, I have $8(lol i know broke) and the setup cost $30+$6+$2=41 including tax. The six for the heater I plan on getting and 2 for a thermometer. So, 33 dollars left to go. lol

 

[MOsborne05]

I would suggest getting a couple of ghost shrimp before you spend that much on cherries or amanos, just to see how your puffers react. If your puffs rip them to shreds, then the cherries/amanos are probably going to be a waste of money.

 

[tubbs24]

Heh, that's what I plan on doing to my tank. When I get my F8's, I'm going to have a few ghost's in there to see how they react, because I would like some amanos to clean up the hair algea growing on my anacharis, and I wouldn't be very pleased if I wake up one morning and find some ripped up amanos on the sand

Also MO, nice choice with the rasboras, they are beautiful fish

 

[Smalltank3]

Okay Thanks. Ya I will try the ghost shrimp first and I'll get three since they are 3 for $1.

 

[MOsborne05]

My figure 8's would rip a ghost shrimp to shreds before it even hit the bottom, so I don't think you'll have much luck with them. I got some olive nerite snails to help with algae though, and they are brackish snails. The puffs bothered them at first but after a few days they left them alone.

 

[poppa23]

I agree about getting ghost shrimp first. My puffers seemed put off by the shrimp and would kind of run away if the shrimp tried to take away their bloodworms, but now they go and rip them away from the shrimps. I'm thinking soon they may just rip at the ghosties.. Better to find out with ghosties now than more expensive shrimp later..

 

[Limi310]

Yeah Tubbs.......................F8's will most likely eat any shrimp you put in there.
Smalltank..............I have large and very small ghost shrimp with my dwarfs and the dwarfs don't pay any attention to them. I would try it and see what happens since every puffer is different. I think Lotus keeps Cherry shrimp with her dwarfs. Good luck!!

 

[Seiryoku]

It may sound mean, but I hope my DP's eat ghost shrimp (although I do want to be able to keep them in the tank) because it would be the only live food I would be able to feed them. I can't find a store anywhere near me that carries live foods, only frozen.

(poor little shrimps)

Edit: Forgot about snails

 

[cinlnk]

Another great food for puffers are those "pest snails". If you can find them small enough, the puffers will gobble them right up.

 

[VirgoWolf]

You know, I was thinking of trying something with my puffers A.K.A. Mo's puffers.

I wanted to get a bunch of amano shrimp and a few red crabs to scavenge and have all sorts of hidies and things so they have a retreat that the puffers can't get to. If I loose a few I loose a few, but if these BB Gobys are not even making the puffers turn an eye, I bet I would have to restock less than you would think. Although witht he crabs I will have to provide a land area, which I am thinking may be harder than it's worth with the HOB filters. I may have an idea though, if it would work... hummmmmm... Off to ponder.

 

[Seiryoku]

I will probably end up breeding ramshorn snails for them. It seems easy enough, and cheap too ^^)b

But snails are slow and boring! A shrimp will give the puffers some excersise! *twirlysmi