Dwarf Freshwater Puffers

[PunkRock050]

I saw these at the LFS and theyre really cool. The ones they had were tiny though, and I was wondering how big they would get? Im sure these were fry, but im just making sure. Could I keep them with Cichlids?

 

[cryosi]

Puffers from what my m8 tells me are very difficult to keep, sure someone in here has dealing with them! good luck anyhow, they do look cool some some great puffer pics form LA ( local Aquarium)

 

[Danny - the lost soul---]

Most puffers sold at LFS are salt water / brackish water fish. They may do well and CAN be acclimated to ajust to freash water but most times they don't do well and wither away.
There are a few taht are found or do well in aquarium conditions (freash water).
Unfortionetly it is not commonly found in LFS and they can be alittle pricey.

Here are three peffers:

Tetraodon cutcutia ( Malayan Puffer )
Range: malasia, and parts of India, in freash and brakish waters.
Habits: Quarrelsome towards other fishes and even among themselves.
Water conditions : Hard , akaline water with salt added, one teaspoon per 4 liters.
Food requirements ; live foods in larger sp. chopped shrimp, crushed snails are a delicacy.

Tetraodon palembangensis ( Figure -Eight Puffer )
Range : Southeast Asia and Malasia Penninsula
Habits : A fin nipper, tends to be pugnacious
Water conditions : Does best in water to which a teaspoon of salt per 4 liters has been added.
Food requirements : Prefers larger live foods like fishes or shrimp

Tetraodon Miurus ( Congo puffer ) FREASH WATER ONLY
Range : middle and lower Congo River, found in freash water only.
Habits : A dangerous fish in a community aquarium, should be housed alone or with other tank mates of its own kind.
Food requirements : Living small fishes, fully grown brine shrimp or pieces of earth worms, they enjoy snails.

those are the three I have done research on and kept the Miurus at one point. VERY aggressive little fish but tons of fun to watch. I added a small amount of salt anyways to keep the chances of ick which they seem prone to down.

Hope this helps,
Danny

 

[Gibbo]

Have kept the Amazonian Puffer, Colomesus Asellus. Had a trio not so long back, great little fish. They are TRUE freshwater puffers and aren't too agressive. However they do nip fins but they can also get stressed by other fish that are themselves on the agressive side. So it is best to keep them in a species aquaria in groups of 3 or more (you could possibly put a Bristlenose in there as well as a cleaner) with excellent external filtration as they produce a lot of waste. Water quality needs to be pristine because they are VERY susceptable to ammonia, nitrites and nitrates, the slightest amounts will kill them very quickly. Use Nitrazorb or equivilant in filter and do regular (weekly) 30-40% water changes.
They get to 3"+ in the aquarium, twice that size in the wild, and they will literally gorge themselves on food given half the chance. Feed them bloodworm (which they love) and more crucially, live snails and frozen shrimp (in shell) because the shell will help the puffers beak to stay ground down. If not fed these animals then the beak may grow too long and stop them from eating. They will starve.

Here is a link to a few good sites;

Pufferfish.co.uk

thetropicaltank.co.uk

Puffernet

Project Puffer

Hope this helps

 

[Danny - the lost soul---]

Gibbo,
Thanks for the links. And I agree the South American puffer is the best aquarium species. IMO. And also the HARDEST to get here in the states.

How big did yours get ?

Danny

 

[William]

I saw some "spotted puffers" at my lfs soon after getting my first tank one of the cutest fish I had ever seen and I immediately wanted some... however! They are evil I think figure of 8's are also, they will kill any of your fish by literarily chomping on theirs fins until the fish has none left. Quite a gruesome end I think for a fish, they are also brackish.

If you even look at danny's profiles of the fish it says they like "live fish" as part of their diet, if you like them I'd keep them in a species tanks, they also love snails to eat apparently and needs snails to keep their 'beak' from getting to long...

 

[Gibbo]

Danny - mine got to about 1.5". They died of an ammonia/nitrite spike. We were gutted... had been medicating the water with protozin to get rid of whitespot. It was a great mystery for ages as to why the spike occurred until I had a word with Richard Hardwick (writes for pfk) and he said that protozin still knocks the filter bacteria, not as hard as other medications but hard enough. The bloodworm obviously turned ( I fed them before I went to work) and they were dead by the time I returned home. I initially thought it was some frozen courgette that I had put in that had caused it but it must've been medication....

 

[Danny - the lost soul---]

We all live and learn. I have my own death list which i try to foget. LOLOL.
never kept them long enough to get full grown. when mine became carnivores I trded them for scats.

May give them another shot o9ne day. thanks for the info it is lots of help to assure I don't make the same mistakes I made with the first ones.

Danny

puffers not my fish but not afraid to venture. Give me Victorians and I am in heaven.