Dwarf Puffer Questions

[Ninjouzata]

Hi! I have a few questions about these as I'm going to be getting one for my boyfriend.
It will be going into a 5 gallon tank, and will have an Aqua-Tech 5-15 filter, and of course a heater just not sure what kind yet (leaning towards the unadjustable kind from Wal-Mart that I think stays at 78). 
 
I have plenty of snails in my 55 gallon tank, but not sure how many I will need to be feeding it or how long they will last. What other foods can I feed it? Is there something other than snails that can be used as it's main diet? Is there something other than snails that I can put in the tank to keep it's beak down? Are there any snails that could be safe as a tank mate for it? Like larger ones? Will the filter be sufficient enough? Any specific plants that might be good for this tank/the puffer? Do they bite?

I was sure I had more questions but have forgotten now. Also if anyone has any pics of their DP setups I would love to see. Thank you to anyone who responds!

 

[Blondielovesfish]

It's best to get an adjustable heater, one of the reasons is if for some reason you were medicating the tank, most medications need the temperature to be higher. An un adjustable one is fine, I just personally prefer adjustable ones for the above reasons

Some DPs will take dry foods, it depends on the individual puffer. Bloodworms, mosquito larvae, small shrimp babies are all good foods (along with snails of course )

As far as I'm aware, snails are the only way to keep the puffers beak down, there may be others but I think the snails are the best

As long as you have some snails that quickly reproduce, you should be fine on having enough for the DPs, many people do however, have a seperate tank dedicated for breeding snails, one of the best snails for DPs are Tadpole Snails, they breed relatively fast and are a good size for the DPs.

I don't think any snails are safe from a DP, (an Apple Snail may be?) as I've heard that DPs will keep pecking at the snail (regardless of size) until the snail is out of its shell.

I have no idea about that filter but as long as it is over filtering the tank it should be fine (DPs are really messy eaters and big poopers).

DPs like to have small caves and places to hide so some big leafed plants (anubias?) and some caves are good. Remember to use a sand substrate as the DP could cut its skin on anything sharp (including gravel).

I don't think they do bite, they may do though. I don't think it would hurt too much though

 

[Ninjouzata]

The unadjustable are a good bit cheaper but will try for adjustable, certainly. I prefer them too!
I could have sworn I read someone on here mentioning another main diet food and another way of keeping their beak down, but I remember things incorrectly most of the time, or don't remember at all

I have no idea what kind of snails are in my tank but there are a lot of them and from when I first noticed one it doesn't seem like it has taken much effort to turn into whatever amount I have now.
An apple snail is exactly what I was thinking of (if they are the same as mystery snails anyways..still not sure on that one), if it will keep getting poked by the DP then I don't want to get one and stress it out/kill it

Well I'm not sure how much it does..5-15 means it is rated for tanks from 5 to 15 gallons, so I would think it'd be adequate but not sure. We use Aqua-Tech on my 55g tank and it seems to be doing just fine but we have two 30-60s on that one.
Will certainly be putting in some hiding places, and hopefully some floating plants too. Will be using sand, bf wants white or tan sand, having issues finding the tan but I found some white. I think play sand is tan but I seriously cannot figure out the way to wash sand, have read multiple times how to and when I try to do it I just can't figure it out, so end up pouring it in the way it is and the water clears up just fine very quickly.
I imagine if they do bite it would feel like a pinch? Just want to know what to look out for in that regard, if I know that some have bitten before then maybe I'll be less likely to flail my hand, I dunno..
Thank you for your quick response

 

[Gizaroo2]

Definitely get an adjustable heater. They like around 80* better. I use bloodworms for mines main diet, and will give snails when I have them.

Apple snails are a definite no. They can snap their shells shut on the puffers in defense, killing them. Big snails are a no. AsPuffs WILL try to eat them. As a side note, puffers usually won't stop eating snails in the tank until they are gone lol.

Unlike the larger puffers, they don't require the snails to trim their beaks. They slurp the bodies out, leaving the shell. Make sure to remove the empty shells as whatever is left in them will rot and foull your water.

Depending on the puffer, you can have shrimp as tank mates, but be warned. They may become a snack. I'll post photos of my 10 gal when I get home.

 

[DerpPH]

beware of high Nitrogen levels! E.G. nitrates,aammonia and nitrites
 
Puffers are very sensetive to those.
 
oh and DPs like it warmer than most fish.
 
And about snails as long as they breed they will be fine. it would suffice for his diet

 

[ech0o]

The chances your DP will take dry food is slim to none.  Mine actually started laughing at me when I dropped some in, they were rolling on the floor!  

The temperature will be good at 78-82, that is their desired temperature, right at 80 is best.  Snails are a great food, but mine never seem to get fat off of snails, they pick at them here and there and it certainly supplements their diet, but mine don't seem to be consuming massive amounts of snails at one time.   Other foods are frozen bloodworms, also recently I have started feeding them live adult brine shrimp because I find it a hassle to thaw bloodworms every day, and I just scoop a spoon out of the brine container and drop them in, my DP's LOVE LOVE LOVE to chase them down all over the tank and slurp them up!
 
Dwarf puffers don't have a beak issue, they don't have to eat solid foods to wear their beaks down, one of the few puffers not bothered by the issue.  Mine definitely come to my hands when I am doing stuff in the tank, but they recognize my hands and certainly aren't coming over to take nibbles on them!!  I have had one of them try to steal a bubble off my finger and it didn't even really feel like a bit, more like something bumping into my hand.  Mine seem to not attack anything larger than they are.  That being said, they are extremely small so there are larger snails that could survive around them, I even have success keeping large shrimp with them as an algae crew, although this could just be my puffers of course.  

 

[Ninjouzata]

I had no idea they liked it so cozy, I will get an adjustable heater then
Can it be freeze-dried bloodworms? If not, how expensive is frozen? How often should I be feeding it? I'd assume every day but just want to make sure.
If apple snails and mystery snails are the same, are you sure they can really 'snap' shut? I pick mine up and it takes him a while to fully close up, doesn't seem fast enough to harm anything.
Glad to hear I don't have to worry about it's beak >.<
Will be making sure the tank is cycled so shouldn't be any worries over ammonia or nitrite, and hopefully I don't have too high of nitrates.
Don't you have a tank for brine shrimp Ech? I'd rather not raise anything if I don't have to but if it comes to that then I'll try my best.
If it won't put the puffer in any danger then I would like to try shrimp and bigger snails, just need to know what kind. I really love my mystery snail so want one in each tank that we have if possible What kind of shrimp do you have? I know that the puffer may decide it doesn't want them as tank mates but I want to at least try. Thank you all for the responses

 

[Gizaroo2]

I had no idea they liked it so cozy, I will get an adjustable heater then

Can it be freeze-dried bloodworms? If not, how expensive is frozen? How often should I be feeding it? I'd assume every day but just want to make sure.
If apple snails and mystery snails are the same, are you sure they can really 'snap' shut? I pick mine up and it takes him a while to fully close up, doesn't seem fast enough to harm anything.
Glad to hear I don't have to worry about it's beak >.<
Will be making sure the tank is cycled so shouldn't be any worries over ammonia or nitrite, and hopefully I don't have too high of nitrates.
Don't you have a tank for brine shrimp Ech? I'd rather not raise anything if I don't have to but if it comes to that then I'll try my best.
If it won't put the puffer in any danger then I would like to try shrimp and bigger snails, just need to know what kind. I really love my mystery snail so want one in each tank that we have if possible

What kind of shrimp do you have? I know that the puffer may decide it doesn't want them as tank mates but I want to at least try. Thank you all for the responses

I don't think they like freeze dried much...They're quite picky haha. Frozen is 4 or 5 dollars for a good sized block that lasts forever.  In 7 months, I've only used a quarter of the block lol.  My apple/mystery snails could always snap shut really quickly if they felt threatened.  You can always try a mystery snail and see what happens. One of my apple snails almost snapped shut on one of my smaller bettas last year.  
 
I have an amano (and had RCs for awhile too) in with mine with no issues.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Yeah so I've heard Oh if it's only that much then that is no big deal at all, we can do that! I am a little wary about the mystery snail, don't want it to get hurt and don't want the puffer to get hurt either, hmm.
I was thinking amano, yeah. It'd be so cool if we could get these blackberry shrimp I've seen but think those are a fair bit smaller :c It's really not a big deal if the puffer is the only thing in the tank, they seem like they have lots of personality.

 

[ech0o]

I am growing out a couple orange sakuras for my tank and hope the puffers don't gobble them because they are bright orange!  I am not sure about the trapdoor, I have heard they don't get caught by the door, and I have also heard it certainly can happen.  I also think they would leave a big one alone, but be ready to pull it if it starts getting picked at.  Shrimp are cheap to try out, throw a full size ghost shrimp in there just to see what they do, then pull that baby out if the puffer doesn't kill it, and put the similar sized amanos or blackberrys in.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Sorry for the thread hijack but can DPs eat live mealworms?

 

[Ninjouzata]

Ech, tell me how that goes for you, although even if it works out for you doesn't mean it will for me, but still
Blondie, you're not hijacking at all. Would come in handy for me to know as well, although not sure where I would get those >.>

 

[ech0o]

I don't see why they couldn't eat mealworms, other than the fact that mealworms are pretty good sized and most DP's haven't even rounded an inch.  The "white" mealworms when they are still very small are apparently less hard as well, and make good treats.

 

[Gizaroo2]

Check out grubco.com for mealworms. They carry teeny tiny ones up through huge ones. I order from there for my sugar gliders. If mealies may work. ..I might give it a try! Lol!

 

[ech0o]

Honestly, you can never try enough different foods.  Each kind of food will be rich in one or two things, so giving them a good varying diet is almost never a bad idea!