Dwarf Puffers are naturally found in slow moving waters in south-west India, like the Pamba river. According to the
IUCN Red List of Threatened species, the deforestation, urbanization and overfishing for the pet trade in this area have resulted in the Dwarf Puffer being listed as Vulnerable.
Dwarf Puffers don’t need big tanks, but try to keep them in at least 10 gallons (40l) for the first fish and 5 extra gallons for every additional one. The tank should be completely
cycled before the puffer is introduced; any traces of ammonia or nitrite can be deadly. Adding salt is not necessary and might actually harm this freshwater puffer, even though it’s still recommended sometimes.
When setting up a tank for a dwarf puffer, it’s very important to create lots of hiding places to make sure the fish feels safe; this helps prevent stress. Also be sure to add some interesting stuff for your puffer to explore, as they are quite intelligent and get bored very easily. They show this by glass surfing: swimming up and down the glass of the tank, so if your puffer shows this behavior it’s a sign that it’s time to add more plants, rocks and decorations!
Live plants like
Java Moss and
Java Fern are essential and my personal favorites because they are so easy to grow. If you have multiple dwarf puffers, this will help them establish their own territories more easily.
Many people add Dwarf Puffers to their aquarium because of their effectiveness when it comes to eating snails, without thinking about what they’re going to do with the puffer when all the snails are gone and it starts nipping at other fish. Be careful when choosing tank mates. They may be small, but that doesn’t mean these puffers are suitable for any community tank. They’re best kept alone
Unlike their larger cousins, dwarf puffers don’t need hard snail shells to keep their teeth short. This doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy eating snails: in the wild, these are their main food source. You can
breed common pond snails yourself or ask around in pet stores, they deal with snail problems often and are usually very willing to give you some.
Most Dwarf Puffers will also happily accept frozen foods like bloodworms, mosquito larvae, tubifex. Live foods like black worms are also appreciated. These are great main food sources, but don’t forget to soak any frozen foods in water before feeding and make sure you don’t overfeed your puffer. Pellets and flake foods are rarely accepted and shouldn’t be fed too often because of the lack of nutritional value.
