Just Got Back From My Lfs

[mepiscool]

hey guys just been to my lfs and seen the next fish i want but dont have the facilities just yet but gonna set my mind on it.
firstly there were about 5 or 6 of them there medium sized £99 and the large were £199 they were puffer fish i think i have
just most definately found my next fish. As i kept looking there was a tank with about 10-15 small puffer fish £6 each or 2 for £10
i thought that was brilliant price but when i had a good look at the smaller fish they had been fighting each other and nearly all the
fish looked rough there tails were in tatters.

Do you think thats a good price?

would you be happy to buy a fish that has been in a battle with his buddy?

 

[hensonc4098]

£199 for a fish!!!!
Please tell me that was a typo....

 

[mepiscool]

£199 for a fish!!!!
Please tell me that was a typo....

hell no £199 which made me think if i bought 2 maybe mate them thats a lot of cash then?

 

[kelly528]

Very few puffers can be mated successfully, from what I know. Most are wild-caught. You will probably need to start a new setup if you go for them because
a) Not only are they territorial, their teeth are SHARP! Don't be fooled by appearances; they will shred fish twice their size.
b) They need brackish water and therefore are not suitable for fresh or salt tanks.

The smaller puffers are called dwarf puffers. They can be kept together when they are young (which is usually the way you see them at the LFS) but as they mature they become EXTREMELY territorial, so it is likely that they matured before they could be sold. Great fish... they need at least 5g for one puff and then 2.5g per each additional puffer and lots of hideouts if you are keeping them in multiples. They are one of the few puffers that will breed in captivity and have awesome personalities. There are two strains, one of which is freshwater and the other is brackish. Great fish, definitely on my wishlist once I find a 5g to devote to one

 

[mepiscool]

Very few puffers can be mated successfully, from what I know. Most are wild-caught. You will probably need to start a new setup if you go for them because
a) Not only are they territorial, their teeth are SHARP! Don't be fooled by appearances; they will shred fish twice their size.
b) They need brackish water and therefore are not suitable for fresh or salt tanks.

The smaller puffers are called dwarf puffers. They can be kept together when they are young (which is usually the way you see them at the LFS) but as they mature they become EXTREMELY territorial, so it is likely that they matured before they could be sold. Great fish... they need at least 5g for one puff and then 2.5g per each additional puffer and lots of hideouts if you are keeping them in multiples. They are one of the few puffers that will breed in captivity and have awesome personalities. There are two strains, one of which is freshwater and the other is brackish. Great fish, definitely on my wishlist once I find a 5g to devote to one

Thanks kelly im defo going to devote them to there own place im not 100% on breeding as i dont have any experience in this but they defo will have loads of hiding places just got to sort a tank out

 

[kelly528]

Good luck and don't forget the snails!

 

[mepiscool]

why snails?

 

[Truck]

there are saltwater puffers too! snails are part of their diet

 

[kelly528]

Their primary diet is crustaceans. Their teeth grow forever so unless they crunch hard shells to wear them down their teeth will grow so long that they won't be able to close their mouths, causing them to starve. Before you buy the puffs I suggest you get a colony of snails going (not sure what kind-- I don't know what species of puffer you are talking about).

I might add that they are extremely messy eaters so you will want to put them in an oversized tank where bits of snail can rot without messing with the water params until your weekly change.