Why So Few Dwarf Puffers Per Tank?

[Lisa67]

I got 3 puffers for my 16 gal tank about a week ago. Unless I stand next to the tank I can't even see them. (They are pretty cute though). Just wondering why, as tiny as they are, they need so much space. They are probably very young, but don't think they grow much bigger... they don't seem any messier than the cichlids in my 55 gal tank and after a week my amonia, nitrite and nitrate are all still zero. So far they haven't shown the least bit of aggression toward each other. My tank is pretty heavily planted for a small tank. They have lots of hiding places.

Also, how often and how much should I be feeding them. They seem to be fine with twice/day. Just want to make sure they are getting enough.

 

[njstockley]

I got 3 puffers for my 16 gal tank about a week ago. Unless I stand next to the tank I can't even see them. (They are pretty cute though). Just wondering why, as tiny as they are, they need so much space. They are probably very young, but don't think they grow much bigger... they don't seem any messier than the cichlids in my 55 gal tank and after a week my amonia, nitrite and nitrate are all still zero. So far they haven't shown the least bit of aggression toward each other. My tank is pretty heavily planted for a small tank. They have lots of hiding places.

Also, how often and how much should I be feeding them. They seem to be fine with twice/day. Just want to make sure they are getting enough.

i cant really contribute anything of value sorry, but i saw dwarf puffers in the lfs today, and couldnt get over how tiny they are! i bet you never see them in a 16G? anyway im sure someone will have an answer for you, but there is a pretty good guide on them on the forum which you should defo read...will try and find the link.

have you got a picture of the tank? i'm looking for inspiration for my newest nano project.


nick

not so hard: it's top of the oddballs section... http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/136616-dwarf-puffers-what-all-potential-owners-should-know/

 

[Atrixblue.-MFR-.]

1. because they do get aggressive.

2. not because of waste but because of territory, they are very obsessive with their home and dont like visitors.

3. feed blood worm, chopped prawns, chopped muscle. twice a day is fine with good filtration, whatch for thier territories's as they become established and try and plant food in them for them to prevent one venturing on anothers patch they have minute teath that will need grinding down so unless you have a spare small little tank that you can breed snails in get some cockle in a shell and crush it up so the have to bite it appart to get to food to shave their teath down.

they may not seem aggressive while they settle, but after a while youll see them chase eachother off their patch, if their too close ONE puffer whill be stuck in the middle it will be supressed from eating by the other two dominating it and chasing it away if this happens move the puffer to another tank or take back to your LFS.

water conditions are paramount and fluctuation in ammonia and nitrite and ph can make them very ill.

every puffer is different as they have their own personality, some puffers tollerate eachother somewill kill eachother some are so placid you could house it with whatever you wanted to but bare in mind that will be at your own risk!! the puffer may seem fine with them for 12 months then one day youll wake up to dead fish after the DP has gone off on one or maybe not may happen sooner may never happen, all depends on those puffers tempermant.

they are small, grows to about an inch, but have wide territories, some may occupy a space of 10gallons plus as its territory, anything venturing into that space get a bump out or loses a fin!

keep an eye on them (not saying eyeball the tank every second) any changes to their behaviour then try and prevent anything going any further by removing.

 

[Lisa67]

Funny you should answer today. I just started noticing them chase each other. I guess that is the start of the territorial behavior. If they do grow to an inch atleast they would be visable. The first day or two that I got them I failed to see what everyone saw in them. They didn't seem at all social, but now they come right to the front of the tank when I stand near it even right after they have eaten and when I do a partial water change they are right there checking everything out.
Thank you for the info. Where can I get cockle? I did get a snail today, but since I didn't know if they would still eat it if it was dead I only got one. So far they have just checked it out, not realy eaten it.