You Lot Are Puffer Mad

[4ftguppy]

I've noticed a disproportionally high number of post about dwarf puffers, so I dug out my puffer family picture

aint they cute

 

[carrera]

I've noticed a disproportionally high number of post about dwarf puffers, so I dug out my puffer family picture

aint they cute

lovely i want another tank so i can keep some

 

[samyboy]

im about to start collecting the required equipment to keep a puffer 8)

 

[Bex]

I'd really like a dwarf puffer but not sure whether I can have one in my community tank? I am upgrading to a 125 gal soon and I have at the moment 2 dalmation mollies, 4 platys, 6 tiger barbs, 2 high fin catfish, 1 red tail shark, 2 silver sharks, 1 green phantom plec, 2 blue rams.

Not sure what else I am going to put in the 125 gal but would a dwarf puffer suit?

 

[samyboy]

have a read around about them generally a set up specific to puffers would be better as there agressive will nip fins and even kill

 

[caino]

im getting one, iv got a 10gallon tank sitting round doing nothing and im gonna get a filter over the weekend wen i get some money, i got a spare heater hmm. I know this might be a stupid question but do they puff up ?

 

[Bex]

have a read around about them generally a set up specific to puffers would be better as there agressive will nip fins and even kill

I thought so. They are cute but I love my other fish too much to let them be killed off by a wee puffer!

Cheers!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

aye were hopefully setting up a puffer tank soon, although Ian seems to be wanting shell dwellers.......... nice as they are 2 of my 4 tanks are already full of chiclids, want a bit of variety

 

[4ftguppy]

I know this might be a stupid question but do they puff up ?

mine never have

 

[fishwatcher]

Love the picture! I'll have to see if I can get a decent shot of mine. They're still fairly new, but I like them so very much!

 

[Fella]

I'd really like a dwarf puffer but not sure whether I can have one in my community tank? I am upgrading to a 125 gal soon and I have at the moment 2 dalmation mollies, 4 platys, 6 tiger barbs, 2 high fin catfish, 1 red tail shark, 2 silver sharks, 1 green phantom plec, 2 blue rams.

Not sure what else I am going to put in the 125 gal but would a dwarf puffer suit?

i wouldn't risk a DP with any community fish other than plecs.


As for being puffer mad, I confess, they're great fish, and I currently keep 4 species. My Fangs is my most personable.

 

[4ftguppy]

I've only ever kept them alone - and snails are always available in my tanks, so feeding is no problem

The really cool thing about dwarf puffers is their freshwater status - I don't like playing around with salt if I can help it

 

[Fella]

I've only ever kept them alone - and snails are always available in my tanks, so feeding is no problem

The really cool thing about dwarf puffers is their freshwater status - I don't like playing around with salt if I can help it

Most puffers kept in home aquaria can arguably be freshwater fish. Mbu, Fahaka, Dwarf, South American, Fangs, Congo, Abei, etc are freshwater, while the most wildly recognised brackish species are Figure 8, Green Spotted and Ceylon.

I've not ventured brackish yet, but I think it's only a matter of time...

 

[neilw_uk]

Just got two Ceylon's yesterday!!! Now i need to start adding salt..

Pics:

 

[nmonks]

Contrary to the popular belief, brackish water is easier (in some ways) than freshwater or marine because you have the "nuclear option" when it comes to disease and parasites. There are very few, if any, external parasites, bacteria, or fungi that can switch between saltwater and freshwater. So any external problems on brackish water fish can be dealt with easily by raising or lowering the salinity as required. These extreme changes in salinity will kill anything except species adapted to changes in salinity, i.e., brackish water fish.

This can only be done to a slight degree with freshwater or marine fish, i.e., by dipping (for example) freshwater fish in seawater for a few minutes. It's fairly effective done this way, but stresses the fish no end being netted and then dunked in the "wrong" salinity for 2 to 20 minutes. Dips also do nothing about the remaining parasites and microbes in the tank.

With brackish water, you just nudge the salinity up or down across as many days or weeks as required by your filter and then let the salinity (or lack of it) "sterilise" the aquarium of parasites and microbes. Simple, and very effective.

Cheers,

Neale

The really cool thing about dwarf puffers is their freshwater status - I don't like playing around with salt if I can help it