Looking for helpful advice on DP care

[Boredomb]

I am not sure where to post this as I am new here so if this is in the wrong section sorry!

Hi all I am looking for proper care on Dwarf puffers. I know some basics and have been keeping one for almost 2 years now. I keep running into conflicting info on water parameters and filteration. I have read the care sheet y'all have on this site and have read different on for the Ph. As y'all don't list the hardness for them. What exactly does the hardness need to be?? That's something I have read that they are very hardy fish and can live in a wide range of Hardness. Is that true??
I am soo confused here....

I can not up load a pic cause i am on my phone and its says my pics are too big and I can't resize them so y'all will have to use your imagine here. LoL
I have 2 DPs (I said one earlier I know will get to that in a min.LoL)in a 29 gallon tank that is half way filled with water soo I am guessin that would be something like 14ish gallons they are in. The reason I have the tank filled like that is because its a plant tank with both submerged and emersed plants grow. I have one adult ( the one I have had for almost 2years) and 1 juvenile who is tiny about half the size of the adult. The tank has dwiftwood and plants to break up the line of sight plus it gives them lots of things to explore (so wish I could up load a pic)

My water parameters: Ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 0, Nitrates = 20
GH = 10
PH = 7.4 (I have heard this is fine for DPs. Is that okay?)
Temp = 80 (is that too high? )

I had been running a Fluval U1 filter on this tank but felt like this was too little fitration for this tank. Plus I didn't think it was getting the circulation it needed. So I asked on a different forum about running my Ehiem 2213 canister filter on this tank. I was told it would be okay and the current wouldn't be a problem I was also told that the suction for the intake wouldn't be a problem for my DPs and I wouldn't need to put a sponge on it. Against my better judgement I followed that advice to a point. I made my spray bar with more holes so the current wouldn't be as strong but the volume would still be the same. As far as the intake well yeah that might be true for adults. Mine is fine with it but I lost a juvenile (I originally had 2 juveniles that ordered a couple weeks ago) to the intake! So I am done with that forum. I was also told that these puffers are messy (which I already knew) and needed or it was best to run something like 10x gph for the tank size they are in. Is that true or is that over kill??????? These question are things I would like to clear up and know the right way to do it.

Also I have am having difficulty getting live blackworms in my area. No one sells them or will get them. My adult will eat frozen bloodworms and snails. The juvenile I can't get to touch bloodworms yet. He/she will eat all the snails I will give to it. I have heard they will also eat gammarus or shrimp Is that true? What are the best foods to feed them other then blackworms(I am still working on getting some though)???

Sorry for the long post I am just wanted looking for how to properly take care of these great lil fish.

[Terrance]

Yes 10x the volume of the tank is recommended for filtration. Its nice to have, but not requirement because weekly 50% (or more) water change is the requirement. Siphon thoroughly.

Feeding snails and bloodworms is fine.It provides enough nutrition. Snails are very nutritious. You will have to teach each one of your puffers to eat different food.

No specific pH or hardness is required that I know of. Recommended to keep those 2 parameters the same as your tap water.

[Boredomb]

Yes 10x the volume of the tank is recommended for filtration. Its nice to have, but not requirement because weekly 50% (or more) water change is the requirement. Siphon thoroughly.

I just read an article saying 4-6x. So mine might be overkill but its all I got. I always do weekly water changes at 50%.

Feeding snails and bloodworms is fine.It provides enough nutrition. Snails are very nutritious. You will have to teach each one of your puffers to eat different food.

My adult i had to beg to get some live blackworms for him to have something to eat. Then i was able to switch him over to frozen bloodworms. I have just heard that bloodworms are not really nutritious enough for them.

No specific pH or hardness is required that I know of. Recommended to keep those 2 parameters the same as your tap water.

My parameters of my tank are the same as what comes out of my tap except for the nitrates. Those come out at 0. I guess these fish are just not that picky when it comes to hardness or ph?? I have read that they are found in nature in anything from soft and slightly acidic in some places through to harder and more alkaline conditions in others.How true is that???

[Terrance]

Most members here go at least 10x gph than the tank size. It makes maintenance a little easier.

In addition to the bloodworm, give snails . Then try to get your puff to take a bite out of raw shrimp soaked in vitachem. Good way for your fish to collect all its vitamins.

Everyone who had kept DP has different levels of ph and alk. There has been no studies that show DP living better in certain ph and alk (none that i know of). I am uncertain about the volatility of the waters in wild.

[Pufferpunk]

library/puffers-in-focus/dwarfpuffercare/
library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-carinot ... rf-puffer/

[RTR]

The 10x number is common and fairly standard. However, that applies to HOB filtration, not to more efficient formats. 4-6x is generaous for all of my tanks (although I use more), as I use highly efficient and well maintained canisters.

The statement about water changes partly substituting for biofiltration is absolutely without any foundation whatsoever. Both processes are required, for different reasons. Biofiltration is required to oxidize ammonia and nitrite to harmless form, Water changes are required to remove undesirable build-up of waste materials and to replenish used-up trace and macro-minerals. These are separate functions. Only FOWLR + skimmer + lighted macroalgae refugium in uncrowded marine systems allow for reduced water changes, but water changes are still required just at lower levels than in other system.

In a system without adequate biofiltration, even daily large scale water partials may be insufficient to avoid all damage to fish. Hobby test kit detetectable levels of unoxidized nitrogen metabolites are always injurious to fish and some inverts.

HTH

[jeromecarlyoung]

Whiteworms are the only easy way to have Live Food. Here' some links-

http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Whitewrm.htm

http://www.aquamania.co.uk/product.asp? ... nguageID=1

Jerry

[RTR]

White worms are nutritious, but IMHO & IME too fatty for routine feeding. They are best used as treats only, not as staple diets. NIMFT.

[Lil' Swimz$]

I found mine like lots of hiding places! I think it's more because sometimes they like to out of the current and relax. They sleep better too if they don't get swished around all the time!

[Boredomb]

White worms are nutritious, but IMHO & IME too fatty for routine feeding. They are best used as treats only, not as staple diets. NIMFT.

What worms would you use for a staple?? Are not all worms fatty and generally not considered staple foods but more as a treat? What do you feed your puffer?

[Boredomb]

I have my tank setup with the new filter now. The eheim classic canister 2213. I have a sponge on the intake.
Here is a pic of how the tank looks currently






I plan on starting a culture of worms would grindal worms be okay to feed? I think those would be the easiest to take care of for me.

I have a tank for snails also going for food.

I haven't been able to get my puffers to eat anything but worms and snails. What other food sources do you guys feed your Dwarf puffers?

[jeromecarlyoung]

I think the Fat thing with Whiteworms is a little overblown. Mine did fine for about a year before I sold the fish.
Blood/Blackworm is about 2-5% lower in Fat than Whiteworms. Whiteworms are used commercially too.
Keeping Black/Bloodworms in the fridge is not much good either, after a week the things are in a sorry state; plus going to the LFS too.

The first website below says Whiteworms are about 15% Fat; the 2nd website below states-

Some aquarists feel that fish fed exclusively on whiteworms become obese due to the fat content of the worms. However, the problem may lie more with overfeeding with the worms, rather that the fat content of the worms.


http://www.angelsplus.com/FoodLiveCultures.htm

http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Whitewrm.htm