The Puffer Forum

Hello,

I will be receiving a Tetraodon palembangensis on Tuesday. I know some websites recommend 55 gallons etc but I figure that is because of the waste produced by the fish and therefore a large volume is needed to dilute this. I have two Eheim canister filters and I am very diligent with my water changes, so I doubt water quality will be an issue. What is the smallest tank I can keep this puffer in (he will be the only fish) without causing harm or stress? I have a cycled 30 gallon available to quarantine him but I was planning on moving him to a 20 gallon when I bring him back to college with me.

I do have some questions:
1. How frequently should I feed? I've been told the fish is already eating frozen food.
2. Like I said, I plan on bringing the fish with me to college. It's about a 4 hour car ride from my house to campus. I'd prob bring him back and forth 2-3 times throughout the entire year (including move in and move out). Is this too stressful?
3. Once I receive the puffer I will begin treating with metronidazole. Anything else I should treat with?

Thank you in advance!

40g would be best but I definitely would not go <30g.
I really despise folks keeping their fish in college. Why can't you wait until your life is more settled? I do fear this will be extremely stressful for it.

Yeah, 30g is the absolute minimum. To answer your questions:

1. I'd recommend once every 2-3 days, frozen shrimp is a good option.
2. Yes, that's FAR too stressful for the fish. You should see if a friend or a trusted LFS can take your fish when you leave.
3. I would also use PraziPro as well, as I've found that it's far more effective on internal parasites.

Do not feed your fish frozen food! It is extremely bad for their digestive system. Puffers need a variety of different crunchy foods in their diet.
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

I was mistaken about my 30g minimum estimate. I forgot these fish grow to 8"! I actually would recommend a 55g, 40g bare minimum.
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The main reason why I wanted to bring the puffer to school with me is because I’ve grown up keeping fish my entire life, and last year (freshman year) was my first year without having fish in my life. Not to be dramatic, but it was kinda sad. This year I have an apartment to myself, to I figured I’d be able to keep some fish again.

When you say “do not feed your fish frozen food!”, I assume you mean unthawed frozen food?

I still advise against moving it back & forth.

To clarify, once I bring him up to my apartment in August, I'd only bring him home for winter break in December, then I'd bring him back to school, then in late May I'd bring him home one last time.

If I make sure to keep the water warm during transit and oxygenate it, would it still be too stressful? Is it because he's a larger fish it's more stressful (i.e. would smaller fish be better suited for making the trip)?

It's stressful to the fish, yes. If it's only this year, why can't you just wait?

Pufferpunk wrote: ↑Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:39 am Do not feed your fish frozen food! It is extremely bad for their digestive system. Puffers need a variety of different crunchy foods in their diet.
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Just to clarify, there is a store owner who had a past MBU puffer that had internal issues that he stated were from a disease that caused lesions on the heart and kidney.
I have no idea if the actually frozen/unthawed food had anything to do with it.
I do know that he has had a decent record with keeping healthy fish.
I don't know if what he would say to PufferPunk's advise to stay away from tossing it in fully frozen.

To see this video look below and find it on youtube.
Video titled:
How Aquarium Co-Op is Thriving while Many Fish Stores are Dying.
by:
Flip Aquatics - LupDiesel
Published on May 10, 2018

The footage of the MBU feeding part starts near 8min and 45 seconds in.

Don't take this as an argument.
Let it be a useful discussion about the frozen food truths or myths.

I do feel that the thawed foods from around the globe will be ok, but a truly frozen object would be odd to a freshwater puffer.
A penguin may find a frozen treat normal, but a puffer is different.

Pufferpunk wrote: ↑Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:39 am Do not feed your fish frozen food! It is extremely bad for their digestive system. Puffers need a variety of different crunchy foods in their diet.
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Even for lurkers that don't tend to have beak problems? I've been feeding my Tetraodon Miurus mostly frozen shrimp for the last 2 years and he's been 100% fine, I'd assume that the same would hold true for Tetraodon Palembangensis.

P.S. I'm talking about whole frozen shrimp that've been thawed, not something that's still frozen. Did you think I meant otherwise?

Pufferpunk wrote: ↑Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:59 pm It's stressful to the fish, yes. If it's only this year, why can't you just wait?

It’s not only this year. I have 3 more years of college and I’d like to have a fish tank. I realize I have more planning to do

My puffer arrived yesterday. I noticed that there was a white "string" attached behind his right gill. At first I thought I was a strand of dead skin, but I realize it is some sort of worm parasite (I see it moving). I treated the tank with Prazi Pro. What else should I do to get rid of the worm?

I'm trying to attach pictures but it says the pictures are too large :/

Prazi should work. I'd treat the food with it, too.

Ok thank you