New to Puffers

Dwarf, Red Eye, South American & more. Freshwater puffer talk in here.
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Asaraxz
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:45 pm
Location (country): USA

New to Puffers

Post by Asaraxz »

Currently, I am new to pufferfish and have recently gotten a dwarf pufferfish around 3 days ago. He is currently in a heavily planted 7-gallon tank and stopped glass surfing after the second day. I am currently making this post to make sure that everything is in line. I am probably over-worried but he/she has been nibbling at food and not eating it. I cycled this tank for ~1 month before adding the puffer to it and it was 0/0/0 before but after I introduced him/her and 1-2 extra plants the ammonia spiked a bit. I have been doing daily water changes to and the levels have slowly started to reach zero. If I had to guess the ammonia spikes probably have to do with the frozen blood worms that I attempted to feed him but he didn't eat (have had trouble cleaning them). I will include a picture of a tank and a video of him nibbling.

1) pH=7.4-7.7, ammonia= ~.1, Nitrite=0, Nitrate=~2.5
2) 7 gallon, dwarf pea puffer (plus 3 pond snails)
3)attempt feeding at least once a day, water changes once a day since I got him/her
4) just the 3 plants in the tank, snails, and pufferfish
5) tank has been cycled/cycling for 3-4 weeks

To sum it up I'm looking for advice towards the food nibbling (and some slightly heavy breathing).

video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JiVIF- ... sp=sharing
picture:https://imgur.com/NLmc0Gt

All advice/responses are appreciated
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: New to Puffers

Post by Pufferpunk »

Welcome! Gorgeous tank! I'm surprised you have issues with your parameters with all those plants. Peas are a shoaling species, who prefer to live in groups of 6 or more.
Great articles on them here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/peapuff ... 5411360151
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Asaraxz
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:45 pm
Location (country): USA

Re: New to Puffers

Post by Asaraxz »

Oh ok, I was constantly told that I could keep one of these guys alone in this 7 gallon. Other than the nibbling he seems to enjoy the tank (I rarely see him and when I do it looks like he's hunting in the back plants or the buce on the back wall). I also believe that the ammonia spike/ parameter problem that I have is because some of the lower parts of the stem plants have dead leaves that I have yet to trim.
Last edited by Asaraxz on Sat Jan 16, 2021 4:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: New to Puffers

Post by Pufferpunk »

Puffers are VERY sensitive to toxins since they have no scales. Please do keep on top of cleaning out your dead plants/leaves.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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