How to tell the gender of a dwarf puffer?

[Phaedrus]

See my original post for a possible explanation why only males would work fine. No competition for a female. Given adequate space and territory, there wouldn't be a reason to fight.

My dwarf is in a 5g, and it's about right space-wise. I don't think I'd want to put 2 in there anyway. Just my opinion.

Have you tried boiling the driftwood? you could also weight it down maybe. I try to only use driftwood that is very hard, dense wood, so I've never had that problem.

If you're worried about the bacteria dying, start feeding with ammonia or flake food.

[The Fisherman]

See my original post for a possible explanation why only males would work fine. No competition for a female. Given adequate space and territory, there wouldn't be a reason to fight.

My dwarf is in a 5g, and it's about right space-wise. I don't think I'd want to put 2 in there anyway. Just my opinion.

Have you tried boiling the driftwood? you could also weight it down maybe. I try to only use driftwood that is very hard, dense wood, so I've never had that problem.

If you're worried about the bacteria dying, start feeding with ammonia or flake food.

hmmmm, ill try weighting the wood down with a rock, it came with a suction cup too. no, havent tried boiling the wood. although it was sterilized before i bought it. my LFS gets theior would from a guy who heat treats all the wood. its acually meant for reptiles, but works fien dfor fish.

hmmmm, yeah i have debated between 1 or 2 DPs, although different people have told me differwent things.

hehe, I juwst started adding snails to help fed the bacteria yesterday.[/i]

[RTR]

The five males lived in a 15 gallon for ~8 months, then moved up to a 29. Both tanks were/are heavily planted. These were one batch, all that were recieved at the LFS. They were tiny and have never been apart in my care, nor have they seen a female since they were fry. They are over 3 now, and I thought that there were fewer of them, but they are becoming less active and all are still present, if not easy to find. They are not eating as many blackworms now as when they were younger*, and more snails.

* this is a big part of why I thought I was losing fish - rarely will more than two or three come out for blackworm feedings.

[Dman009]

Are these guys difficult to breed or are they relatively easy, my guess is that aren't but you never know, kind of knew at thes fish.

[The Fisherman]

hmmmm, from what I hear dwarves are kind of difficult to breed. i'm trying right now, since i have a male/female pair, but i'm guessing it depends on different peoples luck to get them to breed.

so you got a puffer now Dan???? hehe

if you do/are going to, DPs are among the best beginner puffers, since their teeth dont overgrow often, or ever, from a lack of hard food diet. and of course they are purely FW, although they will kill most anything else in the tank. 1 DP could prolly take on my Flutter! cocky little fellas....

[Liz]

I had 3 puffers before in my 10 gallon, and I could tell the males from the female, and I could tell the two males apart.

Now I have 5 new ones, and I don't pay as much attention to them so I can't tell them all apart. It's hard when you're buying them, if they're real small... I forgot about the wrinkles. I am going to go flip the lights on in there and give 'em all another look.

[The Fisherman]

the males that I have seen have irridesent wrinkles behind their eyes, and dark stripes down there tummy, which may not be as visible when stressed.

my male DP is looking quite healthy, and his stripe is clearly visible.

I still swear he look like a baby fahaka...


Liz, do your DPs fight/chase much?

[Tihsho]

DP's are easy to breed if you setup a proper tank for them to breed in, or you by chance have them living in a nice tank and by chance stumble on babies when your cleaning...

DPs so like to chase TFM so no worries.

[lisalisa]

I don't think any puffs are 'easy' to breed, but dwarfs are easiER.

They, (edit: many species of puffers) have a difficult juvi stage, needing rots and greenwater, amongst other things.
Certainly not impossible though.

[RTR]

A number of puffers do seem to require tiny live food such as the right sized rotifers (especially BW puffs), but I have never heard this abour dwarfs. What was the source of that info?

[Rocker]

Feeding is one of the major factors in raising fry. I certainly don't think breeding of any puffer species is going to be easy. I still have two DP fry left. They have raised themselves and are now eating bloodworm, whiteworm etc. Prior t that it was natural instinct on what ever they could find.

[lisalisa]

A number of puffers do seem to require tiny live food such as the right sized rotifers (especially BW puffs), but I have never heard this abour dwarfs. What was the source of that info?

I should have made it clearer that I was talking generally about many species of puffers, not dwarfs specifically.

[RTR]

There have been entirely too many successful hobby rearing of DP fry for this to hold for them IMO. They seem less demanding than Rainbow or most Anabantid fry. But they are quite cichlid-like in their demands on mates and spawning sites/general tank setup. A somewhat oversized tank with good thickets of Java Moss will provide some infusoria, including rotifers, as well as refuge for the fry and help bridge the gap from microworms or vinegar eels (a nematode) to BBS and other foods - just as it does for Rainbows and other small egg-layer fry. Do not expect to raise them without live foods.