Congo puffers!

[s13maximo]

Ok guys, this is my first post here! I've had dwarf puffers and some figure 8's for about a year now, and now I also have two congo puffers. But it seems as they find the gravel a bit on the big size to burry themselves... Today I got some fine river sand, but when I put it in a jar with some water added, it becomes a thick muddy substance like beach sand. This seems to be even less ideal for them so I haven't added it! Any tips on this?

[jonboy8465]

half fill a bucket with sand and keep running water through stirring with your hand until the water runs clear then add it to your tank slowly so as not to upset your fish. are all of these fish in the same tank? if so you might be in for some trouble with fighting.

[jmbishop]

Use pool filter sand. Its pre washed and slightly bigger than play sand.

[s13maximo]

Ok guys first of all no these are not all in the same tank!!! I've done some reading before I bought puffers, or even any other fish...
My figure 8's are in a light brackish tank together with some bbg's and some molly's. My dwarfs are in another tank(fw offcourse) with a whole community of fish which hasn't given me problems either. It didn't even stop my apistogramma's to breed and care for their young-ones!

The sand however is in my tank and doesn't seem to be a problem. Thinking about it, sand behaves different under water than when soaked with water.
And while I'm typing this, my congo's allready are lurking under the sand!

On to the next issue. I've had them since yesterday and they haven't eaten anything. This could solve a different problem I have which is that my mollies are sex-aholics and I now already have about four generations of them. I know it is frowned upon in the aquatic community, but wouldn't it be nice to feed one of them to my congo's occasionaly?

I've tried frozen bloodworms, a shrimp, and a frozen feeder fish yesterday, but to no aveil...

[Dadof4]

They can take a while to settle in to their new home and may not eat until they feel comfortable, don't be too worried yet. They can got on hunger strikes for a few weeks when they're unhappy. So, getting the sand in there and some good cover was a great first step. Try feeding live ghost shrimp, quarantine them first of course, and then put a bunch the tank and watch for them to start disappearing. As for the feeding mollies, as long as you raise them (off shoots of your sexaholics) they should be fine for an occasional treat. Make sure they are very healthy when you feed them and load them with high quality flake food/vitamins prior to offering them.

[s13maximo]

Ok, they've been doing some good eating already! The molly went down great and seems to have triggered their appetite! They've had some mussle meat, and some bloodworms aswel! They don't love the shrimps yet but that's allright... My big guy does sometimes color darkbrown, and when I sit in front of the tank, he always colors back to his usual beige coloration.

I'll post some pics when I have the time! Great fish these guys!

[ryverrat]

As far as feeding, congos can be moddy. Mine ate fine the first 2 weeks home- anything offered was sucked right down (hence he is called Hoover). Have had him for 3 months now and he only eats when he feels like it- I keep snails ( I raise them) in the tank in case he wants a snack but when fed every other day he does not always eat (not skinny). His favorite is raw shrimp (I get froze human shrimp- work great thawed in vitamin water). He will also eat muscles, ghost shrimp, cherry shrimp ( I raise them too), squid, and occasionally get crab (mostly buy frozen human food- much cheaper). The crab my puffers get is when we get froze crab legs and give them pieces of the small one we don't feel like try to get the meat out of. I noticed my congo won't go after any small things - no bloodworms or brine shrimp. Figured that since he is over 3 in. he doesn't waste his energy on such small stuff.

[Pufferpunk]

It might be the sand you picked is too fine. I have black sand mixed with 25% small gravel & she was always able to dive in easily.

[splitadams]

It might be the sand you picked is too fine. I have black sand mixed with 25% small gravel & she was always able to dive in easily.

could this be the case for my milk-spotted puffer, he never burrows, and the sand ive got is called silver sand and i find that its very fine