Thinking about getting puffer fish

[randro]

I am thinking about getting a puffer fish and i wanted to know what i would need and how much it would cost I have had a few fish before and i preferably want one that is easy to take care of.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Do you have a tank already? If so, look through the PufferPedia (under the Learn tab) for species profiles. If you want something easy to care for, stick to the freshwater section. Cost will vary according to the species you choose. I had a 10g aquarium and filter already when I got my puffers, and I spent around $100 total getting things the way I wanted them. After that, it's cheap - some food once a month, dechlorinator, and the very occasional medicine.

Welcome to the forum. You're in the right place.

[StormySkiez]

Welcome to the site.

Take a look at dwarf puffers. They are small and req fresh water. Also CK out how to cycle a tank before you buy any fish.

[randro]

No i dont have a tank yet do you reccomend any sizes also What decorations do they like that I can put in my tank?

Yeah i figured this was the place to get advice lol

[StormySkiez]

Depends on what size tank you want to maintain and what size fish you will put into it. Like LilGreen puffer said look in the pufferpedia: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/ and ck out the puffer library: library/ both under the learn tab at the top of this site to see what you might want to have.

[LilGreenPuffer]

What's your budget for this? Thinking about that will help you to choose. Also, think about the amount of space that you have for a tank.

[randro]

I want to get two dwarf puffer fish and my budget is about $120

[Lil' Swimz$]

Well, with that you can get this http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... catid=3865. $80.00 + shipping, oh, around $100. Decor would be $10. Gravel, another $10. And finally, puffers. For a 12 gallon 3 dwarf puffers would do great. I bought mine for $6 each. So that's $20 (including tax.) And you'll need a net, food, and dechlorinizer. For food, get frozen (or live, but I prefer frozen for ease) bloodworms. That's $15. In total that's...

...

...

... Mm hmm.

...

... $150. That's a little over, but not bad.

EDIT: Forget it. My idea's way too expensive. I don't order offline (can't, parents won't let me, unless its Target or Wal-Mart, which limits me to plastic 12 and below gallon tanks) I guess just go with Craig'sList.

[thekarens]

You can do it for MUCH less expensive than that. You can find a 10g for $10 or under or if you wanted to go with 3 puffers a 20g wouldn't be that much more. If you go to Craiglist you can get used filters and tanks or even a decent filter from Petsmart won't cost you more than $30. Not sure where you live, but if you have a local fish club you can usually find used equipment for very reasonable prices.

[Dadof4]

Buy used equipment, much cheaper! I buy all my tanks used, usually from Craigslist, e-bay, or a local fish club. A good tank size to start with is a 29/30 gallon tank, there are a lot of different species that can be housed in a 30 gal comfortably. If you're just starting in fish keeping definitely read the fishless cycling article and also look through the freshwater puffer section in the library. I suggest freshwater because most stay in smaller tanks, their care level is relatively easy (compared to the SW), the set up is a little cheaper, and there are some awesome puffers that live in freshwater!

[Drix]

I agree on the craigslist, I see fish stuff all the time ranging to all kinds of equipment. you can save alot on there.

[LilGreenPuffer]

For two or three DPs, go to craigslist and get a 10g! I got one recently, with a filter and hood and working lights, for $10, and they even dropped it off at my house. Get a great deal like this, and you can put your money into getting the tons of decorations that will keep them happy. Craigslist is basically amazing.

[randro]

ok so i just purchased a 10 gallon tank with a undergravel filter. Can i use sand with it or not? Also After i set it up should i use the Bio spira and a suicide fish then get my dwarf puffers later? Also which decorations do they like the most?
Thank you.

[LilGreenPuffer]

For cycling, read the article in the Library on fishless cycling. Please don't use a "suicide fish." This isn't very nice.

Bio-Spira is actually for marine tanks.

As for the undergravel filter, these are a lot of trouble. They trap waste where you can't remove it, leading to high nitrate levels, and you have to remove them and clean them out every six months. If you choose to use it, you should also use a power filter, to minimize the waste that gets trapped in the undergravel.

Decorations - they love planted tanks! Real or fake doesn't matter, as long as there's lots of them. I use a combination of real and fake.

[randro]

Also I think I need a new filter any suggestions?