DP!

[Pufferluv09]

I just got a dwarf puffer yesterday, which I'm keeping in a 5gal tank, and I have to say-- it is insanely adorable! I just have one concern-- Peewee didn't eat the frozen brine shrimp I gave it this morning. Do DPs tend to be picky eaters? I'm going to get some frozen blood worms to feed it as well. Also, I'm breeding snails, so hopefully it will eat those.

[JessK]

Mine gobble up live blackworms. They're inexepensive and a lot of people have luck feeding them to picky puffers.

[Pufferluv09]

Oh, I'll check those out. Thanks.

[Myaj]

Yes, mine were picky eaters. They loved live black worms and would also eat the New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula, but refused any other dry or frozen food.

That said, they had a heavily planted tank that was fully stocked with snails and red cherry shrimp before I got the DP's, so they just preferred to hunt their own food instead of what I offered them.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Mine don't eat anything that's not worm-shaped or live. Live brine shrimp and live snails, live or frozen worms - that's it.

[Pufferluv09]

I got some frozen bloodworms, and Peewee seems to like those! The only problem is that they are a little big for him/her to get down.

I have a question about sexing DPs. About when can you tell male from female? I don't know how old mine is, but the size is a bit over a half inch.

[Myaj]

Article in the library:
library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-carinot ... rf-puffer/

[LilGreenPuffer]

I'm glad Peewee is eating.

[Pufferluv09]

Thanks for the artical, Myaj. Peewee is a bit over .5" and shows no male characteristics, but I will give it some more time before declaring it a female, in case it's a late bloomer. hehe

Thanks LilGreenPuffer. I'm glad Peewee is eating too.

[Pufferluv09]

I got some live black worms the other day, and Peewee LOVES them.
How do you keep the worms? Right now I just have them in a plastic cup with a little water and an algae pellet...

[busybones]

Black worms can stored in the refrigerator for weeks, keep them cold, you can take them out of the fridge but they will age much faster if you do. Do not add too much water to the container, just enough to barely cover them. Rinse them every other day with chlorine free water (that has been kept at the same temps) Try to buy the freshest ones possible and rinse them to make sure there aren't any dead ones in the batch.

[Pufferluv09]

Oh, thanks!

[JessK]

I keep my blackworms in a an old water bottle. It's convenient because it takes up no room in the fridge. When I feed I have a little plastic bowl and I dump the blackworms in that and feed. Afterwards I rinse the worms, but a little tank water in and put them back in the fridge. They last me about 3wks usually. I've heard that if you have sponge filter you can squeeze water from it into their container and they will eat the stuff that comes out.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Yes, the Skeptical Aquarist does that. She has a nice article on culturing them.

[Pufferpunk]

I gut-load all my live foods with liquid vitamins & old flakes/ground plankton.