Puffer Care - great reads to help you learn about the special needs of these unique fish
- Alone but Not Lonely: The Importance of Keeping Puffers Solo - by Damien Wagaman, AKA puffer_archer
Thinking about getting your puffer some tankmates or buddies? The author discusses the risks of keeping puffers with co-specifics or other fish species.
Inside the Mind of a Puffer - by Neale Monks
What makes puffers so different and irresistable? The author covers the unique behavior, appearance and attitude that make puffer fish so interesting.
Moving and Transporting your Livestock and Tanks - by Amy J, AKA Myaj
Moving to a new home and not sure how to take the fish with you? Tips on how to safely transport your fish and tanks to a new location.
The Story of Puffy, a Green Spotted Puffer - by Meander
A new puffer owner shares their experience of buying a Green Spotted Puffer and making the committment to properly take care of it.
Puffers in Focus- puffer keepers share their species specific experiences
- An Introduction to Green Spotted Puffers- by Jeni Tyrell, AKA Pufferpunk
Our very own Pufferpunk shares the information she learned about caring for the most commonly found puffer species, the Green Spotted Puffer, or GSP, as we call them around here.
The Figure Eight Puffer; Colorful, Comical, Compact Fish- by Jeni Tyrell, AKA Pufferpunk
Another article by Pufferpunk, this time focusing on one of the other most commonly found species, the Tetraodon biocellatus, or commonly referred to as Figure 8 Puffer.
Breeding and Raising the Tetraodon suvattii - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
Here you will find Rocker's infamous published article on his experiences with breeding suvattii puffers. Each step of the process is detailed and illustrated with photos of his own mated pairs, their fry and growth stages. Learn about the feeding needs of the fry and the difficulty in finding a willing pair.
Mbu for You? - by Stuart Morse, AKA manutius
Who can resist the Mbu puffer? Manutius sure can't, and once you meet Clooney, you may not be able to either! After reading this article, however, you will understand that the care, commitment, tank size and water changes all match the size of this puffer, HUGE!
The Nice Puffer: Colomesus asellus, the South American Puffer - by Neale Monks
Looking for a more peaceful, community tolerant puffer? Well, the South American puffer might be the species you are looking for! Neale takes a dive into the behavior, heath and basic care of Colomesus assellus, and explores the types of communities and setups they may thrive in.
Sexing Carinotetradodon travancoricus, the Dwarf Puffer - by Amy J, AKA Myaj
One of the few sexable and commonly available puffers, the Dwarf Puffer is a good starting spot for any fishkeeper looking to attempt spawning a puffer species. The first step is to accurately determine the sex of your puffers, and this article outlines several identifying characteristics, including photos for illustration.
Three Suvatti and a Palembang - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
The author shares his experiences with keeping two varieties of lurker puffers, suvatti and palembang, together in the same tank. Read about the steps needed to encourage a peaceful environment when mixing these aggressive predators.
The Arrowhead Puffer: Maliciously Miraculous - by Heather Cooan, AKA Linearchaos
Learn about the aggressive yet facinating Arrowhead Puffer. This article shares the author's experiences with behavior, feeding, aggression to tankmates and the basic care of this vicious yet interactive and compelling lurker.
BIG Marine Pufferfish Care - by Mike Maddox
Mike shares some of the lessons he's learned about keeping marine puffers happy and healthy, including tips on housing, filtration, tankmates and feeding.
Takifugu ocellatus: The Mysterious Orange Saddleback Puffer - by Eileen Ridgeway and Marco Lichtenberger
Long considered a difficult puffer to keep alive in captivity, the Takifugu ocellatus, otherwise known as the Orange saddleback puffer, still tempts fishkeepers with its beautiful colors and compact size. Read how new discoveries have lead to a better understanding of how to keep these unique puffers happy and healthy in the home aquarium.
Hospital - help for common problems, diseases and injuries
- Help! My Puffer is Air-filled! - by Damien Wagaman, AKA puffer_archer
We all know why they are called "puffers", but what do you do when your fish inflates with air and is unable to expel the air? This article explains how to "deflate" your puffer and the importance of avoiding exposure to air, preventing a very dangerous situation and possible death. A must read for every puffer owner or anyone looking to buy or handle puffer fish!
Internal Parasites: Prevention and Treatment - by Amy J, AKA Myaj
Gross as they may be, dealing with internal parasites is something every puffer owner has to think about. As most puffers are wild caught fish, nearly all have some parasites hiding within, waiting to take advantage of any weakness. Read about the various treatments and preventitive measures to help protect your puffers (and other species!) from internal parasites.
Melafix and Pimafix Product Reviews - by Terry Fairfield
Two products that are in the medicine cabinet of nearly every experienced fishkeeper are Melafix and Pimafix. Read on and find out why they are so highly recommended, and often suggested as a first response (along with water changes of course!) to nearly any ailment.
Puffer Dentistry - by Jeni Tyrell, AKA Pufferpunk
Dentistry? Teeth trimming? On fish? Yes! Many species of puffers have fast growing "teeth" that need to be trimmed on a regular basis, or the fish may eventually not be able to eat and starve to death. Pufferpunk writes about the procedure, including photos of the different steps and various helpful products to use.
Quarantine Tanks - by Amy Janecek, AKA Myaj
One of the most important steps in owning any species of fish is the proper use of a quarantine tank. Learn why they are important, how to set one up and the correct way to utilize this simple preventitive measure.
Treating Freshwater Ich - by Jeni Tyrell, AKA Pufferpunk
Ich is a common problem in fishkeeping, with many commercially available cures. Puffers, however, are scale-less fish, sensitive to many medications and treatments that work well with other species. Read up on how to treat and prevent the common freshwater ich parasite.
Treating Saltwater Ich - by Kelly Jedlicki, AKA Puffer_Queen
Here Puffer_Queen explains how to treat the "other ich", the saltwater version. If anything, saltwater fish are even more delicate than freshwater, and these amazing puffers also need special treatment when they are plagued with the saltwater ich parasite.
Feeding- diet suggestions, tips and tricks
- Basic Snail Breeding - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
Puffers require hard shelled foods to wear down their teeth, and snails are, for most species, their natural and most healthy diet. Rocker shares his tips and tricks on breeding your own snail colony so you have a steady supply of crunchy and nutritious food for your puffers.
Feeder fish - The Pros and Cons - by Neale Monks
While feeder fish are often recommended by store sales clerks as a cheap and easy food for puffers and other predatory fish, there are also some very serious downsides. This article explores both sides of the common arguement in order to allow fishkeepers to better educate themselves and make an informed decision.
Feeding Your Puffers - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
What should you feed your puffer? Rocker supplies a list of various foods suitable for feeding these often picky eaters, with an emphasis on healthy, crunchy foods. Variety is a big part of a healthy diet, and with this article, you can introduce some new treats to your pufferfish!
Problems Feeding Your Puffer? - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
Did someone just mention "picky eaters"? Many puffers, due to being wild caught, are notoriously difficult when it comes to accepting "dead" foods such as frozen or prepared fish foods. Check out this article to learn how to tempt your puffer into eating a much more safe and healthy diet, instead of resorting to live feeder fish.
Water & Filtration- filtration techniques, water quality, cycling and related topics
- Fishless Cycling - by Ian Jefferies, AKA Rocker
Setting up a new tank and want it to be the most healthy, stable environment possible for your new puffer? Read on and learn how to do a "fishless cycle", seeding your tank with the proper bacteria to ensure it can handle the bioload of your puffer, without harming any fish in the process (unlike outdated "starter fish" cycling methods).
Emergency: How to Quickly Cycle a New Tank - by Paul Dinelle AKA Agnate
Have you bought some new puffers, or any fish, and a new tank, and are wondering why they do not look healthy, or may even be dying? Agnate has put together an article to help you narrow down what is going on in your new tank and how to speed up the process of cycling.
You & Chlorine or Chloramines - by Robert T. Ricketts, AKA RTR
Miscellanea - topics that don't quite fit in anywhere else
- There’s a Dragon in my Tank! - by Jeni Tyrell, AKA Pufferpunk
Pufferkeepers tend to be drawn to "oddball" fish, and as they learn more about brackish systems, those cute little gobies start to look very tempting. Learn about the needs and behavior of the Dragon Goby, and decide if this fish is the right one for you.
Clean Up Crew - by Neale Monks
Nearly every fishkeeper will at one time fall under the belief that they "need" a clean up crew for their tank. The author, Neale Monks, discusses the true reasons to have a clean up crew and why one is unnecessary, and potentially even harmful to the water quality of the tank, in most non-reef systems.
The informative articles written by Robert T. Ricketts, also commonly known around the internet as RTR:
- Introduction to the Freshwater and Brackish Water Puffers
A Book Devoted to Fresh and Brackish Water Puffers
First Freshwater Puffer? Try South American
Figure Eight Puffers - A Great Small Brackish Fish
Breeding Snails for Food
Snails, Snails & More Snails
Oddball: "Freshwater Flounders" - or maybe Soles - Flatfish
Ghost Shrimp - See-through Inverts for your Tank
Water Change Math - General
How To, and Not To, Siphon Manually
Water Change Math, OTS, and Other Mismatches...
Water Changes - Why, How Much, How Often
Salt of the Earth, Salt of the Sea
Old Tank Syndrome
New Tank Syndrome
Filtration Basics, Part 1- Mechanical
Filtration Basics, Part 2- Chemical
Filtration Basics, Part 3- Biofiltration
Filtration Basics, Part 4- Implementation
Biofiltration-only Canister Filters
Vegetable Filters
Aquarium Microbes Part 1: Nitrification
Aquarium Microbes Part 2: Other small critters
Considerations in Fishless Cycling
Using the Python Product "No Spill Clean and Fill"
Undergravel Filters: Conventional, Reverse Flow
Quarantine or Isolation Tanks
Brown Algae, Diatoms in Freshwater Tanks
Pearling - True or False
The Bioload Concept: What it is, and What it Means to Hobbiests
The Relationship Between Filtration and Water Changes