Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Do you treat dwarf puffers for IPs. My Male puffer looks very skinny almost always thats why I am wondering.
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
- Pufftastic
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 430
- Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 2:02 pm
- My Puffers: 1 x C travancoricus
Have also kept:
T biocellatus - Location (country): California USA
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Definitely. Mine were loaded with IPs when I got 'em. They pooped out worms for 2 days after I treated them.
Yo ho, yo ho, a puffer's life for me.
- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Done deal. will begin treatment asap
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
- bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Good work lol
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Just a couple of tips, as I found my fish hesitant to eat the medicated food:
Use either garlic extract, or a pressed garlic clove/juice along with the medication, this seems to either mask the medicated flavor and smell, or make it smell so irresistible they will eat it anyway.
Allow the food to soak in the medication for about 30 hour to an hour, but don't soak it longer than that or they pretty much won't touch it no matter how much mashed garlic you infuse it with.
I've used the Jungle tabs and Tetra Parasite Guard tabs types of the Praziquantel, Metronidazole based medications both with success just breaking of little pieces for the food marinade.
Use either garlic extract, or a pressed garlic clove/juice along with the medication, this seems to either mask the medicated flavor and smell, or make it smell so irresistible they will eat it anyway.
Allow the food to soak in the medication for about 30 hour to an hour, but don't soak it longer than that or they pretty much won't touch it no matter how much mashed garlic you infuse it with.
I've used the Jungle tabs and Tetra Parasite Guard tabs types of the Praziquantel, Metronidazole based medications both with success just breaking of little pieces for the food marinade.

- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Thats how I treated my F8, but the vitamin soak I have has garlic flavoring so that helped out. I used Tetra parasite guard.
My problem is, the little walrus won't eat bloodworms or shrimp or plankton that I have, He will only eat snails for some reason, so I think I'm screwed.
My problem is, the little walrus won't eat bloodworms or shrimp or plankton that I have, He will only eat snails for some reason, so I think I'm screwed.
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
-
jjj5311
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:14 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 DPs
Green Spotted Puffer - Location (country): USA
- Location: Milwuakee, WI
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
How does your dwarf eat snails, mine only eats them if i crush them prior to the feeding
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jjj5311
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:14 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 2 DPs
Green Spotted Puffer - Location (country): USA
- Location: Milwuakee, WI
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
I would imagine soaking the snails wouldnt be an issue, i believe i have read it on here before that people have done it, but someone will correct me if i am wrong
- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
I think it dissolves them... but I'm not positive
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
I might try that, unless some experts step in.
I need to find some live black worms
I need to find some live black worms
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
- Salmon
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 270
- Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 11:54 pm
- My Puffers: Albie (F8) soon to be rehomed
Milo and Millie (DPs) - Location (country): United States of America
- Location: Ohio
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Before I feed today, I was wondering if anyone had suggestions on what to use as far as food, since he will only eat snails as far as I know? anyone?
Those who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to find puffers.
- sevenyearnight
- Former Staff Member
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2011 2:41 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: T. nigroviridis
Balki Bartokomous - Location (country): USA
- Location: South Carolina
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
If he will only eat snails, then you don't have much option. You could try a small earthworm, cut into small pieces, if you haven't tried that already.

- Reaperpilot2014
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 638
- Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 1:38 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 150g - 1 Fahaka Puffer "Ramses" (The Pharaoh)
55g - 3 SA Puffers "Larry, Curly, * Moe"
30g - 1 GSP "Demon"
15g - 1 C. Irrubesco "Raoden"
29g - 1 Figure 8 - Looking for good name ideas...
29g - Ramshorn, Marmorkreb, Cherry & Ghost Shrimp Breeder Tank
10 wonderful years with puffers! - Location (country): USA
- Location: Utah
Re: Dwarf Puffers and IPs
Most of mine will eat a snail that has been crushed, so theoretically, you could take most of the shell off of a few snails, and then soak them and try that. If you do end up being able to get him to eat earthworm or another food, that would be easier.
It's a crayfish! It's a snail! It's a... ah who cares?
Nom nom nom!...
Tank: 4 liter custom-shaped sphere
Contents: 1 Brainfish
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates: ?
Problem: Cloudy/muddy water
Can you help me?
Nom nom nom!...
Tank: 4 liter custom-shaped sphere
Contents: 1 Brainfish
Ph: 7.4
Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates: ?
Problem: Cloudy/muddy water
Can you help me?