New to Dwarf Puffers

[Suess00]

Hey everyone Im new to the puffer world but I been in the didn't community for a while. Quick back story is that I have a 150 gallon and a 55 gallon fresh water tanks with angel fish, bichir, African leaf fish, peacock eel, shrimp, plecos, and clown loaches which I had all fish for 5 almost 6 years.

I just recently bought a 15 gallon talk tank with good filtration, places some Smooth rocks in, life plants, a big tree trunk with many hiding places and I placed a flexible tubing to increase water flow and oxygen. All the levels and temp are perfect.

I bought two dwarf female puffers and one male puffer which are getting shipped from Florida and will be here on Thursday. The seller said they are pretty small and I need suggestions what to feed.them. I bought frozen blood worms and frozen brine shrimp. I will also purchase some ghost shrimp and possibly some sort of snails, not sure what type Im open for suggestions lol.

Thanks everyone

Chris

[purplecandle]

welcome to the forum

Here is a basic puffer feeding article
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Here is info on snail breeding, you will probably want to breed these as they can be hard to buy.
library/feeding/basic-snail-breeding/

And here is some info on your dwarf puffers
library/puffers-in-focus/dwarfpuffercare/

[Pufferpunk]

Sounds like a great tank!

[bertie 83]

Welcome

[Suess00]

I just received my three DPs and placed them in the tank. Two went immediately to the bottom of the tank and are swimming around on the bottom, the other one is on top section just swimming from corner to corner.

I bought some frozen bloodworms, plankton, and baby brine shrimp for them to eat is that good?

Also I thought it would be smart if I placed 5 ghost shrimp in the tank for clean up and added decor/food, is that good? I.was thinking of getting a few more.

The water temp is between 72-74 is that fine?

I put some frozen bloodworms in the tank a couple of min after they were placed in but I didn't see them eat, Im hoping they will or will be smart enough too. They are as big as my.thumb nail so under half an inch.......is all this normal?

Any suggestions? Also getting a bit of algae on my plants any suggestions besides less light?

Thanks

[purplecandle]

Everything sounds good, provided that your tank parameters remain stable at 0-0-<10

I would not add any more shrimp as they will increase your bioload, and I don't think it is a good idea to house food with eaters

I might increase the temp a few degrees, probably less than 80 degrees

Get some crunchy snails for their teeth

[Pufferpunk]

DPs don't get overgrown teeth. Mine will ONLY eat live blackworms.

[Suess00]

Thanks everyone

can i just place the food in and they will find it?

What amount of food should i put in?

Also i want to get a rubber lip pleco they stay small cause i have an algae problem cause of my plants

[defool89]

Your plants should help your algae... try doing partial water changes like 5g in between your weekly routine w ater change. I have a lot of plants in my large tank and dont have that problem anymore. I had a problem too amd bought a common pleco but he couldnt keep up, just an endless buffet. Try cuttin your light hours too. I added co2 boosters to my tank to help the plants outcompete the algea. Idk if the c02 theory works but it sounds good to me. Algae are small microscopic plants too that need just about the same requirements as plants do. You just gotta cut back on certain elements that algae needs that plants can do less without like, phosphates. If your plants thrive they should outcompete your algae for the nutrients they both need. It should limit your algae not eliminate it because that's practically impossible.

Sorry if i said things you already know and do..i just hate algae... as for feeding someone else will take that one.

[Suess00]

I had a huge ammonia spike to .5 and nitrate and nitrite about the same. I placed more benificial bacteria and to fight ammonia and nitrate. I never had this happen with any other tank....the puffers seem fine for now.....any suggestions!?

Thanks

Chris

[defool89]

How often do you do water changes?

Puffer bio load is like snoop dog on a friday night. High.

[Suess00]

Just put them in yesterday and levels were good...

[defool89]

Just put them in yesterday and levels were good...

Ahhh. Did you change your water before ypu dropped them in?

[Suess00]

No i didnt...

[defool89]

Do a 50% water change. Then test the water again in a few days. Its advised the water be changed before you put in the fish after cycling the tank. The purpose of cycling is to get good bacteria in your filter and subtrate. The bacteria does not metabolize in water so changing water does not undo your cycling, just gets rid of old water. Puffers are extremely sensitive to amonia and nitrates so good water is a must ... do you use tap water or reverse osmosis for you water?
If you use tap water you need to use prime to remove the amonia chlorine etc. If you do reverse osmosis please mineralise.
Tap water contains a lot of bad stuff for fish, reverse osmosis has no minerals.
Whatever water you use its important that you condition it beyond removing chlorine. Prime for a 750ml bottle costs 20$ and treats 5000 Gallons. Great stuff.