How to set up territories for pea puffers?

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turtle10
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How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by turtle10 »

How does one make a complex enough environment to house more than 1 puffer? I would appreciate some examples on how to make sure they each have their own territory.

Thanks.
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Tripp
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by Tripp »

How many puffers and what size tank do you have?
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turtle10
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by turtle10 »

I don't have the puffers yet but it is a 10 gallon tank, the normal rectangular one. I really want to try and do 3, is that too many even if it is heavily planted? I was hoping for m/f/f or all females, although I know my store only has the juveniles so that may be difficult.
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bertie 83
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by bertie 83 »

I would personally stick with 2 in a 10g. If you decorate it heavily they will find territories
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by turtle10 »

Ok, I will go for two pea puffers.

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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by RTR »

If the tank is densely planted with live plants, keeping only two small semi-clear areas at diagonally opposite corners of the tank, you should be fine with two dwarf puffers.

If you can sex the two before buying, two females are easiest. Two males are more likely to fight.

With artificial plants, it is a bit harder to arrange blocked sight lines.
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by eieio »

RTR wrote: With artificial plants, it is a bit harder to arrange blocked sight lines.
how so?
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bertie 83
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by bertie 83 »

I don't think artificial plants grow quite as densely lol
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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eieio
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by eieio »

bertie 83 wrote:I don't think artificial plants grow quite as densely lol
they might not grow as densely, but they can be bunched, trimmed, re-arranged anyway one wants to, in order to achieve the density and effect as desired.
and these arrangements are easy to change at a later time without concern of disturbing live plants, substrate, etc.
lol
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bertie 83
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by bertie 83 »

One plant I can trim without killing lmao. I generally use rock because it's hard to kill lol
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Re: How to set up territories for pea puffers?

Post by RTR »

Few artificial plants are dense, and the majority - but certainly no all - are much too stiff for very small fish such as DPs. No DP male is going to be able to construct a breeding site from plastic plants, so will not ever produce what it considers it's home territory.. IMHO, all the plastics I have used are much too stiff for DPs. Some silks are okay, but in this area are much harder to find and rarely offer the variety needed.

I am far more likely to run live plants for small fish, but I do have a lot of live plant experience, so it is not an issue for me.
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