About to get my first dwarf puffer - advice

[eduller]

Hello all,

I have been lurking here for a few days, as my wife fell in love with a pea puffer, and I set up a tank for her to get one as a surprise. I have a fully cycled, heated 5.6 gallon Fluval Spec V with a lot of plants. The puffer will be going solo in this tank.

I am not new to fishkeeping, but I've never kept a puffer before. I want to be sure everything is ready to bring the little guy/gal home. I already have frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp that I feed my bettas, and I have a pond snail infestation in my 55 gallon tank, so that should provide enough snails forever. Does anyone have any tips that you wish you had known before getting your puffer? Anything I haven't thought of or should know?

Thanks very much!

[bertie 83]

Welcome to the forum. How was the tank cycled?

[eduller]

Thanks! I used filter media from my established 55 gallon tank, and I have been treating it like a fishless cycle for a week now, using pure ammonia drops to feed the bacteroa. 3ppm of ammonia turns into 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate in 24 hours for 4 days in a row now.

[bertie 83]

Sounds like you have it under control. Put lots of decor in there to keep the puffer occupied, I think that's the only tip I can currently offer

[eduller]

Thanks again! Mind taking a look - the plants are actually growing like crazy, but they haven't totally grown in. I have several plants in my large tank that are ready to be trimmed, so I could add some more cuttings. Do you think I should add some caves/actual hardscape type of decor? I have some driftwood, lava rock, etc. A lot of choices. The more stuff, the happier the puffer?

[RTR]

The live plans are good. Higher density is not necessary unless more than one DP is present, and the tank is a bit small for that.

Do you have access to live California blackworms? If so, they are ideal DP food. DPs are the only puffer we know who does not absolutlely require a diet high in snails. You may have to crush a very small snail to get the DP trained to eating them. If you have ramshorn snails, they are easier for DPs to bite and slurp. Smallis puffer eat snails by the same technique loaches use - commonly called "bitye & slurp" here. they are not stong enough to crush most snails. Baby ramshorns are the best for them, But they will do quite well on a diet of live blackworms also.

HTH

[eduller]

I'm sure I could find the California blackrooms. I live in an area with a LOT of good small/independent fish stores (Detroit area, anyone?). I'll call around, thanks for the tip! Looks like they sell blackworm "keepers" online - I'm sure my bettas and gouramis would like them too.

I have pond snails and ramshorns. The ramshorns don't seem to be breeding very quickly, but the ponds snails definitely are. They are tiny tiny, most of them not much bigger than a couple of grains of rice. Even the adult/bigger ones don't seem to get much bigger than maybe half a pea size. Maybe I have pygmy pond snails?? I am getting the DP from a very good LFS, and I'm sure he would give/sell me a sample of what he is currently feeding them.

I appreciate the advice and input.

[bertie 83]

Tank looks good

[eduller]

We got the puffer, Storm. He is enjoying his new home - eating well and exploring. He hasn't even looked twice at the pond snails, but bloodworms are a hit. I'm going to order the California black worms today - thanks for the advice again