The Puffer Forum

I just got another Congo puffer about 4" including tail.

It is now digging into the sand I have provided it with. The sand is about 3" thick. And the diameter of the sand is about 2mm each.

I have seen it try to dig into the sand several times, but it stops everytime it reaches about 1cm or so. As such, there are many little "pits" in the tank.

Is there something wrong with my sand that does now allow it to dig any further?

Here is a picture of it lying on the type of sand I use.

My Congo often sits above the sand. It tends to bury itself in the shallower areas of the tank, too, and not the deeper areas I've provided for it.

Puffers are very intelligent - they know how to push our buttons and get us worried and frustrated...

So I suppose the size of the sand is alright?

If that is the case, I don't have to worry too. Just worried that I am providing the wrong type of sand for it to dig.

Thanks.

Your puffer could still be gettin used to the tank. With my miurus he didnt want to bury himself for the first couple weeks and now thats about all he does. I dont have experience with bigger ones like that though. From what ive heard they bury themselves more than the youngens.

Thanks. I will wait a while and see how things go.

Any of you feed people shrimps to miurus? My takes it, but only if I use a tweezer to bring the MP to its mouth. Spoilt?

2mm grain size is fine. That is what my 3.5" Congo & my 1.5" Congo bury themselves with.

Where did you get your sand? Is it aquarium sand, play sand, etc.?

I got my sand from the LFS. It is aquarium sand.

As some of you had predicted, maybe the fish is just not yet settled. I say my Congo buried half of itself today. Can't wait to see it missing one fine day.

My little Congo will eat several different foods. My big Congo will only eat shrimp wiggled around on a bamboo skewer.

I like his speckles. One day you'll look in there and all you will see are a pair of googly eyes sticking out. And you'll really have to search to find them.

Feathers&Fins wrote:My little Congo will eat several different foods. My big Congo will only eat shrimp wiggled around on a bamboo skewer.

I like his speckles. One day you'll look in there and all you will see are a pair of googly eyes sticking out. And you'll really have to search to find them.

Isn't a bamboo skewer a bit dangerous since it is sharp?

Have you tried crayfish? Apart from shrimps, what do you use to grind down the teeth of the Congo?

I push the shrimp up the skewer way past the sharp tip. Then I sick the tip of the skewer into the sand so the Congo doesn't see it.

Feathers&Fins wrote:My little Congo will eat several different foods. My big Congo will only eat shrimp wiggled around on a bamboo skewer.

what other foods do you feed your little one? The only things my new Congo with eat are people shrimp and large krill...which he usually swallows in one bite!

My little congo will eat live gut-loaded crickets, live earthworms, blood worms, and mysis. I also feed him squid, krill, and clams but he does not eat them. (He ends up going hungry on those days).

My Miurus wouldn't even look at something like Mysis..he only likes big peices. Gut loaded ghost shrimp are a new fav!

Try crays (little ones) gives the puff more of a hunt/fight. Then it will realize food doent come easy all the time...

I'll try that and let you know how it goes