Dwarf Puffer Question

Dwarf, Red Eye, South American & more. Freshwater puffer talk in here.
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

Hi Everyone.

I'm new to the forum/board and also a new owner of a Dwarf Pufferfish.
I was told this species was labeled as an Indian DP by the owner of my local petstore.
I named him/her Oscar. I've had Oscar for about 4 days and was wondering what are my alternatives in feeding aside from bloodworms/snails/etc.

My local pet store had thrown in a common feeder fish in the tank after I bought my DP and those little guys devoured it in seconds. Is it okay to feed my DP feeder fishes?

And i've noticed my DP has been just settling down on my fishtank. Is that normal behavior? I hope Oscar isn't sick.

Here's a picture of my DP in my 2.5gL cycled tank.

Image
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

I forgot to ask, how often should I do water changes? My tank is relatively small.
jennybugs
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 118
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 7:33 am
My Puffers: Carinotetraodon Travancoricus x 3
Tetraodon Biocellatus x 2
Tetraodon miurus x 1
Canthigaster valentini x 1
Canthigaster leoparda x 1
Location (country): UK
Location: Swinging London

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by jennybugs »

Hello! I have 3 DPs and they mainly live on bloodworm and snails tbh. I do try them with chopped mussels occasionally but they look at it then me as if to say 'what do we do with that?' :lol: Brine shrimp go down well for the chase factor (little nutritional value in them) as do small freshwater 'rock/glass shrimps'.

I change 50% of my tank water every week and have over the top filtration for the tank as they are messy girls with messy feeding habits to boot :D
Image
User avatar
groovitudedude
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 816
Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 12:25 am
My Puffers: 1X Dwarf Puffer, 1X Auriglobus Silus
Location: SoCal

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by groovitudedude »

Fire Eel!
Tiny Fish Forum
Happy_Puffer
Green Spotted Puffer
Posts: 418
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:55 pm
My Puffers: Green Spotted Puffers
The new owner of a Canthigaster jactator

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Happy_Puffer »

Welcome!! He is really cute. You can try feeding him small pieces of krill as a treat since they are fatty. I grab some tongs and hang the krill in the tank and they love to attack it. You might hvae some luck with frozen mysis shrimp, I feed that to my marine puffer and also my green spots.
*Katie*
The new owner of a salt water tank
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

Thanks for replying! You guys are great help!

I think i'm going to purchase some feeders in a seperate tank and quarantine them and treat them for any parasites/diseases before I feed them to my puffer. Is this a good idea?

I also wonder if I can get him a tankmate. My tank is rather small tho. =/
Nick
Former Staff Member
Posts: 3231
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:47 pm
My Puffers: Mine:
GSPs - Shakespeare and Jillybean
F8 - Velvet
My fiance:
DP - Emma Goldman
Narrow Lined Puffer - Ulrike
Location (country): Northeastern USA
Location: Middletown, CT
Contact:

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Nick »

No. It is always a bad idea to feed your puffer feeders unless it is one of the handful of lurking piscivores.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
User avatar
Mareva
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:14 pm
My Puffers: 3 DPs: Borneo, Palua and Fidji!
Location: Québec, Canada

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Mareva »

I wouldn't add another fish in there... 2.5G is a tight minimum for a DP, we're looking for 3 to 5 G for each DP. Considering there's substrate and decor in your tank, you probably have only 2G of water, so, really, it'd be best you do not add another fish in there.

I feed mine with a tweezer. After a while, 2 out of 3 would eat anything that hung from the tweezers!! One of them (the female) only eats bloodworm and snails.

By the way, it looks like yours a male! ;)
User avatar
thejoie
Puffer Fry
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:15 pm

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by thejoie »

Yea I wouldn't do a tank mate.. they really are messy fish! Although I do house my DPs with otos and cherry shrimp and they haven't bothered either of them. No interest in nipping. Each puffer is different though so you never really know if they're going to accept tank mates.
I also do a 50% change weekly and feed mainly blood worms and snails.

I love them. They're a very friendly and active fish! I haven't had mine for too long and they already know that when they see me it means food!!
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

LOL. Hopefully my DP is a boy because if he was a she; then Oscar would be a o_O for her.

I just added 2 ghost shrimp into the tank. They're so tiny! They do clean up after my DP with all the left over scraps he leaves with the bloodworms.

I went to PETCO to get snails today. I bought these Anarcharis weed/plant thing. And I asked the worker if I could have some snails and she literally scrapped every inch of glass and plants for them. She was really nice!

I had to set up a seperate tank for the pond snails & ghost shrimp that I got for 15 for a dollar in hopes that they will breed.
User avatar
t1gerbee
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 831
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:10 am
My Puffers: 1 x Ceylon + 1 x GSP + 1 x stars and stripes (juv) -Marine
(Non puffs-)
4 x clowns
1 x Oscar-Tropical
3 x Convicts-Tropical
1 x Map Turtle-tropical
2 x Plecs-Tropical
2 x goldfish
Location: london

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by t1gerbee »

feeder fish are never a good idea, and not part of puffers natural diet...

you will need to do frequent water changes as puffers are messy and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate sensitive...


Do you have a lid on the tank? Puffers also jump!
1 x 90G Juv stars and stripes puffer, Ceylon Puffer + GSP + 2 black clowns
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish :-)
Image
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

Yeah, my tank has a lid. Thanks for the heads up! I sometimes forget to put the lid back on when I feed him!

I'm not going to follow through with the feeder fish thing. Sounds like a bad idea.

I just did a water change..I hope he adjust fine, poor little guy.
User avatar
Daria101
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 50
Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 5:23 am
My Puffers: 2 Dwarf Puffers
1 Male + 1 Female

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Daria101 »

Are green spotted puffers another species of Dwarf Puffers?

I just saw them at Walmart.
They all looked sick & had their fins nipped. Poor little guys.
Nick
Former Staff Member
Posts: 3231
Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:47 pm
My Puffers: Mine:
GSPs - Shakespeare and Jillybean
F8 - Velvet
My fiance:
DP - Emma Goldman
Narrow Lined Puffer - Ulrike
Location (country): Northeastern USA
Location: Middletown, CT
Contact:

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Nick »

They're a mid size(5-6") brackish puffer that also thrives in full marine when older, generally very aggressive and territorial. The poor condition is from shipping(they bite the hell out of each other while bagged in the dark) and their wounds generally become inflamed and infected in fresh water, which walmart keeps them in.
No matter how magnificent your successes or devastating your failures, the worlds' approximately 5 billion impoverished people could not possibly care less.
Dwarfpuffer2008

Re: Dwarf Puffer Question

Post by Dwarfpuffer2008 »

I have 4 DP's 2 male and 2 female...I have mine housed in a highly planted tank...I know you have a small tank..but I would get a small amount of java moss and a couple of small plants...so he will not get bored...I move my plants weekly...to keep them curious..if you need some Java moss..I have tons of it and will be more than happy to send you some..let me know.. :D
Post Reply