The Puffer Forum

It's me yet again. Thank you to everyone that responded to my question about Help with Dwarf Puffers, I really appreciate any and all help I can get.

Now, next problem. I thought I'd get another puffer to keep Bob busy, because he's terrorising my big Apple snail. Before I got Bob I had some fish in the tank he's now in, and the snail was already in there. I didn't think he'd mess with a snail that size, but he bites it quite frequently, and I do feel sorry for the snail. I've ordered some ramshorn snails and I am hoping they breed, but they've not arrived yet, so until then, the Apple snail has to be ware. So back to the problem at hand -- I wanted a female to put in with Bob (I am fairly sure he's a male) but the boy at the LFS wasn't able to tell a female from a male, and so he just went for any puffer. I think it must be a male also because one just chases the other and looks ready to nip the tail as well. I thought by having alot of live plants in the tank that I wouldn't have to worry about them chasing each other like that. So now I need to know if they will kill each other?
I think they are very cool, but I do wish I could have a bigger freshwater Puffer. I really don't like the idea of having a brackish tank and I don't want to fiddle with total salt water, so I prefer to stay freshwater for now.
Again, any and all help very much appreciated.

Fahaka is a big FW puffer

You can get more DP's to lessen the aggression or get a bigger tank.

This is why we suggest keeping dwarf puffers in trios or a ration of one male to two females.

There is an article in the library on how to sex them.. generally when they are young the yellow belly/tail is the first sign to show if its a male, but when they are young, they all look like females. If it looks like a male, it is a male, if it looks like a female, it could either be young, or a female.

Even if you had a male and a female, the male would still probably harass the female, you need a couple females to spread out the "attention". How big of a tank do you have? Is there room for another?

As far as the apple snail.. adding Ramshorn snails isn't going to take their attention off the Apple snail.. its a big, slow moving meal that's easy to pick at. Dwarf puffers may be tiny, but they aren't stupid!

Like Myaj said, even if you have a male and a female, they might still fight. Is your tank big enough, something like 10G? Also making sure the way you aquascape your tank in a way that the eyeline is broken and that each puffer have a couple of places to hide from the other will help.
Find another tank for the applesnail, they'll kill it little by little....

Applesnails will attack ramshorn snails. I keep my ramshorns in a seperate breeding tank.

Attack! hmm

Yes the best thing would probably to get a bigger tank and get a "school" of dwarf puffers. Maybe 5.

I wouldnt run before you walk... upgrade to a biggertank with a few more dwarfs. but if you want bigger FW puffers its a no go unless you have mastered the basics.

I own 2x Mbus and they take up about 45 minutes a day to feed and clean! and i find the bigger puffers CRAVE attention! at least a group of DPs can interact with themselves!

the only interaction youll get from larger puffers are with you. Or if your fortunate to have one that tollerates tankmates will be interaction of the puffer stealing there food!