Update on Puffer Tank!

[bartonct]

Hey guys its me again...I'm almost done with cycling my tank(i think) the nitrites are still pretty high but I tested for nitrates and it was at 20ppm so i think I'm going near the end of that so I'll be getting my dwarf puffers soon! My question is though, I have snails that came on the plants when I got them so I let them stay in the tank because I knew eventually they would be food for the puffers. There was 2 now there's like 7 i think but the original 2 are pretty big, i attached a picture of one of the snails...

Also, my other question is, if i plan on getting like 6 or 7 of these little guys...how does one go about making sure they are all being fed the same amount when its time to feed them?

[lilgirlkat]

From my most recent experience, the dp will hunt all the itty bitty snails first. I've got a TON of tiny snails, and some bigger snails, but he seems to be leaving the big ones alone. Eventually, he'll start nipping at the bigger ones, but I'd have to assume that will only be if he's out of the smaller snails.

[jimi]

the only way to hope to feed so many puffers at once is feed then in small waves ( drop a portion on one side of the tank then they attack it drop more on the other side till there all eating it wont be even but they should get there fill)

[Myaj]

That's kind of tough.. As you might see from another post, they much prefer to hunt their own food, so they'll do a lot of that on their own. I never really had too much trouble with making sure everyone got plenty of food, because they are puffers, and not afraid to get aggressive and get in there when they are hungry.

[bartonct]

Thanks for the info guys! I have another question though

how do you properly acclimate a puffer? because from what i hear the way your suppose to acclimate new fish is to exchange 25% of the water with the tank water every 10 minutes for a hour, then you net the fish and put them into the tank...but isnt it bad for puffers to be exposed to air? how do you go about acclimating dwarf puffers?