The Puffer Forum

Hello all, I am setting up my very first tank ever. I am also looking for my very first puffer. While I am familiar with the dwarf puffer I did not know that there were other freshwater puffers available. I am setting up a 29 gallon tank and am interested in the south american puffer also now. any insight out there as to a good first fish/puffer

DP's are good first puffers. SAP's dont do well in small tanks, they are to on edge. With a 29G you could have 5-6 DP's if you plant it well

Welcome to the forum!! First tank and first puffer!! you're in for an adventure!!

I agree with xray ... dwarf puffers are a good choice for a first time puffer. I think SAP's have too many issues for someone that's never kept a puffer before. Heck, even with the experience I have, I think they have too many issues for me even!

Why not start out with dwarf puffers and if you want to get another puffer, and most likely you will, you can always go for something different after that?

I also agree. SAPs are high-maintenance, with regular tooth-trimming necessary:
library/puffers-in-focus/sap/
library/hospital/dentistry/

library/puffers-in-focus/dwarfpuffercare/
library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-carinot ... rf-puffer/

Just want to throw out another option that I think you could handle..

2 Figure 8's

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/

These guys are active and stay small. The only downside when compared to dwarfs is that they will need light brackish water...but that only equals a few spoon fulls of marine salt, mixed prior to water changes.

I have dwarfs and I like them..I really do! But I think you would like F8's just as well, if not more...especially when it comes to feeding! F8's are bigger, can feed bigger food

Both the F8's and Dwarfs are easily available online and are in the same price ranges..

You might even come out cheaper with two f8's instead of 5 or 6 dwarfs

Also, unless you really now what your getting..you might not end up with a good male to female ratio...but with f8's you do not have to worry about that..

Hi and welcome,

Like you I wanted to start with Dwarfs and I 100% agree with all above, however my first puffer was a Amazon in a slightly smaller tank than yours (he''s very soon to be getting a much larger home) and for the most i've had no problems and would recommend it if you have the commitment and have researched them.

They are very prone to white spot mine came with it but I couldn't see it until I got him home, I treated with Salt + heat treatment and now he is one happy chappy.

If you do go for one or two, I recommend go to your lfs, ask loads of questions about what they've been feeding them how old they are etc.

I literally stood and watched the tank for ages for the ones which didn't surf the glass and out of the few that didn't mine actually came and followed my finger around the glass - and that was that! Now hes very personable, shows his dislike for water changes by curling his tale at the sight of the water change towel, surveys my every movement in his home, follows me around the room and will eat from my hand. + Has no issues with a bristle-nose cat fish!

I understand that not everyone can do this but I have a 10 liter shrimp and snail tank, as they breed prolifically they make excellent food to limit the teeth growth. If your interested in doing this for any puffer then I found the link below very useful!

http://www.planetinverts.com/shrimp_and ... itter.html

Good luck and I'm sure you will enjoy keeping what ever puffer you choose

what kind of shrimp do you feed them?

I'm probably not going to get any fans here but I feed Red Cherry Shrimp (RCS) as they cost about £3 it is expensive to start them up but you claw if back if your successful and even sell a few!

I'm picky as to what I let the puffer at. As not all RCS offspring are red (i've had quite a few clear/brown/green adults so I'm not sure if i've been sold another type of shrimp somewhere) But all the "dirty ones" as i call them are put in as food, which actually gives the shrimp a chance to hide and keeps the puffer busy hunting - just my logic!

btw I use pond snails about the size of the puffers eye, then he can have a right good old much. Any bigger than that tend to be either sucked out of the shell or its head bitten off amusing but not good for the teeth

I think it is the snails that are doing the trick for you and not the shrimp. The shrimp shells are far too weak and fragile to do the teeth any good.

Not to mention the shrimp are also very small. Usually a chomp and a slurp and they are gone. I also have SAPs and cherries ... they are more a snack than a viable tooth retardant.

I agree with you there, I do try to keep the water in the shrimp tank harder to try and harden them up - dunno if it works but i figured it can't do any harm!

I also have 2 red Bee shrimp in the tank but they are purely ornamental - check out how selfish I am! haha

haha I wouldn't say selfish .. more "shellfish"

Calcium helps a lot but with Crystal Reds they are very picky ... some of the most difficult FW shrimp you can possibly keep.

haha like it!

Yeah I read that they are difficult to keep hence why I only have two just to see! Very pretty tho!

Sorry we've hi-jacked this thread a little with shrimp but i hope it all helps!

we're all here to learn .. personally I'd do 5 days a week snails and 1 day a week shrimp with one day off.

with only 1 SAP a good breeding colony should be able to keep up