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Keeping DP's and SAP's in groups or solitude

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:40 am
by ashes
Hi.

Do dwarf puffers or south american puffers have any desire to live in a group after they are mature adults, or would they prefer to have the entire tank to themselves? Are they more calm and peaceful when they are alone?

Re: Keeping DP's and SAP's in groups or solitude

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:37 am
by RTR
DPs individual demands for space are relatively small. because they are so mall and undemanding themselves, I would only keep them in mixed-sex tank, but densely planted. I would have significantly more females than males.

The SAPs are one of the very few schooling species of puffer that are small enough for hobbyists to have groups of them in hobby-sized tanks. So I prefer keeping these in schools. They do not school like Rasboras. They are more like upsidedown catfish - they are aware of their own kind and more comfortable with others around, but they are not "close" schoolers.

HTH

Re: Keeping DP's and SAP's in groups or solitude

Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:38 am
by J-P
yep yep..

My saps like to be in the same general vicinity as each other but don't actually school. There is also a "monkey see - monkey do" attitude with SAPs sometimes. If one is brave enough to do something, usually the others are watching and will follow afterwards. One of the few puffers that are non aggressive towards their own kind.