The Puffer Forum

Hi

I have read quite alot of the posts on here which have all been really useful, however i would still like to ask some advice on our new baby dwarf puffer.

We have an established tank with 4 mollies, some live plants and rocks. Today we decided to add a few new fish as we have had our mollies for a few weeks now. We went to our local tropical fish breeder and discussed the best options for our tank a 45 litre (10 gallon) tank. He recommended a plec and also pointed out a baby dwarf puffer. He gave us a quite a bit of information on the puffer and said that it would be fine with our other fish, we also purchased two angel fish along with the puffer and the plec. The breeder assured us that the angel's and puffer would get on fine even though i was concerned that they might not be the best tank mates.

I am a bit concerned that the breeder told us that the puffer would be happy with flake food (i'm starting to think he doesn't know anything about their care!). We didn't plan on getting this fish so i had not completed any research into their care, a huge mistake i can now see! We were definately convinced by the breeder that this fish would be fine in our tank. Obviously i have since read up on the type of food they require, the DP is absolutely tiny so i'm not sure he would do well with a snail yet. I'm planning on getting some frozen blood worm first thing tomorrow as i know that the angel fish will also eat this. My plan (if he survives) is to get some live bloodworm next week for our DP.

As a result we have put all the fish in the tank, our baby DP was initially quite active and explored the tank for about an hour. However he has now been sitting on the bottom of the tank for the last 4 hours and i'm not sure if this is normal behaviour or not. He doesn't look ill but is certainly not active at all! He is absolutely tiny so i'm not sure if he's just keeping out of the way of the other fish.

I have checked Ammonia levels which seem ok and all the other fish are fine. I have been doing a 20% water change once a week for the last 3 weeks, the last one was done yesterday.

I suppose i really have two main questions:

1. Is it normal behaviour for the baby puffer to be sitting on the bottom of the tank? If this is not normal what could be causing this?

2. Are bloodworms the way to go for feeding him, as he is so tiny?

Sorry for such a long post, i am just a bit concerned about him.

sorry to say your fish "breeder" lied to you bigtime. Your tank was already fully stocked with the mollies. You need to return everything else you bought from them. If you have any doubts, just look up the adult size of that pleco, it'll grow to 18"!! I'd never go back to that shop again! All they're interested in is selling you fish.

In case you have already fallen in love with the puffer (can't blame you for that), set up it's own 5g tank. To be sure it is a DP you have, look here: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/

Thanks for your advice, I have definately learnt a lesson as I am fairly new to keeping tropical's.

I will be taking back the Angels and plec tomorrow and will be looking for a new tank for the puffer (if he survives).......I have definately fallen in love with him! I was cautious adding to this tank anyway as we love our mollies and they seem so settled and happy......I wouldnt want anything to upset them.

I will be having words with the fish breeder and will try to find an alternative one who cares about their fish!

Thanks again!

Here's some more info for you:
library/puffers-in-focus/dwarfpuffercare/

Did you check his ID? My concern is, if that shop was so terribly wrong with their advice, the ID of your puffer may be incorrect. DPs can sometimes be hard to locate. the more commonly sold species is the green spotted puffer, which is way more complicated to keep.

Hi, I have checked his ID and is definately a Dwarf Puffer.......at least they got something right!

My main concern is him surviving long enough for me to get a new tank which will hopefully be tomorrow.

Hopefully removing the Angel's (and plec) will help a little until i can get my new tank set up for him.

Thanks again for all your help!

I have tried to attach a photo of him........will see if this works.

Well, of course you fell in love with the puffer! Im sorry about the situation you became stuck in though. Its shameful how most petstore employees are like this. You cant trust their advice, or their motives. Because in the end all they want to do is sell fish. But good for you for doing your research! You did exactly what you should, and I think youll be a great puffer owner. I came to this site when we got our F8s, and everyone is very helpful and updates frequently, so dont hesitate to ask questions, youll be sure to get help of some form. Dwarf Puffers are really cute, youll have a lot of fun taking care of them. Mollies arent the best of tankmates, sometimes they can be really big bullies. Its sad that that employee lied to you. Or maybe they just didnt know any better, which is even more sad. Anyway, welcome to the forum!

Hi, it's me again.

I have spoken with another local breeder and have decided to keep the dwarf puffer but set him up a seperate tank.

I have just bought another 45 litre (10 gallon) tank which i am going to set up for him on his own.

Does anyone have any advice on how i can quickly cycle the new tank and make sure it is all ready for him to go in.

Should i use part of a filter pad from the old tank and gravel or just start from scratch in the new tank?

Sorry to ask what is probably a basic question but woudn't want to make things worse for the little guy.

He is really not happy at all in the current tank, we gave him some krill earlier which he didnt touch and he is ignoring our tiny snails that have appeared in the tank.

Obviously worried that he may not survive the time it takes me to cycle the new tank.

Help!

I don't really think you need to cycle the 10g for a single tiny DP. The dilution of it's waste will be great in there.

Has he eaten anything, ever? He's very thin, I hope he doesn't have internal parasites & it's only from lack of food. Can you get your hands on live black/bloodworms?

Hi, i have been trying to get hold of live bloodworms for him but the only dealer near me that can get them wont have a delivery until Friday!!!! No where here stocks blackworms at all.

I have tried 4 different places today!

I have just picked up the new tank for him, looks good, have checked for leaks and all seems ok.
This new tank has come with its filter and heater - what shall i do about the filter inserts? New ones or leave the old ones in and take a little bit from my established tank?

Sorry again to ask such basic questions but my established tank was set up by a good friend and fish expert who is currently abroad.......what a time to go away!!!!

I am hoping to move him into his new tank tomorrow evening if possible, my plan was to test heater and filter tonight (once i know what to do with the filter) take some gravel and water from the established tank, pop in some plants and food and stick him in. Is this all i need to do........wouldn't want to kill him with the shock if i do something wrong.

Thanks again for all your help!

If this is a used tank & it has just been taken down today, use the old inserts. If they're really dirty, you can rinse them out in a bucket with tank water from your established tank. I'd fill that new tank with 1/2 the water from your old tank (5g), so as not to shock the puffer. Then your older tank gets a water change in the process.

Sad to report that the little puffer has died........will be speaking to the people concerned tomorrow as I am not happy!!

Poor thing, we did all we could, tried to hand feed him some krill but he wasn't interested. He sank to the bottom of the tank and looked like he had the hiccups........about 5 mins later we checked him and unfortunately he had died.

At least now i can take time to set up a dwarf puffer tank properly and find a decent breeder to buy from.

Poor thing

Sorry for your loss...

Just for proper wording, those folks are in now way "breeders", they only sell fish. They don't care what happens to them, as long as someone gives them $$$ for them. I suggest shopping elsewhere.

You're gonna be a wonderful puffermom!

Oh no! Im so sorry to hear about that. My first thought is that the puffer never got anything good to eat, considering the petstore employee told you that theyd be fine with flake food. Between not eating, and the transfer to a new tank with bigger fish, he just couldnt cope. Its not your fault though by any means! And there are other possible causes, IPs, maybe. Oh, see if that store will reimburse you, hopefully you kept a receipt. Some places will, at least some major stores will. Ive visited a few fish stores like that, makes me in some twisted way want to take all their fish home, but that would encourage them to get more. ugh.