The Puffer Forum

so i have a empty 10g tank and have some questions about dwarf puffers.
- how many could i keep in a 10g?
- what should i feed them?
- what do i feed them when im on vacation?
- where do i get them? (would they do okay if i got them online)
- other things i should know?

2 in a 10 gal heavily decorated over filtered fully cycled aquarium will be fine check the library for details of how to cycle feed bloodworms or other meaty foods

I agree--check out all the great articles in our Library.

okay thanks! also what should i feed them when im on vacation?

Depends on how long of a vacation. If you will only be gone a few days you can just drop some extra snails into the tank for them to hunt themselves. If its around a week or more you may want a puffer sitter.

i wont be home for 6 days

If they are healthy feed well before you go throw some snails in and they will be fine, if skinny get a puffersitter or get them when you come back

When are you leaving? You need time to cycle the tank, too. Bertie's right, wait until you come back for this.

Pufferpunk wrote:When are you leaving? You need time to cycle the tank, too. Bertie's right, wait until you come back for this.

+1


-Jerry

coda wrote:so i have a empty 10g tank and have some questions about dwarf puffers.
- how many could i keep in a 10g?
- what should i feed them?
- what do i feed them when im on vacation?
- where do i get them? (would they do okay if i got them online)
- other things i should know?

2, but only 1 male for sure. (males have a brown line on their belly)
and i'd keep a couple otos with them. nothing else. although i have had luck with neons.
but, your bioload is already maxed with 2 DPs & Otos.
if you decide to keep a single DP, you might get lucky with small fast fish.

+1 extra snails on short vacation.
they CAN last a week without food, but would you want to?
+1 puffer sitter.
get some frozen bloodworms. most sitters won't mind popping out an icecube. some will have issues catching snails.
of course, if you put enough snails in .... they would possibly last a week. but, is it worth th risk?

you should call around to your local fish stores and see if they carry them. if, not ask if they could order them for you.
the shipping cost to your home is prolly gonna be around $40. the LFS can eat that with their weekly order.

whatever you do, make sure your tank is fully cycled.
I would add a danio or neon and let it cycle for a month or so before adding the puffer.

this should cover most questions:
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/C_Travancoricus/

It has been said you can keep otos with DPs but it's not needed. So long as you, the owner, takes good care of the tank you can remove the extra waste the fish produce or leave behind. Two DPs in a 10 gallon maxes it out. If you want otos you technically need a bigger tank.

The advice to wait until you get back from vacation is better. However, you could be cycling the tank while you're gone. DO NOT ADD FISH TO CYCLE! library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/ It's cruelty to make any fish go through cycling and it takes longer than fishless cycling.

Only having 1 male is good advice. I think the best and quickest way to determine if you have males is to check for wrinkle looking lines behind/around their eyes.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... x=157&ty=3

So here are all the answers to your questions.

2 in a ten gallon
feed them meaty foods, not freeze-dried, frozen is okay. Snails, bloodworms, so on.
What 'til you're back from vacation
you can order them online, and some fish stores supply them.

For things you should know I'm going to make a quick list of things you need.

Tank, heater, filter, loads of decor, a substrate (the stuff you put in the bottom, like gravel), lighting, liquid water testing kit (This is a must, not an option), equipment to clean the tank like gravel vac, Prime conditioner, and you need to be prepared to treat for sickness. Most puffers are wild caught and come with disease and sickness. You need to be prepared to treat for IPs (internal parasites). Most people use the Jungle brand and they soak the food in it.

Best of luck and have fun.

Also ottos need an established amount of algae ready for when they are added to get the best from them

bertie 83 wrote:Also ottos need an established amount of algae ready for when they are added to get the best from them

+1!

bertie 83 wrote:Also ottos need an established amount of algae ready for when they are added to get the best from them

+1

+1 cycle while on vacation and fishless is better.

IMO you can have 2 DPs with 2 ottos in a 10g. but that would be maxed and I recommend getting a bigger filter either way. I would use a 30g fiter.
I've found it hard to find the wrinkles personally. but, that brown line is easy to see usually.
My eyes aren't what they used to be though, but I can see my wrinkles

I have used jungle myself. never thought of soaking the food. much eaiser and less stressful then the dip method.

You will be fully stocked with just 2 dps do not get anything else unless you get a bigger tank. Bigger filters aren't the same as adding volume, however do over filter as this has benefits lastly do not use a fish to cycle a tank this is not the way forward, does anyone nearby have a little filter media you can have?