The Puffer Forum

Hi everybody, I'm Gennaro from Italy!
I'm writing to have some advice for my new tank.
I'm looking for a Congo Puffer and I'd like to have some advices concerning its habitat. I'd like to create a biotope aquarium but i can't find any information. Could you help me?
What kind of sand is appropriate for this fish? What colour?
I saw a loto of fishes with different skin colours, why? Does it depend from the age, from its mood or for other reasons?
What you can say me about feeding? And water care?

Tanks for your help!


PS SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH!!!!!

have a look through the library while you wait for the pros. Someone will be along soon to give you some sound first hand advice. Welcome to the forum, you will recieve all the info you need tailored to your particular species.

Thank you, I found some information into the library. Is there anybody here could give me any information about the congo puffer's biotope? I think about water, sand, rocks, plants, etc...

ohhh I am sure PP or one of the Mentors will chime in.

If you read this article, the care is identical: library/puffers-in-focus/arrowhead/

A 2-3" sand bed is necessary, so they can burrow up to their eyeballs & lay in wait for their prey.

Thank you for your answer, the article you posted up is really really interesting specially about the training about feeding died food.

Do you have any other information about its biotope?

Hey, again welcome to the forum. What else about the biotope did you want to hear about?

I have just picked up a congo myself, like mentioned before you want a 2-3 inch sand bed for him to sit around in. Use some softer sand and if you want him to maintain a bright color use a dark sand and some gravel of bright colors. Make sure he has a nice cave or some cover he can use to hide, and a good amount of decor is recommended. They also like plants ( you can use plastic) do a 50% wc per week and siphon the sand.

for food, live food is often the best to start with. (ghost shrimp's that are gut loaded which means they are fed with algae pellets so the congo receives them when he eats them. Earthworms are also a good choice and will in general never be turned down. Eventually you should get them to eat dead food, tie the food on a string and make it dance in the filter stream)

Peeeeeerfect!!!!
Do you think that an high water movement could be desirable?

Since puffers have big bio loads (hence the 50% water changes/ a week) its often suggested to have 10x the gallons of the tank in gph. so if you have a 20 gallon tank you want 200 gallons filtered per hour.