The Puffer Forum

Given all things equal witch one would win in a death match? ___Get Ready___PUFF!!!

j/k

Seriously though I do have some questions.
First off I have bean searching for a Congo puffer (Tetraodon miurus) to go in my 70 gallon tank for about a month now and it's not looking like I'm going to fiend one any time soon. So I started looking for a possible alternative to have my LFS look for as well. So I did some searching on here and came a crossed the Arrowhead puffer (Tetraodon suvattii). So now for the Questions...

First question:Other then the Arrowhead and the Congo Are there any other fresh water puffers that bury themselves in the substrate?

Second question: Is it possible to keep two of the same species in a 70 gallon tank?

Third question: I bought some 20/40 grain Black Diamond blasting media to go in my tank. Will this work ok for the puffer to bury it's self in?
(http://www.tractorsupply.com/sandblasti ... b--3905403)
(http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/tank- ... s-see.html)

Forth question: Do either of these species need hard foods such as snails to keep there teeth from getting to long? Or should they not be fed snails at all?

Fifth question: How often should they eat fish? Should it be just a treat? or is it good to mix them in with there regular diet of other live foods such as cray fish, worms and so on?

Sixth question: If I put one in a tank with a dozen small fish will it be ok and just eat it's fill or would it eat until it kills it's self like some fish would?

and finely if you have any thoughts, experiences, pics or videos of the two please feel free to share

Well 1st off, both arrrowhead and congo puffers can have about the exact same tank set up. Both eats small fish, worms, small crayfish and those kinds of foods. They are not like GSP's, figure 8's, DP's, Fahakas and most other FW, BW, and SW puffer when it comes to having to eat hard shelled food to help keep their teeth filed down. Deep sand bottom so they can bury theirselves and is best kept in a tank to theirselves. Also 70 gal would be ok if you want a single puffer in that size of a tank that might not be very active. Could set-up a 30 gal or such for a possible inactive puffer. Or then again the 70 would be fine because it's your taste. And count out adding any tank mates with the congo or even the arrowhead, they will kill anything in the tank. Even if you add feeder fish and want to keep all of the feeders in the same tank with the puffer, it will eat its fill and slaughter the rest. Oh and never feed feeder goldfish. Btw, The hairy puffer (Tetraodon baileyi) is another bottom, sand dewelling puffer that has about the same set-up as the other 2 you mentioned.

Here is a video of a hairy puffer. These guys are really cool also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oforyEGnVjw

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote: They are not like GSP's, figure 8's, DP's, Fahakas and most other FW, BW, and SW puffer when it comes to having to eat hard shelled food to help keep their teeth filed down.

DPs do not need hard shelled foods to help keep their teeth filed down

eieio wrote:

FADE2BLACK_1973 wrote: They are not like GSP's, figure 8's, DP's, Fahakas and most other FW, BW, and SW puffer when it comes to having to eat hard shelled food to help keep their teeth filed down.

DPs do not need hard shelled foods to help keep their teeth filed down

Well I have read different about the DP's but I dont have much knowledge of DP's. So you are probley right. I was just giving an example and a few popular on the list. I did read and heard that congo's need to keep their teeth filed down and also read and head they dont because they are Piscivore's. Not tryin to argue about the DP's because I dont know enough about them myself....lol

My DPs never has any incisor issues. The never crushed the snails they ate. Their feeding technique was closer to that of loaches than to the crushing/crunching puffers.

I have reservations about whether or not they could crush any snail. Their incisors are actually a bit flexible. But that does not mean that they cannot wear them down scraping them against snail shells.

That's a great pic of the puffers Iv'e never seen white dots on mine before.

I think some other puffers do bury themselfs but arrowheads and congos bury themselfs much of the time waiting for food. Some stay in caves if the gravel is to big.

I think if you could get hold of two suvattiis i really think a 70 gallon could work, although there super aggressive people have bred them in aquariums. Theres a risk one will kill the other and you would have to introduce them at the same time. There impossible to tell the male and females so you wouldn't know what you have. If you do try this you will need a heavly planted tank and some caves and hiding spots. I don't know about two congos together.

The black gravel looks pretty fine to me so it should be fine. I like that stuff it looks good, i might try it one day.

No you don't need snails, they will eat them though if they craw near them, my arrows main diet is large earthworms he will fly up and grab them out my hand.

I have give my arrowhead a few fish before mostly guppies from a friends tank. If you do feed fish make sure you keep them for a couple of weeks or a month if a different tank and keep a eye to make sure none are sick. I must admit my puffer loves fish more then anything his eyes move so much im suppries they don't fall out. I haven't fed any fish for quite awhile but there great if you go away for a week or two because my puffer will pick one of every now and then and it's fresh food. The fish won't know what hit them aswell it's not a slow death. Yeah it should be a rare treat and be carful not to feed them goldfish or anything whats got diseases.

Yeah my arrowhead won't shoot out if you put fish in, he will lay buryed and pick them off over days. You could find them all gone in one day though.

Let us know what you get,
hope i helped.

^Yep now there is an Arrrowhead puffer owner right there. So now you have gotten some advice from a Congo and Arrowhead owner themselves so far. And there are other owners and ex-owners in here, they would probely tell you that their Arrowheads or congos have a different personilty. My congo rather swim all over the tank most of the day and lay on the sand or bury himself at bed time. He is extremely active 90% of the time. And also heard a few owners say theirs bury themselves most of the time.