The Puffer Forum

Hello everyone! So I will be becoming a dwarf puffer fish owner within a few weeks and may I say I am super excited... though I want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly. Below I will list what I will be buying in a few days along with questions/concerns that I would enjoy tips/answers on.

Items:
-10 gallon tank W/ hood
-Light source
-Aqua clear 20 filter (this way I can control the water flow to be gentle for the puffers)
-Heater
-Plants (java fern, java moss, corkscrew vallisneria, wisteria, and then a floating plant)
-Decor (a log cave or two, a mountain/waterfall that will house the air stone, lava rocks, and then live aquarium sand for the substrate which I'll mix with plant substrate mix)
-Mixed pack of freshwater frozen food (brine shrimp, krill, and a few others come with it). I will also feed my puffers small snails once a week for their teeth.

With my set up, I am hoping to house two dwarf puffers along with one or two ghost shrimp (which will be the first to enter the tank to hopefully avoid aggression - I know it is highly possible so I will be cautious).

Now... before I go on with questions I would like to state that if there are any comments about what I'm getting please say!

Questions:
-What type of light bulb should I use that will be dim enough for my puffers yet well enough for my plants?
-What is the best water conditioner in your opinion? (I'm going to use stress coat api or whatever it's called)

Thank you all in advance for your answers/tips/support! c:

Hi and welcome! I don't think dps mind having a current... Mine like to swim in it sometimes. As for food, I'd just get bloodworms because brine shrimp and krill don't have much nutritional value.

Oops forgot to add that I use stress coat cause it seems to be the best. And I'd get whatever light you need for plants.

Welcome. Dps are not fussy with light so yes get what works for your plants. Prime is the best water conditioner money can buy. How is the tank going to be cycled?

+1 to Bertie's comments on Prime - I agree it is the best by a wide margin.

FWIW - IME, Val is 'way out of scale for a 10 gallon tank. Stick with the other plants mentioned or add Pygmy Chain Swords if you want more variety.

If live blackworms are available locally for you, they are taken well by DPs and are quite nutritious. Use a cone feeder for them.

Thank you for the kind welcomes!

I got everything this past Friday and got a few neon tetras to help cycle the tank. However, the filter I got needs to go because the flow is beginning to falter and I wasn't able to get the aquaclear 20 anyway. So tomorrow I'll switch it out and also get a sponge to cover the tubing so no fish get sucked up as well as to look at some light options. The hood will no longer fit due to the filter - any suggestions?

And I was only able to get moss, a java fern, and also an anubia species. Tomorrow I'm hoping to find other varieties that I've been looking for to add.