The Puffer Forum

When I had to move my Pea Puffers Bob Bertha and Betty in to my 75 gallon community tank because a cracked developed in there tank and I made the choice to move them and the biggest challenge has been keeping them well fed so the other fish don't look as tasty to them. First off I don't know if its pure luck or I am speaking to soon but I have had no issues in behavior with the puffers or others in the tank and its been going on a few months now. I have from the largest being silver dollars and the smallest being 5 striped tetras. I put snails in a clear plastic medicine bottle and float it. For the most part the snails stay in it and the pea puffers find them and the other fish other then a guppy have no interest in the bottle floating. I have also found that freeze dried tubifex that press on the glass in a spot the bigger fish have a harder time getting to also gives the puffers a chance to eat without be in the swarm of fish that come with feeding in a community tank. I do buy black worms once a month that the whole tank enjoys but the puffers wont touch a flake or a granule yet. Frozen red worms are taken but hard to get to the pea puffers when the silvers get piggy I have to lead the puffers to safer spots to get there's. It has been a challenge but a lot of fun to watch them interact.

I don't think you're ever gonna see those puffers eat flakes!

What a brilliant idea of feeding snails! I am stealing it. That way, the carnage is contained and I don't have to worry about missing any empty snails with my turkey baster. Thanks for sharing, and welcome to TPF! I love DPs!

I know they will most likely never eat flakes but they do watch with interest when I feed the flakes and pellets to the rest of the fish. I was glad they will eat a few other things since I don't have a steady supply of black worms its feast or famine and I know they need full bellies