The Puffer Forum

I have two Dwarf Puffers, both male. Of course one was dominant and the tank was only 3.5 gallons. To help out my submissive puff I separated them. The new tank is 7.5 gallons. My big guy got the new tank. He can see the light from the old tank. He is surfing that side and jumping at the top of the water!!! I put a minnow in the tank to make sure the water was safe and puff hasn't done more than look at it. Should I try both puffs in the 7.5 tank? It is so sad.

2 males will fight to the death.

How did you cycle the 7 gallon? DPS will glass surf, and the jumping could be due to a few things. But don't be fooled, he doesn't "miss" the other puff, maybe miss bullying, but as long as your tank is fully cycled, heated to the proper temp, and well planted he will settle down.

Thank you for the reply. He is throwing quit the tantrum. I can hear the water splashing from him. Funny little walrus.

I bought water from the LFS and added some water from my tank. Then I let it run for two weeks before adding plants

Your LFS just totally ripped you off!!! I would go back there & demand your $$$ back for water that is of absolutely NO help to you. There is little to no bacteria in the water column. Only on surfaces, like substrate & filter media. Letting the tank run, also does nothing to add to your bacteria count. It needs ammonia to feed it.
library/water-filtration/fishlessconsiderations/
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

I had the water tested and they said it was fine. I did add some water from my other tank.

LOL, "fine"??? The same idiot LFS that sold you priceless water? HA!

I don't understand if you are being funny, sarcastic, or mean, but my dwarf puffer is doing fine. Thank you very much. By the way, it was not the same person that I bought the treated water from.

I do believe you do not understand the cycling process at all.

he is not going to be ok for long. Please read up on the nitrogen cycle, your tank is absolutely uncycled.

Also, plants consume Ammonia as food, so having them in while cycling will slow the process down, as there will be less fish waste to feed the bacteria colonies, which means there will be less beneficial bacteria to convert the ammonia into less harmful Nitrate.

Actually, if you densely plant the tank (not sparsely, and include floating plants - they're great) and don't have much of a bioload, you don't have to worry about the cycle too much. The plants sort of help you instant cycle, especially with tiny tanks and tiny fish.

If you have any media from your other filter that you can put into your new 7 gallon tank (sponge?) without depleting the media from your older tank, that also gives you a jump on the cycle.

That being said.... you should REALLY have your own water testing kit, liquid not strips, to be able to check your own ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates. With a new tank you should test these daily. This is an essential fish keeping tool, and you will be able to confirm that your water is ok yourself. It should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and typically has some nitrates once it's set. (Unless it's densely planted with minimal bioload, then on occasion you can have no nitrates.)

Nitrates are OK for fish <20ppm.
Ammonia and nitrites are not safe in any number outside of 0.

Thank you for the responses. He is settling down. Only occasionally splashing (once a day) now. I will add some media from the other filter.