The Puffer Forum

I would really love to get dwarf puffer fish, but want to make sure I am completely equipped and informed first so that I can be a good puff parent. Please tell me first of all if my current tank setup is appropriate for them: 16 gal moderately-heavily planted with very fine gravel. Right now no driftwood or rocks in the tank but I can add if it would be better for puffs. What would be a good # of dwarf puffers for this tank - 1, 2, 3, 4? Is fine gravel really ok for substrate or do I need to use sand?

The store I'd like to buy from has very young puffs, I am pretty sure too young to determine sex, they're very small. Are there any clues at all I can look for when they are so young? I've read some typical characteristics to look for in adults (line down belly and wrinkle behind eyes for males, rounder belly on females, also some differences in spotting.) I obviously want my fish to get along - any advice on how to pick puffs that will work best together? Should I just sit and watch them for a long time in the store tank and see who gets along vs who fights? Or is it likely they are too young to really tell how they'll get along when older?

I'm very concerned about parasites and disease in these fish. I had contacted someone who supposedly has captive bred but never heard back. Are captive bred far less likely to have parasites? Another concern is feeding. Some have found them to be very picky eaters while others have no problem. I have started a breeding tank for bladder snails, I have frozen bloodworms, I have looked into keeping live blackworms in the fridge if necessary.

One last question for now - would a tank close to a TV be a problem for dwarf puffers? I know they can be sensitive and shy. Do you find they are bothered by noise near their tank?

Sorry, I missed this!
15g is good for 3. Try for 2F & 1M or all F. Observing them for a while is a great thing to do!
1" gravel is fine.
Very rarely would you find parasites in captive-bred fish. Difficult to find them though.
Try frozen & live worms, also freeze-dried plankton & small pieces of shrimp.
They might actually like watching TV, I hear a lot of fish do!

I was very excited to get your reply, thank you!

Is it better to have an odd number of dwarf puffers? Would 2 females with 1 male work better than 1 male and 1 female for example?

You find that the vast majority dwarf puffers in the fish stores these days are still wild caught?

Best is all females. If only 2 then for sure 2 females. A single male would chase a single female to death. 2 females to 1 male would disburse his aggression.