just got it a few days ago and would like to know all the info on them?
do they puff up and flip like the saltwater fiish etc?
2007-01-31 06:49:58 · 7 answers · asked by katherine d 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
Congrats on your new purchase :) Dwarf puffers are not easy fish to keep, though, they have requirements that must be met.
Dwarf puffers get to about 1 inch long, and should be kept by themselves, in a tank around 5-8 gallons. If you want more than one, you'll have to count each of them for 5 gallons.
They like soft to medium water with a neutral pH of 7.0-8.0.
The water temperature should be between 77 and 79.
They like caves, so lots of rockwork is good. They get bored in an empty tank. Plants are also great in a puffer tank. Live or silk plants. It gives them something to do and if you have more than one, it'll break their sightlines so there is not as much aggressive.
Puffers are big snail eaters, and they should also eat a variety of frozen or live meaty foods like brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, bloodworms. Feed a variety of foods, but be sure to feed plenty of snails (about the size of their eyes) to keep their "beaks" from growing too big.
Like I mentioned, they really should be kept in puffer-only tanks. The only acceptable tankmate would be an oto cat. They are small and don't attract much attention, so the puffers generally leave them alone.
Other than that, just be sure to keep the water clean, by doing 30% water changes per week. Just be careful about not sucking one up the syphon - they are very curious.
They do have the ability to puff, but they probably won't. Puffing is dangerous for them because they can stay in their puffed state permanently and die from it. So, no, you won't see any puffing.
2007-01-31 07:10:34 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Freshwater Dwarf Puffer Fish
2016-11-08 05:22:10 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dwarf Freshwater Puffer
2016-12-26 15:33:45 · answer #3 · answered by trudel 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Figure 8 puffers and dwarf puffers are 2 different fish... Figure 8 puffers are brackish water fish, only 1 can fit in a 15gal tank and with a tank that size you're not going to be able to keep anything with it because there's not enough room, it's 15gal minimum per puffer. They'll live well into their teens, but they're wild caught and don't breed in captivity so it's anybody's guess as to how old they are when you get them. If you had a larger tank then bumblebee gobies and mollies work most of the time, however it completely depends on the puffer. Dwarf puffers are very small freshwater fish. They'll get along with most community fish as long as the other fish are fast enough and don't have long fins that "beg to be nipped" and aren't aggressive like barbs or sharks.. The puffers can get quite territorial, and their personalities are all different, so you'll have to keep an eye on your other fishes' fins to know if something's gotta come out. You want plenty of decor to break lines of sight with other fish. They don't live as long as F8s, but if you maintain your tank well you should be able to get more than 5yrs out of them.. They require 5gal per puffer, so do your research as far as not overstocking the tank. With any puffer, filter a 15gal tank like it's a 30gal and be sure it's fully cycled before you add any fish or add bio-spira with the fish. No puffer will survive a nitrogen cycle. Change out half the water every week with puffers, and keep hard shelled foods in their diet to keep their teeth worn down.
2016-03-18 01:10:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are two species of freshwater puffer commonly sold as pets. The Indian Dwarf gets 1" and the target puffer gets 6".
2007-01-31 08:31:06 · answer #5 · answered by bzzflygirl 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dwarf puffers rarely grow beyond 1" total.
Background info:
Dwarf puffers live entirely in fresh water. This is perhaps the most important thing to know, as many aquarists are under the impression that all puffers are either marine or brackish. While it is true that a dwarf puffer will survive in brackish water, its life span will be significantly reduced, and the fish will lead an unhealthy life.
Dwarf puffers are perhaps among the most aggressive of puffer species. Their tiny bodies are more than made up for in courage, or perhaps plain stupidity. They will attack fish many times their own size, and due to their tenacity, will often win. Dwarf puffers really should only be kept in a species only tank, and if you insist on keeping more than one, then each puffer will require at least five gallons (20 liters) each. Don't expect them to play happy families though…
2007-01-31 07:04:44 · answer #6 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
It really depends on how big is your tank.
2007-01-31 07:07:02 · answer #7 · answered by theman 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋