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FAQs about Freshwater Puffers 3
Related Articles:
The Nice Puffer: Colomesus
asellus , the South American Puffer
by Neale Monks,
Freshwater Puffers, Alone
But Not Lonely: The Importance of Keeping Puffers Individually
by Damien Wagaman, Puffers in General,
True Puffers,
Brackish Puffers,
Burrfishes/Porcupinefishes, Tobies/Sharpnose
Puffers, Boxfishes,
Puffy & Mr. Nasty, (Big)
Pufferfish Dentistry
By Kelly Jedlicki and Anthony Calfo
Small Puffer Dentistry By Jeni
Tyrell (aka Pufferpunk),
Puffer Care and Information
by John (Magnus) Champlin,
Things That My
Puffers Have Told Me by Justin Petrey,
Related FAQs: FW Puffers 1, FW
Puffers 2, FW Puffer Identification,
FW Puffer Behavior,
FW Puffer Selection,
FW Puffer Compatibility,
FW Puffer Systems,
FW Puffer Feeding,
FW Puffer Disease,
FW Puffer Reproduction,
BR Puffer
Identification,
BR Puffer Selection,
BR Puffer
Compatibility,
BR Puffer Systems,
BR Puffer Feeding,
BR Puffer Disease,
BR Puffer Disease 2,
BR Puffer
Reproduction, Puffers in General,
True Puffers,
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Puffer fish questions
Hi,
I bought a couple of Amazon puffers i was wondering are they
poisonous if eaten?
<Yes; they contain saxitoxin. See 'Eating habits: are we safe to consume
freshwater puffer fish from the Amazon region in Brazil?' Journal of
Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases 12: 153-155.
This
paper is available online; I've added the link to the Wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colomesus
>
what might happen if eaten might they kill?
<Does rather depend on how much was eaten, what tissues were consumed,
and how long the animals were in captivity (pufferfish apparently lose
their toxicity within a period of months from being captured, apparently
because they need to eat bacteria in the wild to synthesise the
poisons).>
and what are the kinds of puffers that are poisonous if eaten.
<It appears that most, perhaps all, puffers are toxic to some degree. Do
not eat them, and do not allow other fish to eat them!>
kind regards.
Waleed
<Cheers, Neale.>
South American Puffer
Problems 05/23/09
Hi,
<Hello,>
I was wondering if someone could give me an answer on what to do with my
South American Puffer (approx 1.5 inch long)---he's acting 'strangely'
but does not appear to have any diseases. He paces back and forth all
day long across the back of the tank chasing his reflection (my F8 did
this too but wasn't so focused on himself---this puffer does it so much
he ignores food etc type thing and am worried about his mental health)
<Sort of normal -- this is a GREGARIOUS and highly active species; keep
in groups (at least two) and provide ample swimming space (more than 1
m/3 feet swimming "length" in the tank, plus strong to very strong water
circulation). This is a highly migratory species in the wild that
largely ignores plants, caves, etc. but does want, need swimming space
and water currents.>
I am a rather experienced fishkeeper and have kept other 'oddballs' and
bred/kept most of the big cichlids so am familiar with water chemistry
etc. In my early days I kept what I now believe was a figure eight
puffer, and as I (now) know his water conditions weren't perfect I lost
him (but he was a very eager eater and very personable, unlike this
puffer).
I have had the SAP for a couple of months and noticed steadily that he
is becoming more and more picky with his food because he's so busy
zooming over the back of the tank. When he finally stops to eat
something his attempts are rather half-hearted and it seems like his
mouth is too small to bite the krill bits effectively (he can however
eat a Colorbit whole) and spends a lot of time taking little bites and
then spitting it out... he used to eat bloodworm but stopped but he
likes shrimp pellets. At first I
was worried about his teeth but I checked them too and he can really
gorge himself when he feels like it... so I don't think they're the
problem yet.
<Can be a picky species, but a little starvation works wonders; my
specimens don't eat Mysis and Krill if given Bloodworms earlier that
day, but if not given Bloodworms for a day or two, they build up quite
an
appetite and will eat anything. A combination of Bloodworms, Mysis,
Krill, Chopped Cockle and Chopped Prawn should provide ample nutrition;
also offer snails regularly, ideally Physa species and other small
varieties.>
His colour is fantastic (nice bold black/yellow with a nice white
belly), he shows no signs of ich etc and is always swimming around, fins
nicely intact. He exhibited this frantic pacing when I first brought him
home (he had come down with Ich) but I treated him and the white spots
cleared up. I thought this might be a second episode so I netted him
this morning and looked him over---nothing.
<Is a nervous species...>
He lives in my SA community tank (40 gallon long) that runs at between
82 to 84 (usually stays at 84) I know this is very warm but every time I
try to adjust it someone gets ill so I've left it alone. The tank is
filtered by a Rena xp3 that is crammed with sponges, ceramic rings etc.
(possibly xp4) which I clean every month (never have I ever changed any
of the media-- I just rinse it in a bucket of tank water, refill the
filter with new dechlorinated water) and then hook it up again. I change
at minimum 25-30% percent of the water every two weeks, (I'll do more if
they've eaten more etc.)
<Isn't an ideal community species, but given the right tankmates, can be
kept with other fast-moving fish; will nip Corydoras, Platies and other
slow/stupid fish.>
The tank has a plain sand substrate that is home to god knows how many
Malaysian Trumpet Snails. It is planted with Bacopa moneiri, wisteria
(some floating), some plant I cannot identify and hornwort (which
basically just floats around) and there is a single Zoo Med Flora-Sun
Bulb on the tank which runs for about 10 hours a day. There is plenty of
green algae on the walls of the tank but I leave it be except to clean
it off the front.
The water straight out of the tap is ammonia-less and nitrate-less, with
very little chlorine and it's very soft (I don't know how soft but
that's what the LFS said) with a PH of about 7. At last check (two days
ago) the tank water tested at 0 ammonia and the nitrates between 5-10.
<South American puffers will adapt to Rio Negro type soft water
conditions through to slightly brackish conditions at the Amazon
estuary; on other words, provided not exposed to sudden changes, are
largely indifferent to water chemistry.>
The tank inhabitants are as follows:
-1 female blue ram
<A poor choice, but more because Mikrogeophagus ramirezi is difficult to
maintain at anything other than very soft, very acidic, very warm
conditions.>
-1 SAP
<Add at least one more, ideally two more.>
-12 Serpaes
<Should be fine; similar temperament in some ways.>
-6 bronze cories (5 regular, 1 albino)
<Pufferfish food... have tried to keep SAPs with Corydoras multiple
times, always the same nipped fins.>
-2 new juvenile Uaru (1 is about 2 inches the other appx 4.5 and both
are happily eating my plants)
<Oddly perhaps, robust cichlids can work well, but Uaru might be nipped,
so observe.>
No one appears to be getting harassed to the point of stress (occasional
chasing between the non-puffer residents but no one appears to be
bothering the SAP)
<Most fish ignore puffers.>
I am guilty as charged with having an overstocked tank but a new much
larger aquarium is in the plans very soon. In the meantime I figure the
water is good and everyone seems happy.
<Fine.>
In the next couple of days I plan to add on another filter for increased
oxygenation and turbulence plus filtration, I will also purchase a spare
tank to set up as QT/hospital tank. I will pick up some live ghost
shrimp and whatever other goodies I can find to tempt him to eat.
<Would concentrate on water turnover where SAPs are concerned; eight
times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour is a good starting
point.>
I have read that SAP's are a rather 'social puffer' and are nervous when
kept singly. If so, would adding more SAP's once the larger tank is
running a good idea? Will this calm him down?
<Yes; when kept in "swarms" they are significantly less nervous.>
Any suggestions would be much appreciated!
<Do see my other thoughts, here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWsubwebindex/ColomesusartNeale.htm >
Thanks,
Ashley
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: South American Puffer
Problems 05/23/09
Hi again,
<Hello,>
I just have a few follow-up questions about creating a suitable tank for
the SAP. Regarding the female ram she is in very good colour and lays
eggs regularly and is from a local source rather than imported, but
should I remove her anyway?
<Possibly; ample reports that Mikrogeophagus ramirezi do not do well
under "ordinary" conditions from Baensch onwards.>
I have seen her chase the SAP away from food sometimes.
<Seen similar.>
Also, the cories are getting nipped pretty good but being a cichlid
keeper I'm used to catfish being in less than excellent condition
appearance wise so it didn't occur to me that there might be a problem
(they're not hiding... just look kinda like they've had a buzz cut)... I
may well take them to the LFS tomorrow and trade them in, so my question
is what other SA catfish/bottom feeder inhabitant would be a good
replacement for them?
<My own SAPs work well with Synodontis nigriventris, Panaque
nigrolineatus, Garra cambodgiensis and Acanthocobitis rubidipinnis.>
As far as turnover tank-wise, is it simply a matter of how much water is
circulated through the filter (.i.e a question of numbers of gallons per
hour) or active current in the tank or a combo of both?
<The first should determine the second; a decent filter with a high
turnover rate should provide sufficient water current. May help either
having one internal or hang-on-the-back filter at each end, or otherwise
an external canister with the inlet at one end and the spray bar at the
other end. SAPs are not a difficult species, and will adapt to almost
anything, so work around your budget and preferences.>
I definitely will be adding at least two more SAP's as you suggested...
if I can find them, the one I have now was a lucky find and the last one
in the tank.
Thanks again for all your help
<Happy to help! Neale.>
Dragon puffer, sys., comp. – 02/18/09
Hello,
<Hi.>
My name is Rachel, and I work at a fish store. We have had this dragon
puffer for so long.
<This is a common name for Monotrete palembangensis.>
He's fresh water, all alone in his own tank. I would like some info on him. I
have a 55 gallon for him.
<The volume is OK.>
Will he need salt in his
water?
<No.>
Will he be ok in just RO?
<No. Plain RO water is too
soft, has no carbonate hardness, will result in a dropping pH if not changed
very often.>
What kind of substrate?
<Gravel or sand, whatever you
prefer. This species does not borrow.>
Will he like live plants in the tank?
<Yes, as a lurker he’ll enjoy them as cover.>
How can you sex a dragon
puffer?
<Although they have been bred in captivity, they cannot be sexed for
sure. The females generally seem to have a slightly larger girth when carrying
eggs.>
Will he be okay with faster tank mates?
<Cannot be said for sure.
Most other fish will end up as meals for this partial piscivore.>
Can I find
him a friend or will he kill that new friend?
<Most likely the latter. If
you are thinking about a second M. palembangensis you’d need a much larger tank,
introduce them both together.>
Please help I love this little guy and would
just love him to live at my house. I already have a 20 gallon community with 4
dwarf puffers, 2 f.w. goby's, 6 Glowlight Danios, and 1 Cory cat. also another
55 gallon with a red eared slider and Pleco. I would like some information on
the dragon puffer if you have any.
<Feel free to send in more questions.
Searching the net for Monotrete palembangensis or the older synonym Tetraodon
palembangensis will bring up more hits.>
Thank you so much for your time.
Thank you,
Rachel
<Welcome. Marco.>
Anyone know of a good online freshwater vendor? Tetraodon miurus
(Congo puffer) 10/23/08
Looking for Tetraodon miurus (Congo puffer) and wondering if anyone knows of a
place online that sells one? (LFS don't exist here).
Thanks!
<Where are you? In England at least these puffers are fairly common, and places
such as Wildwoods will sell them mail order. Elsewhere you might want to ask on
one of the puffer-oriented forums. Cheers, Neale.>
Confused! Puffer ID, Tetraodon, Colomesus, GSP gen. care...
10/23/08
My Amazon puffer did NOT look like the ones in Google
images or yours, So I looked and found the green spotted puffer (*Tetraodon
nigroviridis)* to match my own. I previously asked questions so I must re ask
due to Wal-mart telling me wrong.
<Tetraodon nigroviridis is usually
distinctive: luminous green-yellow body colour covered with lots of small,
circular black spots. It is often confused with Tetraodon fluviatilis, a species
with a more greenish body and irregular black spots on the flanks and a few
large saddle-shaped patches on the back. Then there's Tetraodon biocellatus, the
Figure-8 pufferfish, which has two pairs of distinct yellow-ringed black spots
on the flanks; two such spots on either side of the dorsal fin and another two
on the caudal peduncle (the "tail"). The Amazon Puffer Colomesus asellus can be
confused with these fish, but the important differences are that it has black a
series of saddle-like patches running over the back and a distinctive black spot
on the underside of the caudal peduncle. All of these, except Colomesus asellus,
are brackish water fish.>
I have Him in well planted (lots of hiding spots
and open water) with 2 Juv African Cichlids, All very young. I do have ghost
shrimp about 10ish for a snack and to clean up all in a 29 Gal. They RARLEY nip
at each other which shocked me. Should I add another fish or is this enough?
<Tetraodon spp. are not gregarious and do not need tankmates of their own kind
or other species. Tetraodon biocellatus is sometimes kept in groups, and being
rather small, they tend to get along fine unless ridiculously overcrowded.
Tetraodon fluviatilis and Tetraodon nigroviridis are a bit more territorial, but
in large tanks (upwards of 40 gallons, usually) it is possible to keep two or
more adults. Both Tetraodon fluviatilis and Tetraodon nigroviridis are confirmed
fin-biters, so just because they're fine with your other fish now, don't expect
that to last. Wild pufferfish of these species eat the fins of other fish, and
so it's a question of instinct.>
What age does this puffer "puff"?
<They
don't, unless scared. Because of the risk of swallowing air, this isn't
something to encourage, even putting aside the very idea of deliberately scaring
a fish to make it do something!>
What kinds of snails do I feed it?
<Any
of the right size.>
How do i go about trimming the teeth if they over grow?
(many people have many different views (even weird ones).
<Do review the
article on Colomesus asellus I referred you to last time. Jeni Tyrell has also
written an article on this topic at WWM, though she and I differ in opinion on
the use of nets to hold the puffer.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/smpufferdentistry.htm >
What
fish are compatible with my group? Should I add another Puffer?
<Puffers of
this type are best kept alone or with their own species. For a start they need
brackish water, which reduces your range of options. But even allowing for that,
these fish are biters.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i6/lonely_puffer/lonely_puffer.htm
>
Is there any "hard shelled Critters I could feed it to dull the teeth?
<In theory yes there are: snails, unshelled prawns, small mussels, etc.>
How
big do they ACTUALLY get (many websites are different?
<In captivity, expect
at least 12 cm, and I've seen numerous specimens around 15 cm.>
Why is it
called the green spotted puffer when there not really green spots..?
<Tetraodon nigroviridis does indeed have a green body with black spots.>
How
come many Petshops and Wal-mart mislabel there fish?
<No idea.>
Sorry if
some of these questions seem obvious, but many websites, pet stores are telling
me differently, I saw an artical in a fish magazine with Mr. Fenner (SP?) Which
led to me saying you know this website might be the "truthful" one. So please
help me out thanks SO much, Kurt Meissner! Future Sociologist and Marine
Biologist. (horrible spelling)
<Happy to help.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/fwbracpuffers.htm
Much written
about these fish here at WWM; do read, enjoy. Cheers, Neale.>
Terodotoxin 10/27/08
Hi! I'm setting up the tank for Tetraodon nigroviridis.
<A nice brackish water pufferfish. Do read the articles on this species here at
WWM, such as this:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brackishsubwebindex/gspsart.htm>
And I would like to ask you how serious is the poisoning issue for me as a
fishkeeper.
<It's a non-issue.>
Is it dangerous only if I eat it, or also to touch it?
<Pufferfish actually use a range of poisons, not just tetrodoxin. But in any
case the poisons are within their bodies and only a threat to animals that eat
them. Moreover, in captivity they become steadily less poisonous because the
pufferfish themselves don't make the poison themselves. Like vitamins to humans,
pufferfish get their poisons from things they eat, specifically algae. Because
these algae aren't present in the aquarium, the puffers lose their toxicity
(though the speed at which this happens varies).>
Thank you for your help. :)
Zuzka
<Cheers, Neale.>
Keeping fresh water puffer fish, 8/24/08
Hi, I have just brought 2 fresh water puffer fish and added them to my tank
which has been set up for around four months, the set up is all fine.
<What species of puffer? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwpuffers.htm
.>
The question is this- I have noticed that our bigger fish and loaches have had
their fins nipped. It has only started since we got the puffers a couple of days
ago. I haven't seen them do it so maybe they do it at night?
<Perhaps, but unless you are watching the tank 24/7 it could be happening during
the day as well.>
As I have seen them go up to other fish and not attack them. I was wondering if
this nipping will stop after a while when they learn that the other fish are not
food or will they just keep doing it till the fish get infections and die?..
<Most likely this behavior will continue.>
Would keeping the puffers fed once a day stop them from testing out the fish’s
fins?
<Probably not, the behavior is most likely not due to hunger.>
Do you think I should either get them a separate tank or take them back to my
fish shop?
<That is up to you.>
Thanks for reading this and replying. Great website too.
Chris
<Thanks, but please spell and grammar check next time before submitting a query,
we have to correct this before it gets posted.>
<Chris>
GSP in a community FW Tank 1/12/07
Thanks for responding. When we bought our puffer, we were told that these
could live in fresh water.
<As per most uninformed LFS.>
Oops. Anyway, ours is about 2 years old and 2.5 inches long. It's in a thirty
gallon tank with a dozen other fish.
<I believe it should be larger by now.>
It has never had a problem with the others (nipping wise).
<Extremely lucky.>
I'm using the Eclipse in-hood filtration system and I rinse and re-use the
filters for about 3-5 weeks. Water changes are about the same.
<Weekly water changes are recommended for all FW fish.>
I tested the water two days after a water change using a Mardel 5 in 1 test
strip.
<Not the best test results from these. I recommend Aquarium Pharmaceuticals,
Master Test Kit or buy each liquid AP test separately.>
Although the nitrite levels were well within the safe range, the nitrate levels
were very high (80 ppm).
<Should at least be <20, <10 is best.>
The total hardness test was in the moderate range but the buffering capacity is
very low. Also, the pH is down around 6.4.
<Brackish fish prefer a pH of around 8. Quite a huge difference.>
As far as food, what would you recommend?
<Please read the previous recommended feeding articles & GSP article I linked
you to. I highly recommend getting your puffer into it's own 30g (min) tank &
start raising the salinity as per the GSP article. Also follow recommended
substrate to raise the pH & keep it steady. No mention of how the teeth look?
For more puffer info: www.thepufferforum.com. ~PP>
Star
Nile/Fahaka Puffer, Tetraodon lineatus 11/14/06
<Hi Jo, Pufferpunk here. I have corrected all your improperly capitalized
words, so we can present this email to our FAQs. Next time it will be sent back
for you to correct!>
I bought a Nile puffer 3 days ago and was really badly informed by the shop. I
wish I had looked on the internet first!
<Did they tell you it will grow as large as 18" & require a minimum of a 120g
tank within 2 years? They grow fast!>
They told me it would be fine to fill up the new tank with water from my other
tank with various tropical fish and put the puffer in the tank the same evening.
I now know the filter wouldn't have matured and now my puffer has a cloudy
looking eye and isn't moving much. I've tested the water and the NO3 is on 0 and
the NO2 the others seem fine too. I'm not too great on the technical side so if
you could explain in a way I would understand I would be very grateful.
<For cloudy eye (due to poor water quality--fish don't get sick in healthy
water), add Melafix. The bacteria you need to cycle a tank does not live in the
water. It lives on the surfaces of the tank. Mostly in the filter material
but also on gravel, glass, decor, etc. You can squeeze the "dirt" from your
older filters into your new filter to help the cycle along. You should be doing
50-80% daily water changes, until your tank is cycled. After the tank is
cycled, do 50% weekly water changes. My best suggestion would be to add
BIO-SPIRA to your filter, to "instant cycle" your tank. I highly recommend
this. It really is not a good idea to cycle a tank with a puffer at all! They
have no protective scales or gill covers. Very sensitive to
ammonia/nitrites. How large is the puffer & what size tank is it in?
For more info on your fish, go to: www.thepufferforum.com ~PP>
Thank you, Jo
Auriglobus modestus 8/31/06
Hi there,
<Hi Leanne, Pufferpunk here>
I recently purchased 2 Auriglobus modestus (aka. golden or bronze puffer)
from my LFS, one is 2.5" and the other is 3". They seemed very active in
the store and ate with vigour. The second day home they seemed to lose
interest in food. I have tried frozen brine shrimp, freeze dried krill,
live rams horn snails and (because this is what the LFS was feeding) live
feeder fish.
<Get those diseased feeder fish out of your tank! Your puffers are mostly
crustacean eaters. On food for puffers:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/food.html >
They showed a bit of interest in the krill this morning (day 4) and the
feeder fish has a little of his tail nibbled on, the only other tank mate
(besides the feeder fish) is a tiger barb who has resided in that tank for
over a year.
<As soon as your puffers get comfortable in there, the barb will be toast.>
They are in a 10 US gal tank, temp 73F, water parameters are:
nitrate 30ppm, nitrite 0ppm, hardness 120ppm, alkalinity 180ppm, and pH
approx 7.2.
<I'd get those nitrates <20 with some water changes. Temp should be
78-82F. They really need 20g each. I kept one quite happily with a large
royal pleco, in a 50g tank. Be sure the tank is heavily decorated with lots
of broken lines of sight, to prevent intraspecific aggression.>
LFS said to add 1/2c. aquarium salt to lower the hardness but it was my
understanding that these are full freshwater puffers and the directions on
the box said 1 tbsp/5 gal so a 1/2c. Seems a lot.
<That makes absolutely no sense at all. Adding salt will make your water
harder. They need no salt.>
I have been doing daily water changes of 1/3 to 1/2 in attempt to lower the
nitrates but they haven't moved, LFS said the
levels are high because of all the rain we have been having. Could
the nitrates be the reason they are not interested in feeding? If so how
can I lower the levels, would bottled distilled water work?
<Your nitrates are high but really aren't at toxic levels yet. Are you
cleaning the gravel & filter media? The puffers are in a tank that is too
small for them & may just be sulking (puffers do that a lot). It takes a
few days for puffers to adjust to a new environment.>
The substrate is small gravel (the kind you can buy anywhere in any
color) and I just added a sword plant yesterday. They seemed alot
happier with the plant in there, they circle around it or rest in the
leaves. Any suggestions you have that will make my puffers happier would be
greatly appreciated.
<Here is a profile on your puffer:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php?g2_itemId=48 Check out that
puffer forum too. ~PP>
Leanne
Where to find the T. palembangensis? 07/02/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I am looking for a humpback puffer. Is that the same as a dragon puffer?
<Both are common names for the Tetraodon palembangensis. AKA King Kong
puffer.>
Where can I find one?
<I see them for sale here:
http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/puffer_fish/puffer_fish.htm You
can also post in the Wanted section here:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/portal.php
Be sure you have a cycled 40g tank ready for one. No tank mates. For more
info on the species, check www.pufferlist.com. ~PP>
South American Puffers 3/28/06
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a new tank all set up and I have decided that I would really like
some South American Puffers (Colomesus asellus). I have read that these are
okay with other fish and wondered if anyone had experience of setting up a
multi-species tank with them?
<I have kept them with larger cichlids. They will pick on smaller,
slow-moving forth, or fish with long fins. Here is an excellent article on
them:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/sapuffer.html >>
Any suggestions on companions would be greatly appreciated. I am also
wondering if you know good UK suppliers of food for these fellas?
<Sorry, I'm in the US. You can post your inquiry in the "Wanted" section of
this forum; www.thepufferforum.com.>
The tank is 100 x 45 x 40 and has a Rena x3 canister on it. It's quite well
planed but no fish as yet. (And the plant can go into another tank if they
will cause problems for the puffers).
<I'm assuming that centimeters? They require 15 gallons for the 1st one &
10g for each added. Heavily planted is great. Be sure to read the articles
on rearing snails at TPF. If they don't get a constant supply, their teeth
are the fastest growers of all puffer species. There is an article on
Puffer Dentistry in the Hospital Forum. They are best kept in a species
only tank. ~PP>
Thanks, Faye Penny
Mixing Puffer Species 1/2/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have in a 29 gallon, 2 green spots, 2 figure 8's, 1 dragon fish, and 1
dwarf puffer. All are juveniles except dwarf.
A few days ago I found and brought home a "Samphong" (?) puffer (guessing
a female red eye red tail) from LFS that did not have much or actually any
info on. I added this little devil to my happy community of peaceful friends
and have had nothing but regrets and troubles since. The Samphong
immediately bit both of my greens, killing 1 within 12 hours and 1 figure 8.
Needless to say the hell raiser was quarantined as soon as i could get the
net in my hand. The deceased within 30 minutes of the attack was swollen on
entire side of bite. My figure 8 victim is doing ok.. Now to my main
problem. My other green spot has become lethargic and not eating. As of this
morning, 3 days since attack, he is now getting fin and tail rot. I am now
treating with Anti-Fungus, a product of Aquarium Products and Mela-Fix by
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. I am wondering if I am doing the right thing or if
you have any other ideas of how to treat.
<The 1st issue I see, is that you are mixing fresh, low-end-brackish &
high-end brackish water species. The 2nd problem I see, is that you have
several species of different aggression & sizes, all in the same tank. The
dwarf only grows to 1", while the F8 (low-end BW fish) grows to 3" & the
most aggressive of the 3, the GSP, grows to 6" & requires high-end BW
(preferring marine conditions as an adult). By keeping these exotic fish in
conditions other than what are best for them will compromise their immune
systems, causing the least bit of stress to make them sick. I would get
these fish into separate tanks with the proper parameters ASAP. The DP can
live in a 5g tank. F8s are best with 15g for the 1st one & 10g for each
added. You can keep the dragon & the F8 in the 29g. GSPs need 30-50g each,
as adults. I would separate them ASAP or you will witness more deaths. If
you need to cycle new tanks, you can add Bio-Spira, for an instant
cycle. As you have seen what can happen when you don't research a species
1st (all new fish should be quarantined also), you can check out puffer
profiles at www.pufferlist.com. There is great info & excellent articles at
www.thepufferforum.com. Be sure to read the F8 & GSP articles in The
Library. For the Dwarf puffer, you can go to www.dwarfpuffers.com. After
moving your GSP, start raising the SG (specific gravity, measured with a
hydrometer or refractometer) by .002/week. You must use marine salt. Aim
for 1.008-1.010 for the GSP (raising it higher towards adulthood) & 1.005
for the F8. Keep using Melafix & Pimafix on the sick fish. ~PP>
Thank you, Philip
Colomesus psittacus
I have a 75 gallon freshwater tank with the following fish: 5 green barbs, 2
Bala shark, 3 dwarf Gourami, and 2 Suckermouth cats. I just bought 3 Colomesus
psittacus which the aquarium store said were compatible with my set up and would
only grow to 4-6". (tank has small pebble base, lots of plants, large rock
formations and driftwood.) The information I have been
able to find on this fish is conflicting. Are they freshwater or brackish?
<Actually kind of both... found along Atlantic coast and inland waters... please
see here on fishbase.org: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=
and the Freshwater Puffer FAQs on our site here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwpufferfaqs.htm
>
Will they become aggressive? They are fairly peaceful now. I don't want to have
these little guys either get hurt, or harm my other fish. Thanks,
Happy Holidays, Elizabeth
<I've had good luck with this species leaving most everything else alone (unlike
so many other freshwater to brackish puffers), and all but your Gouramis are
fast, smart enough to stay/get out of their way. I would just keep them fed
(meaty foods daily) and keep an eye on them. Be chatting. Bob Fenner>
Fugu questions 8/18/05
<Hi there! Heather (LinearChaos) here> At my LFS there are 4 3" Takifugu
rubripes. They are in horrible condition. Instead of being green with neon
orange they are silver and a dingy brick red. <The Takifugu rubripes is not a
puffer that is sold in the trade, this is actually a species that is eaten as a
delicacy in Japan. The puffer you are describing is the Takifugu
ocellatus.> They are also ungodly cheap ($15 a piece). <Wow! That is
cheap!> I was wondering for now would a 30 gallon tank be big enough for
now. I have no problem upgrading later. I have no experience with these
guys. <No, this species is extremely aggressive toward their own and 4 in a 30g
won't last but a week. They'll nip each other to death almost immediately since
they will not be able to get away from each other in that size tank and cannot
establish territories.> I am aware of how hard they are to keep in
captivity. Also there is very little information on these puffers. Do you know
what salinity, hardness, temperature, etc... they prefer. Any help would be
great. <I have successfully kept 3 of these puffers in an established full
marine environment for over a year, the salinity is 1.019 and the temp is
82*F. The tank is 55g and is heavily stocked with live rock to break up the
lines of sight as much as possible to reduce aggression. Please, if you are
unable to care for these puffers appropriately do not purchase them. ~Heather>
Logan
Problems with South American Puffer 3/4/05
<Pufferpunk again>
Tank is much smaller than that - just over 10 litres (about 3 US gallons I
think).
<Poor puffers! SAPs are the most active FW puffers (bar one other FW species).
They need plenty of room to swim. Mostly you will see them scanning back & forth
along the glass, unless plenty of decor is in your tank.>
They were originally bought on advice from a fish shop that they were OK puffers
to add to a community tank. We brought them home and quarantined them in the
small tank for about 3 weeks, then added them to the main tank (approx 35 US
gallon), but they didn't seem at all happy there, so we extracted them and moved
them back.
<Maybe they were pacing the glass & you mistook that for unhappy? That's just
what they do. See:
Here.>
They have seemed happy since, and the LFS told us the small tank was OK. Maybe
they were being overly optimistic.
<I just don't see how they could be happy in a tank that small. Maybe the small
size of the tank, prevented them from swimming the way they usually do, so they
seemed "calmer"?>
No tank mates, just the two puffers. They don't have any trouble getting to the
food usually - we feed them on frozen bloodworm, with live stuff sometimes. Have
not heard of feeding them on snails before now.
<An extremely important food in any puffer's diet, or their teeth get overgrown,
especially this particular species.>
That's a very interesting link - I haven't seen anything like that before on
fish the size of ours. I found your page with the Dremel suggestion, but we'd be
more likely to accidentally decapitate the fish with a Dremel than do any good.
That said, there's no visible enlargement of the teeth like the one in the
picture. From reading all the pufferfish pages on wetwebmedia, the other thing
that looked like a possibility to me was lockjaw. We have only really fed them
bloodworm, having tried a couple of other things when we got them that they
refused to eat. No-one ever recommended snails to us...
<Try krill/plankton. I have never heard of lockjaw on FW puffers. Is the puffers
mouth locked open or closed? The teeth can actually grow so long they will cut
into the mouth, preventing them from opening & closing it. Look closely, with a
bright flashlight. I still think this is the problem.>
Nitrite and ammonia both zero, nitrate not tested recently, but we do regular
water changes, so should be OK. Water is soft, about pH 7.2, and kept at about
26 degrees C. Looking at the link I'm really not sure - ours look more like the
"post-trim" version, no visible overgrowth like in the first picture. I only
found your website yesterday, and I think we've had less than wonderful advice
regarding these fish from the two fish shops we've been two. I have been told by
one that our current problem could be due to old age - as dwarf puffers like
ours typically only live a couple of years. I suppose that might be true, but I
do find it a little hard to believe given that they can apparently grow up to
15cm long. Perhaps tank size is a reason ours haven't grown a lot?
<Your puffers are, no doubt, stunted in that tank!>
Anyway, I think it's probably too late to help our sick fish, but I'd like to be
able to avoid repeating any mistakes in future.
<I've always been surprised, how quickly a skinny, long-toothed puffer started
eating after teeth trimming. If you do find that this is the problem, I would
suggest NOT using clove oil for tranquilizing the fish, as it may be too weak to
bounce back. Just trim without it. Either way, they really need a bigger tank.
~PP>
Problems with South American Puffers - II - 3/4/05
<Pufferpunk again>
There are numerous plants and decorations, and they have seemed happy to wander
around.
<I'm glad they're happy, but 10g each is really recommended for these active
swimmers.>
The larger tank has an Eheim external filter, and the current seemed to bother
them. We had them in there for a few days, and they just huddled in a corner and
looked (to us) pretty miserable. They also didn't eat much. When we put them
back in the smaller tank, they swam around more and ate without any trouble. So
we checked with the LFS, and then just left them there.
<It is sometimes difficult for small puffers to find food in a large tank. As
far as the Eheim, you can add a spray bar to distribute the "current".>
Where do you get krill/plankton from? I think I can get snails from the LFS, but
I'm fairly sure they don't have krill or plankton.
<You should be able to find it freeze-dried or frozen. If your LFS doesn't have
it, most mail order fish supply stores, like
www.drsfostesmith.com, or, I buy in
bulk from
http://www.jehmco.com/PRODUCTS_/FISH_FOODS_/Freeze_Dried/freeze_dried.html
>
Would a 15g tank be suitable? We were thinking on getting one that size for them
before all this...
<A 20g would be better. ~PP>
Polka-doted Pignose Puffer 10/2/04
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
First I want to say thanks because I really like your site. It has some really
good information and I use it for my puffer as well as my other fish. Thanks.
<Thank you, we try out best!>
Okay, I have a pignose puffer (suvatti) named Poseidon, who is about 5 inches
long. He is in a ten gallon tank, and the pH is about 7.6 and the temp. is about
80. I don't have any other readings now as I need to get my water tested.
<good idea to test for ammonia, nitrItes & nitrAtes. A 5" puffer (which are
huge waste producers) in a 10g tank, is a lot of fish! I realize they don't
move around much, but for reasons of water quality, I suggest a 20g, or at least
a 15 for that puffer. Also, I recommend 50% weekly water changes for all
puffers.>
But, the problem is Poseidon has a white circle mark, about 3 millimeters in
diameter on his left side. Also, he has two similar spots on his right side
underneath his gill. I'm worried that this is fatal, but he's had them for about
2 weeks now. Otherwise his behavior is normal.
<My 1st thought is a bite from another puffer. Puffer bites are circular &
about that size. How long have you had that puffer? If he's fairly new, you
can assume that guess to be correct.>
There is salt in the tank (1 tlsp per 5 gal), and I have an underground filter.
<No salt in that tank! This is strictly a freshwater puffer. I also don't
recommend UG filters for these fish, since they need sand to burrow in, which
won't work for that kind of filter. It also won't remove the waste particles
from this fish. Just wondering--what are you feeding your pignose?>
I'm wondering if this disease can be diagnosed and if so if there is a cure. I
didn't see it on your site - maybe it's uncommon with puffers? I'm thinking it
is a fungus, but I don't want to jump into any medications yet. Also I heard
puffers are sensitive to medicines, so I want to be careful.
<True, you never want to use unnecessary meds on a puffer, especially
copper! Adding Melafix should heal that right up, if puffer bites is what you
have. ~PP>
Thanks a lot! -Eric
Dwarf Puffers 9/19/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have been researching puffers for a while. Yesterday I purchased 3 small
dwarf puffers (the size of a small pebble). I have them in a 10 gallon tank for
now until they grow. I have added 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt and have the
water temp at 80. They do not seem to be eating. I have tried frozen brine
shrimp and pellets but they seem to be too small to eat those foods. I was
wondering what to feed the tiny guys?
<Most puffers are wild-caught fish, which means they are used to eating live
foods. Mine love live blackworms--you should try those. Once you get them
eating you can try frozen-freeze-dried foods. They also will need snails to
eat, to keep their teeth trimmed. Dwarf puffers are strictly freshwater fish &
do not like salt. A 10g tank should be fine for them for life, since they won't
grow larger than 1". Here's a great site for them: www.dwarfpuffers.com. ~PP>
Freshwater Puffers for Beginners? 9/13/-4
Hi guys,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Just to check with you, which types of freshwater puffers are suitable for
beginners as I really love puffers a lot but the spotted puffers which I kept
lived less than 3 weeks every time...
<Oooohh, that's not good! =o{ They definitely are not FW puffers! I guess you
need much more research on them. Read my article:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm>
Can freshwater puffers be kept together with blood parrot fish?
<I am presently keeping South American & dwarf puffers with a parrot cichlid & a
frontosa in a 50g tank. How large is your tank? A parrot needs at least a
30g. Puffers in general, are really not for beginners. SAPs need a constant
daily supply of snails to keep their fast-growing teeth trimmed. Otherwise,
you'll need to trim them by hand every 6 months or so. Here's an article on
them:
http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/sapuffer.shtml You might be better off
with some dwarves. They still require special foods also, but are not as
difficult to keep as SAPs. They can get nippy though. Here's a great website,
devoted to them: www.dwarfpuffers.com. Puffers are best kept in species only
tanks. ~PP>
Disastrous 1st Tank! 8/10/04
To make a long background story short, the local pet store approved and sent
me home with a disaster of a first fish tank. They gave me a thumbs-up on
putting two sunset platys, two silver mollies, and a green spotted puffer in a
new 10 gallon tank. On their recommendation, I did cycle the water 48 hours
before putting the fish in using Cycle and some water conditioner.
<This will not cycle a tank. that product is a total waste of $$$ & will
actually harm the cycling of your tank. there is dead bacteria that adds to the
waste in your tank that the fish are producing. Read:
http://www.piranha-fury.com/information/default.php?id=cycling>
A molly gave birth the first night though, and we now have 8 fish in only 10
gallons. We are about a week into the tank's life and the adult mollies have
become VERY active and the puffer has lost a lot of color. We feed the mollies
and platys tropical fish flakes and give the puffer either snails or brine
shrimp. Saline levels are currently around 1.008. The ammonia level was around
2.0, but after a 35% water change its down to around .75. The puffer seems
slightly healthier now but is still grayish. We want to let the water reach an
established level, but the high ammonia seems dangerous. What direction should
I go now to save these fish?
<I would highly recommend returning the puffer. They are definitely not
community fish & they are not good fish to cycle a tank with (personally, I
prefer fishless cycling). Read this on your puffer:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/gspsart.htm>
Thanks in advance.
<I really would take any advice you get from a fish store with a grain of
salt. Do as much research here in our FAQs as you can. This is a great website
full of good info here. ~PP>
New Mbu Puffer 8/10/04
Hey crew,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
First let me point out that I think your site is fantastic.
<Well, thank you very much!>
I found myself looking and learning about systems I never even thought
about. Thanks for the good info. I read a lot of great info on Mbu puffers, but
found some of the eating habits and acclimation techniques to be contradicting.
Just to clarify, here is my situation.
<There is a lot of contradicting info on puffers in general, on the web & even
more from shops that sell them.>
I have a 55gal, with 2 large Tinfoil Barbs (8"), 3 Bala Sharks (ave.. 5"), 1
Clown Knife (4"), 1 large Pleco (8" need to do something here, whole other
subject) and a few Tiger barbs (1")
<Hmmm, sounds overstocked already! Do you have any idea how large clown knives
grow? 4 feet! They will also eat anything they can fit into their huge
mouths. Mmmmmm, tiger barbs! I hope you aren't going by the 1"/gal rule,
that's only for 1" fish.>
All except the Clown Knife have been in the tank since inception. My tank has
been up and running for over 2 years now with no major problems. I do plan to
upgrade to 100-200gal in the next year,
<Not nearly large enough for all those fish. I don't think a 4' fish will be
able to turn around in there.>
but trying to do things one step at a time. I was ready to put a great fish, and
make an investment on something special. After research into my water
conditions I found that the Mbu Puffer would be a good choice. After talking to
a few people, I got one and he is glorious.
<One of the most stunning & personable fish alive, IMO.>
Anyways, while I acclimate the most expensive fish I've ever bought, I am
finding myself nervous. I was very slow and deliberate in my introduction to
the tank. He even ate about 20min after getting out of the bag--fantastic. But
has not eaten since. I am trying with Krill, frozen and freshly thawed. I feed
my other fish in the tank a variety of flakes/Brine Shrimp/ Bloodworms and other
frozen that the Mbu takes no interest in either. It has only been 24hrs, and
normally I would just let the fish be, but this time I have more invested,
financially and emotionally.
<The 1st thing that comes to mind is when I introduced 4 7-8" tinfoil barbs to
my large puffer's tank (12" Fahaka alone in a 125g tank) for some swimming
interest. Boy was he pissed! It seems they were just too much & his eyes would
shift back & forth angrily at them. They would eat every morsel of food, before
it would get down to him. I had to get rid of them, for his sake. Now all is
good in his tank. You may be having the same problem. Between the rotund,
slower-moving puffer & all the streamlined fish you have in there, who do you
think is going to eat 1st? The puffer may not want to even bother, since he is
the new guy. Another scenario I can imagine, is the puffer getting mad enough
to just start taking chunks out of some of the other fish.>
My question is basically how much will he eat (4in) and how often?
<One of the most difficult aspects of keeping these special fish is their diet.
All puffers are predatory fish and need hard-shelled, meaty foods to keep their
teeth trimmed. Like rabbits, their teeth grow constantly and can overgrow enough
to cause starvation in the fish. Puffers eat crustaceans in the wild. Foods for
smaller puffers are frozen/freeze-dried krill/plankton, gut-loaded ghost shrimp,
glass worms, crickets, worms and small snails (the size of their eye). As your
puffer gets larger (even now), there are many more crunchy foods for them to
eat. Larger Puffers will eat cut-up pieces of scallops, shrimp, crab legs, whole
mussels, clams, oysters, squid, lobster and crayfish. Mine love to chase live
crayfish, fiddler crabs and gut-loaded ghost shrimp. I gut-load (pre-feed) my
live food with algae wafers, so my puffers get their veggies. I buy most of
these foods at the fish department of my grocery store, freeze and later thaw in
warm vitamin water as needed. Smaller puffers need to eat every day, skipping
one feeding/week. Feed them until their bellies are slightly rounded.>
Are their any other techniques I should try when feeding him? And at what point
should I be concerned? He is moving smooth and seems OK as of yet.
<I'd be concerned when he hasn't eaten in a week or 2. Again, I must stress, I
think there is way too much competition for food in there. Puffers are actually
rather shy.>
For your info, here are the basics about my water conditions. T=77F,
pH=6.9-7.0, Ammonia, nitrates-low, but known to jump (no live plants),
filter-established external Biowheel with snorkel. Bimonthly water changes
(25%- probably increase now with Puffer)
<You are having ammonia & nitrIte problems, because your tank is
overstocked. For most fish, puffers especially, those must always be 0! Also,
your pH is extremely low, from the huge bioload & small water changes. Puffers
prefer hard, alkaline water, with a pH of around 8. I do 50% weekly water
changes on all my tanks & none of then are stocked anywhere near the capacity of
yours (even before your Mbu).>
Any advise would be appreciated. Thanks for calming my nerves.
<Please read this. It was written by my puffer mentor, Robert T Ricketts, who
has been keeping puffers for over 40 years. Please reconsider your tank &
inhabitants. http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi?board=fbp&action=display&num=1088527135 ~PP>
Sean
Feeding Puffers Wild-Caught Crayfish Ok? 8/7/04
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have several FW puffers. There is a creek behind my house that is loaded with
crawdads. My puffers love crustaceans. My question
is, Is it safe to give these wild crawdads to my puffers? If so, is there any
kind of prep I would need to do to them to make them safe? I have heard that if
you are going to eat them, you should put them in clean water for a day or two &
clean out the creek water & any debris. Are there crawdad diseases that would
be dangerous to my puffers? I would appreciate any help you could give me.
<The chances are really poor for transferring active pathogens from a crayfish
to BW fish. To FW fish it is likely to be higher, depending in part on how long
the Cray is held in fishless QT. Direct transfer of wild-caught anything from
native waters to tropical tanks is IMHO a moderate risk proposition - meaning
that if you do it often (routine feeding during capture seasons) sooner or later
you will introduce something - which may be trivial, or may be major. If you
have the facility to quarantine more than one batch separately, their odds are
much improved.
The same applies to LFS crays - they have been captured (from breeder ponds?),
held for shipping, shipped, distributor (possible but not always) holding, then
LFS tank - that is non-trivial QT in itself, 4-5 minimum tank/vessel changes
over days to weeks. It would have to be a very hearty pathogen to make it
through that. True wild-caughts are more likely to have crayfish parasites
(very common on the East Coast anyway) which can be visible on the crays. But
those do not infect/infest fish - they just make you wonder what else the
critter is carrying.
Thanks, Jackie
<I hope this helps. BTW, what kind of puffers do you have? Join us at
www.thepufferforum.com. ~PP>
Puffer Long in the Tooth 7/26/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a figure eight puffer and he is about 2" and from the day that we bought
him he has had a large beak. We have just started giving him snails to eat.
<Once the beak is overgrown, no amount of food will help. Hard-shelled foods
are fed as a preventive to keep their teeth trimmed.>
How often can we give him snails to eat?
<With a normal sized beak, 1-2x/week is fine. I actually don't feed mine many
snails. My F8 puffers eat krill, plankton, blackworms & earthworms, small
mussels & shrimp tails.>
Will this be enough to trim his teeth?
If not how do we get rid of the beak? We had heard that some people cut them,
how they do it I have no idea but if possible we would like to avoid this.
<Once the puffer's beak is overgrown, it must be trimmed. See:
http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi?board=hospital>
Please let me know I would appreciate it we get pretty attached to our fish.
<Me too!>
Thank you and God Bless
Jessica Garcia
<Good luck with your puffer's dentistry. ~PP>
Fish as Gifts? 7/20/04
Hi PP,
<Hello>
Thanks again so much. I'll let y'all know how the "surprise" went in
September.
<I just got another post from a native of the UK at my puffer forum,
http://puffer.proboards2.com. I started a thread there about puffers in the
London area.
"Hi, I live in London. The best place to buy puffers here are from the chain of
shops called Maidenhead Aquatics. There's quite a few around London. Their
website is www.fishkeeper.co.uk, there's map showing all their stores. But best
one is in Guilford just outside London, that's where I bought my Mbu puffer. The
staff there specialize in puffers."
TP
<I would go to my puffer site & keep an eye out for more info there. Have fun
shopping! ~PP>
Green Spotted Puffers--Won't
Slow Down 7/18/04
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I was just wondering if you knew why one of my spotted green puffers constantly
goes up and down against the glass of the fish tank. He will stop to eat but as
soon as he's done he's right back at it like he wants to get out. I also have
two other puffers the same as him but a little younger who never did it but
there slowly starting to copy and follow him right next to him going up and down
fast then slow. Its starting to drive me nuts seeing all three of
them do this none stop. I have plenty of caves and coverings for them. I don't
know what to do to make them stop doing this behavior. Would appreciate it if
you could help me out in any way.
<If you do indeed have enough decor in your tank, then I'd check the water
parameters. How big are the fish & tank? Have you read their article on them
here? ~PP>
Thanks, Jessica
Re: GSP Wont Sit
Still 7/18/04
The puffers are in size? Well, two are still real small but the one who goes
up and down in the tank he is about an inch long or a little more but I got him
also when he was real small. The tank they were in was a 95 gallon tank but I
moved them into a 35 gallon because I thought the up and down could be because
of the other fish that where in the tank. But no still kept doing it.
<Are they in brackish water?>
But today the bigger puffer actually stopped and laid down on a rock for a
while, but the little ones still continue.
<More importantly, water parameters please? Ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, pH?>
Yes, I have read the article on them here and I have tried everything I have
even read the article on them on PufferNet which has something about puffers
acting like they want to escape from the tank but that philosophy also has not
seemed to work as well.
<I'd stay away from Puffernet. That site hasn't been updated in many years &
has a lot of misinformation there.>
Was hoping you would have any suggestions on this.
Thanks, Jessica
<Test your water & get back to me. If nothing is wrong there, then I think they
are just still adjusting to their surroundings. To see if there is enough decor
in your tank, check out mine:
http://wetwebfotos.com/Home?actionRequest=userview&userID=1918 BTW, nothing
of the decor in there is real. ~PP>
Puffers and acrylic
tanks? 7/14/04
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I currently have my 3 inch Porcupine Puffer house in a 90 gallon glass tank. I
am curious if he will need a bigger (125 gallon) down the road? if so, I have
heard that Puffers can TRASH acrylic tanks by "glass surfing"? do puffers need
to be in glass only to prevent them from scratching acrylic?
<I have never heard of this "glass surfing" you speak of. I know of many people
keeping puffers in acrylic tanks with no problems. ~PP>
Puffer "Glass Surfing"
P-punk-- 7/15-04
Thought I'd respond to your response. As a longtime LFS worker and salt
service dude, I can tell you this does indeed happen. Though infrequent, it
seems to be primarily due to the puffer's aggressive reaction to its own
reflection in the acrylic (and thus is usually a temporary problem, though in
some of the cases I'm familiar with, it has gone on long enough to produce ample
scratching to the tank in question).
<Thanks of informing me of this. I had no idea this could happen. You learn
something new every day... ~PP>
Best, Derek Milne
P.S. Hi to Scott F. too-- hope my Bodianus is thriving in his reef!
- Info about Tetraodon suvatti -
Hi,
<Hello, JasonC here...>
Been reading your site for quite some time now, very informative on all aqua
subjects....love your site ! :)
I'm looking for more info on a puffer "Tetraodon suvatti", the arrowhead
puffer/pignose puffer. I tried google-ing your site or the web, but I couldn't
find much info. Have you had this puffer before? <No.> My LFS had 2 in,
they sold one the first day. Then the other one was kept with a clown knife
(4"), 4 red snakeheads (5") and 2 lung fish. Yesterday when I went by to check
it out again, it's now in it's own tank - he killed every other fish!!
Yeah, so....all I know now is that he'll be quite aggressive, no tankmates.
<Well... I think like many things, your mileage might vary. Like most puffers,
they will eat most anything that fits in their mouth, but for the most part are
'supposed' to be peaceful. Of course, the puffer might not have read the same
books I did so...> But I would like to know if they're freshwater or
brackish? <Freshwater.> What temperature should they be kept in? <Tropical
temperatures - 75-80F> ( my house is pretty hot during the summer, it could get
to 29/30 C with just room temperature) And tank size? <As large as you please...
seeing as this one might end up being kept singly, you probably don't need
anything too large, a 55 would be excellent. These fish only grow to about 4.5".
You might consider a sand bottom as these fish bury themselves to hide and wait
for food.> Kevin <Cheers, J -- >
Puffers
Hi Guys!
Hope you are all keeping well. You have helped me with various queries in the
past. I have just seen the cutest little pygmy puffer fishes in my LFS. I would
dearly love to give a few of them a home but know nothing about them. You may
recall that we currently have a small tropical tank and a large reef tank, so we
are not new to fish, just to puffers. Unfortunately, I cannot find any
information about pygmy puffers in any of our books although I am guessing that
the care for them is similar to that of their larger cousins. I want to make
sure I can make them happy before bringing them home. I do understand it will
require a species only set up. Any advice you can give regarding these mega cute
little fishes would be much appreciated. Many thanks! Lesley
<Not sure if you are talking about freshwater, saltwater, or brackish, but these
links will give you a start
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwpuffers.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffers.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tobies.htm
and then follow onto the linked FAQ files. -Steven Pro>
Pygmy Puffers
Hi Steven
Thanks for the very prompt response. The links you provided are very helpful -
thanks. To the best of my ability, I think the pygmy puffers are T. travancorius
(sp?) and/or cf. travancorius. It would appear that they are freshwater but can
"survive brackish". They are about the size of my thumbnail! From further
reading, I understand that they eat bloodworms and snails (which is handy since
my tropical tank has an abundant supply it seems), but are there other foods
they might like? I don't want them to suffer from any malnutrition etc.
<Do archive the site looking for additional food recommendations. Also, try the
chat forum http://wetwebfotos.com/talk/ for ideas from your fellow fish keepers.
-Steven Pro>
Again, as always, many thanks.
Tetraodon leiurus 6/17/04
Hi there!
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I'm doing an animal care and aquatics course at my college and for my course I
have to do 8 weeks of work experience. I'm doing my work experience at my local
aquatics center
<How fun!>
and am interested in getting a twin-spot puffer/Tetraodon leiurus. I have a
brand new tank that I can keep him in on his own (I hear they are an aggressive
puffer!) but I have a couple of questions before I set up the tank and get him.
<My 1st suggestion is to make sure the tank is fully cycled, before putting him
into a new tank. You never cycle a tank with a puffer! I'm sure there is lots
of info on fishless cycling at WWM, but her is an excellent article:
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/Fishlesscycle.htm>
The twin-spots at the aquatics center I'm working at seem somewhat 'inactive'.
There are 3 of them and they all just huddle at the bottom corner of the tank
and I don't think I've ever seen them move! They ARE awake because I can see
their little eyes moving about and watching me when I go to see them. They SEEM
otherwise in perfect health and are nice and rounded like they should be, so I
don't think it's because they are diseased. Could this behaviour be due to lack
of stimulation? They have a completely bare tank with nowhere for them to hide
away and I was wondering if this might be the reason why they just huddle
together and stay in the corner not moving?
<This is probably because they are nocturnal feeders & are mostly active at
night.>
The tank I would set up for one would be far more interesting with all sorts
of nooks and crannies to explore. Would a stimulating environment change his
behaviour? Because I'd hate to have a fish that did nothing all day!
<All puffers (& fish in general) are happiest with places to hide out in & decor
to swim around. They feel much safer & will usually come out more, knowing
there is shelter nearby. T. leiurus like caves. One way you may see them, is to
put a red light on them at night.>
Oh yes.. and is it OK to keep them with plants in the tank or will the plants be
wrecked?
<Most puffers will tear up live plants, since in nature, this is where they find
snails for food. You will notice perfect circle shaped, puffer-sized bites on
them.>
Many many thanks for your time and congratulations on such an invaluable
resource website!
<Why thank you! Come on over & join us at www.thepufferforum.com. ~PP>
Re: my puffer
<Ananda here tonight, answering puffer questions...>
do you have any info on black river puffer? is it a fresh or salt water fish?
<This is probably Tetraodon leiurus, aka the target puffer. It is a freshwater
and brackish fish. More info about them here:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=16134&genusname=Tetraodon&speciesname=leiurus,
and do check out
http://chunkypuff.net/projectpuffer/pavilion.htm
for photos of various species and information on same. And the puffer info on
WetWebMedia starts here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/fwbracpuffers.htm.
Enjoy! --Ananda>
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