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FAQs about Freshwater Puffer Selection
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,
Freshwater to
Brackish Puffers,
Puffers in General,
True Puffers, Family Tetraodontidae,
(Big) Pufferfish
Dentistry By Kelly Jedlicki
and Anthony Calfo
Small Puffer Dentistry By Jeni Tyrell (aka
Pufferpunk),
Related FAQs: FW Puffers 1, FW
Puffers 2, FW Puffers 3,
FW Puffer Identification,
FW Puffer Behavior,
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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Make sure and check for the temperament and likely
maximum size of your livestock...
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Freshwater Puffer Selection Help 9/18/09
Hello Pufferpunk (I assume),
<Nope. It's me, Neale.>
I am writing looking for advice on puffers. I have searched through the internet
and have discovered that no 2 people who "know" the facts of puffers, "know" the
same facts.
<Oh? I think there's actually a quite strong consensus on most species. Some
argument over details, but the basics of things like social behaviour and water
chemistry are generally agreed upon.>
I have encountered your advice in several places though and you are the
"authority" (if I may call you such) that I would trust. (if someone else is
answering this email-no disrespect intended).
<None taken.>
I am planning to set up a 55 gallon tank. I want it to be heavily planted and I
LOVE puffers. My problem arises because I would like to have more then one fish.
<Not necessarily a problem, but you do have to choose your species very
carefully.>
From what I can tell a lot of Freshwater puffers (if not all) are either huge or
far too aggressive to risk another fish with them.
<Not correct. While it is probably true that no freshwater puffer is a
completely safe community fish in the same way as, say, a Platy, that isn't to
say you can't mix some puffers with some other types of fish. The South American
pufferfish Colomesus asellus is an occasional fin-nipper but otherwise a
peaceful, gregarious species that does well in groups of its own kind alongside
fast midwater fish and armoured catfish. The Red-tail puffer Carinotetraodon
irrubesco is another species that is usually very peaceful; though territorial,
it is small and stays close to the bottom of the tank, so mixes well with fast,
midwater fish. I have both species in my 180-litre community tank:
http://homepage.mac.com/nmonks/Projects/pufferfish.html
They've been there for some years, and apart from the South Americans sometimes
nipping at the Corydoras, there haven't been any problems at all.>
I would like to perhaps get a couple (or whatever is advisable for a harem) of
Dwarf Puffers.
<The Dwarf Puffer Carinotetraodon travancoricus is definitely one species best
kept with its own kind. It is a persistent fin- and scale-eater, and doesn't
"play nice" with other fish. Yes, I know some people mix them with shrimps and
Otocinclus catfish. However, while you're free to try the shrimps out,
Otocinclus catfish are very difficult to keep alive for any length of time. The
VAST MAJORITY die within months of import. They need lots of green algae (or a
suitable substitute) and a very mature tank, and I certainly wouldn't add them
to the tank until it was at least six months old.>
I think I would be okay territory wise. I have read your advice of 1 per 5
gallons being preferable. What I am wondering is are there other tank mates
(non-puffer) I could keep with them.
<None.>
I have read they are still aggressive for their size, but, what about a larger
fish species that could stand up for itself?
<Doesn't work like this. Fish don't "think" like people do, and it's incredibly
dangerous to assume any animal thinks in the same way we do. Big fish don't say
to themselves, "Hang on, I'm bigger than that silly little puffer!". What they
do is their normal behavioural repertoire, and if in the wild that doesn't
involve Dwarf Puffers, they aren't likely to have an appropriate reaction. Since
Dwarf Puffers get some of their protein in the wild by sneaking up on big fish
and biting their fins, it goes without saying that they have evolved traits that
allow them to this efficiently.>
I really don't know...a cichlid species or something of the sort? I also really
like clown loaches, but I would assume they are too peaceful.
<Nope. While Carinotetraodon irrubesco -- in my experience -- gets along well
with equally aggressive, territorial cichlids such as Kribs, that's the only
member of the genus Carinotetraodon that even comes close to being a community
fish. All the other species in the genus are aggressive biters, in some cases
extremely so, as with Carinotetraodon salivator, a very aggressive little fish!>
Thank you so much for your help and time. I think it is great that you are
trying to educate people about these fish. I know that I had been easily led
into buying a couple a few years back. I had loved them from first sight and
gladly believed that an Figure 8 was fully freshwater and surprisingly peaceful,
then when I learned the difference and adjusted my salinity to accommodate the
fish properly, it unfortunately didn't handle the stress well and died. Then I
went to find another brackish puffer for the tank and was convinced to purchase
a nice red eyed puffer who also (of course-being actually freshwater) perished.
Anyway, I apologize for the rant, but, I hate the fact that some fish stores
just don't bother to find out the truth about what they are selling, and I hate
the fact that I didn't know enough to do my own research. Lesson Learned.
Thanks again.
Robyn
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Freshwater Puffer Selection Help 9/18/09
Neale,
<Robyn,>
Thanks so much for the prompt and informative reply. I truly appreciate it. I
will research some more on the species you recommend. Have a great day! Robyn
<You're most welcome. Good luck with your selections! Cheers, Neale.>
Puffers, FW... sel.....
- 11/26/07
Hi, I wanted to get a freshwater puffer, perhaps the Amazon puffer. Are they
aggressive? I heard that they have sharp teeth but I have tons of snails for
them to bite on so would that be okay? I do far have a African butterfly,
platies and swordtails. Would this be okay to buy 2 puffers? Also, about how
many snails will they eat and do Amazon puffers do best in freshwater or
saltwater? Thanks for all your help.
<Greetings. The South American or Amazon Pufferfish (Colomesus asellus) is not
an aggressive fish in the least. It is actually rather nervous and easily
scared, and when kept alone or with aggressive tankmates never really settles
down. HOWEVER, this isn't to say that they make perfect community fish. They do
not. Amazon Pufferfish will nip the fins of their tankmates given the chance.
Fast-moving fish like Bleeding Heart Tetras and Diamond Tetras seem to work
well, but slower fish like Platies and definitely African Butterflyfish will be
nipped regularly. The best way to keep South American Puffers is as a group on
their own. They prefer to be kept in groups (I have three in the tank next to me
here) and will spend all day swimming about on their own but at night cuddle up
together in a corner. They are river-dwelling fish and need a long tank (not
less than 1 meter) with plenty of water movement for exercise. They will eat
snails, but prefer bloodworms and other insect larvae. On the other hand, they
have very fast-growing teeth that usually need to be trimmed every 3-6 months.
This isn't difficult, but can be scary the first time! Basically you need to
sedate the fish by putting it into a 1 litre tub of water into which 1-4 drops
of clove oil have been mixed (try a low dose, work upwards if required). Clove
oil is sold in drug stores as an anesthetic of sorts. It makes fish very drowsy.
Put the pufferfish in there to calm down, and then use cuticle clippers to
remove excess tooth growth. Once you're done, net the fish out, place the net in
the aquarium, and then release the puffer once it is scooting about happily. If
you feed the fish lots of snails, you might not need to do this, but most people
find they have to do it periodically. South American Pufferfish have a very wide
distribution from the blackwater rivers of the Rio Negro where the water is soft
and very acidic through to the Amazon estuary where the water slightly brackish.
So they're adaptable. In aquaria, they do fine between pH 6-8, 5-20 degrees dH.
They do not need salt in the water, though they will certainly tolerate brackish
water up to around SG 1.005. In the wild though a different species of
Colomesus, Colomesus psittacus, replaces the South American puffer in brackish
and shallow marine environments. If you pick up a copy of this month's
(December's) TFH magazine, I have an article about these puffers, how to keep
them, and whether or not they make good community fish. Also has some nice
pictures! Cheers, Neale
Dwarf Puffers, gen.
10/11/07
Hello All,
<Hi Eric, Pufferpunk here>
I have a question in regard to Dwarf Indian puffers (C. travancoricus). For the
background, I have, I'd say, an "intermediate" level of experience with fish
keeping.
I started out about a year ago, with fresh water fish in a 10gal (and no WWM,
unfortunately). I was taught the basics by my roommate, who has had freshwater
fish for years.
Then, about 6 months ago I discovered saltwater fish and had a 20gal high and a
55gal marine tank. I currently have the 55 gal tank running and with much help
from WWM and MUCH, MUCH reading and emailing (a few times) questions, I believe
I am on the right track there. Thanks for all the help!
<Glad to heat that. Successful fishkeeping is very rewarding & a joy!>
My question for today is in regard to my 20gal high tank. After it was
thoroughly cleaned and re-setup, I am ready for some freshwater fish.
Here is the setup:
20 gal high
-Aquaclear Mini Hang On Filter
-Maxijet 400 powerhead
-Heater
-Standard fluorescent lighting
<I would go with the Aquaclear 300 (or whatever they're calling it now). You
won't need a powerhead for dwarf puffers--it will just blow them around.>
I would like to add some Dwarf Indian puffers, as I'm a huge fan of puffers in
general and these I believe, are the only strictly freshwater pufferfish that
are both available at local retailers and are actually OK LONG TERM for such a
small volume tank.
<Actually, there are many freshwater puffers that would do fine in your 20g.
See: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BrackishSubWebIndex/fwbracpuffers.htm
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/ >
If I do choose to add the Dwarf's, how many could I have? I have read the "1 per
3 gallon rule"... so that would be six total and hopefully 1 male and 4-5
females, correct? Or is that pushing it?
It is better to keep 1/5g but if you have the tank heavily decorated (DPs love
live plants & spawn readily in them), breaking up lines of sight, 1/3g (actual
water volume) is fine. Your plan for a harem is good!>
Also, as I know is true with Cichlids, it's best to overcrowd because the larger
will pick on the smaller fish and if there are higher numbers it lessens and
distributes aggression between a higher number of fish. Is the same true with
the Dwarf puffers?
<No, puffers are territorial & need their space.>
If yes and I need to add 5 or 6 fish, how do I acclimate them? Should I add them
all at once?
<That is usually best.>
If so, I doubt the tank will be sufficiently cycled, correct? (I could use
Bio-Spira but will that be enough??)
<Sure will! Add the Bio-Spira directly to your filter, right before you add the
puffers.>
However, I'm also aware of the downsides of adding one or two at a time. I guess
my real question is, what is the lesser of two evils?
<If you can really be sure of the sexes, you should add them all at once.
Sexing Dwarf puffers:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-Carinotetraodon-travancoricus-the-dwarf-puffer/
Just be prepared for the ones that don't play well with others & have an
alternate plan for them. Maybe ask the LFS about the chance of exchanging them
if they all don't get along or their sex isn't what you thought, when they
mature.>
I have read a lot about puffers on WWM and have gone to the dwarf puffer website
that Pufferpunk recommends but I have yet to find an answer to this. If you have
any other suggestions for this, I would really appreciate it!
<Well, here you just came right to the source!>
Also, I've read conflicting information on this but is sand OK for freshwater
tanks, as long as it's less than 1 inch? I'd much prefer that.
<A shallow sandbed is fine. I have been reading a lot of complaints lately about
folks not being able it keep it clean though. Otocinclus make good dwarf puffer
tank mates & may help with some of their maid service.>
Thanks a lot for all the help! Eric
<You're very welcome! ~PP>
Re: Dwarf Puffers, puffer
sel. period 10/13/07
Hello Pufferpunk,
<Hi again, Eric>
Thank you very much for the help in regard to the puffers! I actually went to
one (national named) LFS and saw about 5 dwarves but they were awful looking. It
was a sad sight. Needless to say, I did not buy them. I can't encourage that
type of care.
<Congratulations for not "rescuing" those fish! I can't stress enough to folks
that think they're doing the fish a favor by rescuing them, DON'T DO IT! The
shop will see them as a good seller & just order more of them to be
mistreated/killed, while removing them from the wild--depleting the natural
population of the species.>
As for the other puffers, I have read the articles/areas you suggested. I
thought that the Green Spot. and the Figure Eight were brackish, no?
<Correct. F8s are best kept at a SG of 1.005. GSPs prefer marine conditions as
adults & are brought from low-end BW on up, throughout their growing years. I
know that 1st link is confusing, as they have the BW & FW on the same page.>
I really like the Tetraodon pustulatus but there's not too much info on them on
the web. (Google search on WWM produced no results under the scientific name).
<That IS their scientific name. Beautiful fish!>
I have never seen them in any store around here either.
Are these quite rare?
<Good luck ever finding one & they are quite expensive. Maybe you could try &
follow this thread:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=9955&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=pustulatus
They also get large--the same as a fahaka puffer, about 18".>
And just for some further clarification, are you suggesting that instead of my
powerhead, I should instead have 2 Aquaclear HOB filters?
<The AC mini will not be large enough to handle the messy habits of a puffer in
a 20g. I suggested 1 larger filter.>
Again, thanks a lot for your help!
<Good luck on your search! Check the Pufferpedia at the link I gave you for
other FW puffer ideas. ~PP>
Eric
Mbu Puffer in Non-Cycled Tank 11/16/06
Hey,
<Hey yourself, it's Pufferpunk here.>
I own a 4 inch (not including tail) MBU Puffer and I've had it for a week so
far. He had been introduced to a tank that had been matured for a month and he
has a very healthy appetite, eating everything from cockles, mussels, shrimp,
bloodworm but the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels in the tank sky rocket so
high that I have to do a 50% water change every 2 days to stop him from dying!
<I'd raise that to 80% daily, until you can get that tank cycled or your puffer
will definitely not make it. They are extremely sensitive to those toxins,
because they are scaleless & have no gill covers. What do you mean by, "matured
for a month"? If you just let the tank run for a month, that's not cycling the
tank. Or were there other fish that would equal the bioload of that puffer in
there for that month & the water parameters were perfect (0 ammonia & nitrItes,
<20 nitrAtes), then removed, when you placed the Mbu in there? How big is the
tank? That puffer will grow VERY quickly, needing at least a 300g tank in 2
years, upgrading even larger after that. If you don't understand the facts of
cycling a tank, you may not be ready to house such an exotic fish like the
Mbu. Please do a search for "fishless cycling". If you insist on keeping this
fish & are prepared to buy it much larger tanks & huge filtration systems
(including veggie refugiums, to keep the nitrates down), in the very near
future, then you can instant cycle the tank with Bio-Spira. Do an 80% water
change, before adding it to your filter.>
I have a fully functioning filter and I regulate the amount of food he eats
(around 2 cockles or 1 mussel a day) but the water gets dirty so quickly that
I'm worried about his health. What can I do to keep the levels stabilized so I
don't have to change the water so often and why is this happening? I use Amquel
to reduce the levels when I don't have time for a water change.
<You're going to have to MAKE time for this! Eventually, plan on a 1,000 gallon
tank for this beautiful, 30" tank-buster. Forget about Amquel, it is just
inhibiting the cycle. Bio-Spira is the only way you're going to save this
fish. You may have to search around for it but more shops seem to be carrying
it. To dechlorinate, use Prime.
Please read this Mbu story, written by a puffer keeper of over 50 years:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150
I know it sounds like I'm being really hard on you but personally, I think these
fish only belong in public aquariums or in the wild, where they have room to
grow & swim. ~PP>
Thanks, M
Pignose Puffer For Sale? 7/7/06
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Do you know where I can find a pignose puffer, all the sites I have been to
have them but none in stock. I was wondering if you knew of any better
sites?
<well, this fellow has one for sale but I think he's in Canada:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4170 Have you tried
Aquabid? ~PP>
Palembang Puffer Purchasing Problem - 11/30/05
I'm staying in Malaysia and I would like to purchase freshwater puffer fish,
can you tell me the nearest place to purchase for example Singapore, Kuala
Lumpur. The species I'm interested is Tetraodon palembangensis.
<Hi Louise. Although I'm closer to you than many on the crew (I'm in China),
I can't offer you any specific advice on where to find a Palembang puffer. I
understand that both KL and Singapore have good fish street markets, but I
would expect finding a Palembang is pot luck.
I saw a number of freshwater puffers on my last trip to Tung Choi St in Hong
Kong, so there are undoubtedly a few around. If you are equidistant between
KL & SG, I would probably try SG (major exporter / transit hub of ornamental
fish to the world).
http://singaporetropicalfish.com
has a database of fish stores in SG... there are telephone numbers, so you
can call ahead if your trip will be long. Good luck! John>
<<Hong Kong is another HUGE source of live fish (good source for many f/w
tropicals, imported often into the U.S.). Usually sold for the food
market, but I'm sure they'll sell you anything they have for any reason.
Marina>>
What puffer fish to get? 9/4/05
Hello, <Hi there!> I have been an aquarist for four years now. Most of the time
I've kept Firemouth cichlids and Chinese algae eaters, but recently I have
become interested in starting a puffer aquarium. I have a 25 gallon glass tank
with plants, rocks, and drift wood. I was wondering if you could suggest some
puffer fish that wouldn't mind other tank mates and
that aren't too picky about water chemistry. <Puffers in general are sensitive
fish and require clean water at all times. The only freshwater puffers that
will both tolerate other tank mates as well as be appropriately housed in a 25g
tank are the dwarf puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) or the Amazon puffer
(Colomesus asellus). The asellus is quite a bit of work though as he is
extremely sensitive to ich and will need a constant diet of snails or regular
teeth trimmings to keep his beak in check, while the travancoricus is very small
and in danger of being eaten by tankmates and will nip the fins of
tankmates. All other freshwater puffers are of a difficult temperament and will
not tolerate other tankmates and grow too large for your tank. Good luck!
~Heather aka LinearChaos> I appreciate your help. Sincerely, Eric Fiedler
Dwarf Puffers 6/20/05
Hi Pufferpunk,
<Hi there!>
I'm upgrading a 10 gallon tank to a 29 gallon - it's almost cycled, only 1
ppm of nitrites left!
<Good job!>
Anyway, that leaves me with a 10 gallon cycled tank to play with. I wanted
to put 3 dwarf puffers in the tank-2 females and a male, along with an algae
eating/clean up crew.
Current tank parameters:
10 gallon, heavily planted with a small (and growing) snail infestation.
Ammonia + Nitrites 0
Nitrates ~40 (that's what comes out of the tap, will I need to use some RO
water to bring them down?)
<You could, but 40 isn't quite toxic.>
pH ~7.6
Questions:
Are there any good identifying characteristics of dwarf puffers to tell them
from, say, juvenile any other kind of puffer? I want to double check my LFS.
<Look here: www.thepufferlist.com>
To sex: Males should have a dark ventral line and possibly wrinkles
behind their eyes.
What would you add for bottom feeders/clean up crew? Corys would be cool
but I think they like their water a little acidic. Many people seem to keep
Otos with them, what is your opinion? Shrimp? I love shrimp and have some
Amano ones now that are really nice, but I'm afraid they'd be expensive puffer
food. Would you introduce the shrimp or Otos before or after the puffers?
<Otos & shrimp seem to work for most folks w/DPs. See:
www.dwarfpuffers.com>
Speaking of food. The puffers will get frozen bloodworms, some flake food
and frozen brine shrimp. As well as all the snails they can catch as I keep
trying to rid my other tank of them. Is that a sufficient diet?
<Try freeze-dried plankton too. I doubt they'll eat flakes. Brine shrimp
aren't very nutritious--mostly water.
Like other fish, should I feed them 2x per day, as much as they can eat in a
minute or two?
<Sounds good but skip one day/week.>
I currently have a hang on the back Whisper filter. Do I need to upgrade to
better filtration? Will weekly 20% water changes suffice or is it a wait and
see game? I don't mind adding a canister filter, but don't really want to spend
the money unnecessarily.
<although I prefer Aquaclear filters, the filter you have should be fine. I
do 50% weekly water changes on my tanks.>
Thanks, Catherine
<Enjoy your new friends! ~PP>
- 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 -- >
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>
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>
Puffers on FAQ
Hi,
<Hello Laura>
I was just doing my daily (well, since I started reworking our tank) reading of
the FAQ and came across the question on puffers. These little guys are my
favorite fish, and I have kept both species of green spotted, figure eights,
freshwater dwarfs, Canthigaster valentini, C. jactator, and C. solandri (have
avoided the larger dog-faced and spiny marine puffs due to tank size). I was
hoping you could forward this message on to Tyler Re: what species of puffer to
keep in a 20 tall and ordering puffers online.
For a 20H, you could keep 1-2 figure eights (sg 1.005), 1 green spotted (sg
1.010-1.015), or 1-2 male and 3-5 female dwarf puffers (freshwater). Dwarfs are
notorious for coming in starving or with severe internal parasites (breeding
them would be a noble goal considering how many are lost in the import process).
<Agreed>
I've seen three batches from three different sources (two different LFSs and
another group ordered online for a total of 18 fish) drop like flies even with
heavy feeding of vitamin-soaked, meaty frozen and live foods (these guys just
won't eat dried foods, not even krill like the larger species). They also
really need lots of live plants to hide from each other when things get
sticky. Sexing can be accomplished as cited in other sources: males are not as
round and have a dark brown dorsal stripe and yellow bellies. For a first time
puffer owner, I would really not recommend them because they tend to be very
delicate.
<Yes... need to be quarantined for weeks, fed foods laced with anti-protozoals,
anthelminthics... like Metronidazole/Flagyl, Piperazine, Praziquantel... to
eliminate internal parasites.>
As far as ordering puffers
online, I wouldn't worry about fig eights and green spotteds if your source is
keeping them in brackish but I absolutely would not order dwarfs online.
These are fish you really need to see in person before you buy, and even then
buying them is a fairly big gamble. I finally got some successful ones that had
been started by someone else for a few months; your best bet is probably to find
another hobbyist who has been keeping them long-term.
Anyways, I'm sure you guys already know all of this and just don't have time to
make such an in-depth reply to every single person who e-mails you, so I hope me
typing it all out will help :).
<Thank you for the excellent input. You will have aided many, and saved many
fishes thereby. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Laura
Mbu Puffer $
Sing along now: "How much is that puffer in the big tank?" (04/18/03)
<Ananda here tonight, with apologies to puffers and doggies in windows....>
Hi, My name is Peta Greenway, and I was wondering if you could give me an idea
of the retail value of my 18"-20" Mbu Puffer? People keep inquiring about
purchasing him and I have no idea what he is worth.
<My goodness, that's a big one.... A bit of research found a 4"-5" Mbu going for
$87.50 (though that etailer's prices run high), and one person paid £80 (about
$126) for a 10" Mbu. But I found no prices for Mbu puffers anywhere near the
size of yours. I think you would be completely justified in asking $200 or more
for him.>
Also, do you know (rough ballpark) how many large Mbu's are out there?
<Probably extremely few! The largest Mbu I found mentioned online was 15".>
I have been trying to find other owners to compare notes with. Thank You,
Petapyropeta@******.com
<You're welcome. --Ananda>
Male-Female Ratio for the Dwarf Puffers? 5/1/04
Thanks for the advice, it has been heeded.
Could you advise me on the best male: female ratio for the dwarf puffers?
<Best is 1 male to 2-3 females, or all females in a smaller (<10g) tank. ~PP>
Cheers, Liam
Availability of Mbu puffers
Hi Robert, I am looking to stock a 29gal tank with some sort of puffer (it
is empty now). Can you tell me where to look for a Mbu puffer?
<Your better retailers should be able to "special order" you one. If not them,
the etailers about can do so. A few of these are listed on our links pages:
http://wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
And
where to find out water chemistry requirements?
<It's a bit of work, but I'd use fishbase.org: for instance, cut and paste this
URL: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10103
for the Mbu puffer... you can insert any common or scientific name in Fishbase's
search feature... it will give you habitat information for many species,
references (albeit scientific) for many. Have you read through the FAQs on
freshwater and brackish puffers posted on our site?:
http://wetwebmedia.com/fwpufferfaqs.htm
Other people's Mbu puffer queries/my responses there>
If not this species
maybe a more available one like green spotted or Congo. Thanks for any
info you can provide.
Jesse
Durham, NC USA
<Keep studying my friend. Bob Fenner>
Where can I buy this fish? (Schoutedeni Puffer)
Do you know where I can find this fish to buy? Do you have any information
on it? Books? Does it eat plants? Can I have it in a 20 gallon planted aquarium
by itself?
<Have a bit on this species posted here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwpuffers.htm
Can likely be special-ordered through a good sized livestock-carrying fish
store... or a good etailer of same (links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
Not a plant eater, territorial with its own kind, so likely one to your twenty
gallon system. Fine solitarily. Bob Fenner>
Thanks
David
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