Begginer with DP's. 19 Questions

[Pearl2011]

The only fish I have had are Bettas, Goldfish and Guppies and I would like to try something different. I would like to keep 5 DP in my 25 gallon with an Aquaclear 20 and have it planted. On Friday I am going to collect some driftwood. Is that okay with DP's? How do I get it tank ready? Are they wild caught? What are there pH and temp needs? Diet? What are good plants for them? I will have two 25 watts on the tank. Does putting tinfoil where the white light reflector is help? Is 3-5mm gravel acceptable? Are they toxic if you touch them? Do they need snails? How often do I need to change the water? If I add them all at the same time do I need a quarantine tank? If I pick the healthiest ones? Are they prone to disease? Do they fight a lot? Is Melafix safe to use? Should I use it at the start as a precaution? Tap water is fine, right? 'Cause that all I have. What special considerations do they need?
Is there anything I can to add to make this post longer? JK

Thanks for the help! I dont expect all of these to get answered and I have been googling these guys . . . OCD like.

[Varkolak]

Let me start you off with reading the Dwarf Puffer <--Click Me

Says ph of 6.5 and species only so not sure on quantity but 5 may be pushing it in a 25 because of how aggressive they are ( go to walmart and I'm sure you'll find several with their tail fins bitten off by other puffers). As for the foil on the light it wont do anything, white is the ultimate reflector because all colors bounce off it (where as black absorbs all) so if you gained anything it would be very minimal and not worth the potential fire risk

2 25w should be fine for a small tank like that but hopefully someone else can go into more detail on it, I would recommend staying with low light plants and start yourself off with a hearty moss (java, christmas, peacock) I've heard anubus plants do well in low light but I dont have any myself

[GwenInNM]

Originally Posted by Pearl2011

The only fish I have had are Bettas, Goldfish and Guppies and I would like to try something different. I would like to keep 5 DP in my 25 gallon with an Aquaclear 20 and have it planted. On Friday I am going to collect some driftwood. Is that okay with DP's? How do I get it tank ready? Are they wild caught? What are there pH and temp needs? Diet? What are good plants for them? I will have two 25 watts on the tank. Does putting tinfoil where the white light reflector is help? Is 3-5mm gravel acceptable? Are they toxic if you touch them? Do they need snails? How often do I need to change the water? If I add them all at the same time do I need a quarantine tank? If I pick the healthiest ones? Are they prone to disease? Do they fight a lot? Is Melafix safe to use? Should I use it at the start as a precaution? Tap water is fine, right? 'Cause that all I have. What special considerations do they need?
Is there anything I can to add to make this post longer? JK

Thanks for the help! I dont expect all of these to get answered and I have been googling these guys . . . OCD like.

These are cute little fish, and you can probably keep five in a tank that size, but you want to use the driftwood (boil first) you find and rocks etc to create breaks in their line of site. Having places for them to hide from each other will be needed. They aren't as aggressive with each other as some puffers, but will appreciate plants and places to stay out of each others line of sight. Melafix is safe, but unless you buy them with tattered fins, I wouldn't use it for "no reason".

You'll need a better filter with this many. These fish are very messy eaters, and you will definately need to do weekly water changes, but I don't think an aquaclear 20 is enough filtration. If you can get even a aquaclear 40 that would be good.

Anubias is a very good low light plant and so is java fern and java moss. Don't bother with aluminum foil, I don't think that will do anything. There are many low light plants, so just go with plants for your lighting.

They are to be kept in temps of 77-82. You've already been told their ph needs. I wouldn't go above 7.0 to keep them happy/healthy. Tap is fine, treated with dechlorinator, depending on your tap water parameters. And yes, I believe they are all wild caught. Living in boggy waters, with lots of wood and plants.

They are not toxic to touch. I wouldn't eat them They love snails, and will not eat flake foods. Read up on feeding them, because they do need to be feed a variety of foods. I think I saw you wanted to get RCS. They would love to eat those. If you get over run with them, (which is easy to have happen) you could feed them RCS.

Gwen

[TheAngryAadvark]

Dwarf Puffers

Found this to be very enlightening and answers all your questions and more ... after reading this i wanna get some to, they're so cute !

[Boredomb]

Here another good site on these guys. Dwarf Puffers : Home Lots of info there on them.

[Boredomb]

Just thought I would throw this in. I have some of these.fish and when I first got them they would not eat anything but live blackworms. If it didn't move they wouldn't touch it. So make sure to.find out what the store is feeding them before you get them and you'll be alright.
Also you read this thread http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/f...-advice-67555/ It has some good info. Its the thread I started awhile back getting started with these little guys

[Pearl2011]

I bought everything second hand for 20 bucks and I have a very strong 2 gallon filter I could chuck in. I simple cant afford an Aquacear 40 but I could sell one of three heaters I got with it, maybe. Would 4 puffers be okay then? My mom is so disgusted I have to feed them live food

[Boredomb]

You may not have to feed then live foods just depends on what they are use too (ask the store owner and find out). Even if you do at first you can slowing get them use to frozen foods. Mine are on frozen bloodworms now. 4 puffers in a 25 gallon is fine just go with 1 male and 3 females and you will be fine.

[InvertPlanet]

+1 to all the above.

take a magnifying glass with you to the store and inspect them before purchase. Choose the healthiest and roundest of the bunch.

[Pearl2011]

lol, I did that once (a few years ago) to look at the bettas. I had set up a tank but ''forgot'' to mention it to my Mom. Never got the betta . . .

Thanks for all the help guys!