Dwarf Puffer - 5 gallon tank

[maromi]

Hello. I just purchased my first Dwarf Puffer. I've been doing a good amount of reading and set the tank up awhile ago. It's five gallons and planted with Java Fern and Pygmy Chain Sword. The temp is 80.

I finally went and bought one Dwarf Puffer for the tank yesterday afternoon. At first the puffer was swimming all over the tank, now he is just sitting on the bottom although I can see his eyes actively looking around. From my reading this seems to be fairly normal?

I purchased frozen blood worms for now. I could not find any live food, and my puffer is REALLY small. I am wondering right now how I will even feed it as it is about the size of my fingernail. Any tips?

There are a few tiny snails in the tank.

[Boredomb]

Originally Posted by maromi

Hello. I just purchased my first Dwarf Puffer. I've been doing a good amount of reading and set the tank up awhile ago. It's five gallons and planted with Java Fern and Pygmy Chain Sword. The temp is 80.

I finally went and bought one Dwarf Puffer for the tank yesterday afternoon. At first the puffer was swimming all over the tank, now he is just sitting on the bottom although I can see his eyes actively looking around. From my reading this seems to be fairly normal?

I purchased frozen blood worms for now. I could not find any live food, and my puffer is REALLY small. I am wondering right now how I will even feed it as it is about the size of my fingernail. Any tips?

There are a few tiny snails in the tank.

Dwarf puffers are really small fish that get to a max size of 1". Feeding such a small fish can be challenging. Live foods are best such as Blackworms and snails. They also eat small shrimp or Gammarus (Scuds). My adult Dwarf Puffer that I have had for almost 2 years eats frozen bloodworms. He will just take them out of the cup when i pour them into the tank. This something you have to work at to get them to do. 99% of the time they won't eat frozen food or any food that isn't alive. I am in the same boat as you. Finding live foods in my area such as Blackworms is like pulling teeth. The last time i got some I had to beg a store owner to let me have some of his personal stock that he was feeding to the fish in his store. Then I was able to switch the puffer from blackworms to frozen. I recently got two new puffers and my best guess is they are problem a lil over a month or 2 old. They are being really picky on what they will eat. They won't touch the frozen bloodworms at all. One trick you can try is getting a pair of tweezers and picking up bloodworms with them. Then stick them in the water with the tweezers and make the bloodworms wiggle infront of the puffer. I have gotten mine to chase it and take a couple of nibbles that way but they still really don't eat them. I have started a 10 gallon breeder tank for snails just for these guys. As they LOVE snails and they are natural food for them. So they will always eat them if you can not get them to eat anything else. I am also looking in getting some shrimp so I can feed them to them as well. Here is the link to my thread I started talking about these guys and my experience http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/a...4/#post1338345 If you like you can follow along and maybe we can both learn more from each other.

[maromi]

Well a lot has happened since my last post. LOL

I had an allergic reaction yesterday morning after preparing and offering frozen bloodworms. My eye swelled shut. I've been struggling for years with this problem, but it's been gone for three years now. So have my tanks. I just got back into fish keeping and the allergy is back. The ONLY thing different is I handled and fed him bloodworms....within 30 minutes my eye was swollen shut.

So now I am going to the store tonight in hopes of finding an alternative food for this guy that he will accept :(

[Boredomb]

Oh wow that would be terrible! Is the allegry from touching the bloodworms or smell of them?? If its touching could you not were gloves?? Something like nitrile gloves. That should help I would think. Nitrile gloves are also powder/latex free so they should be safe to use I would think.

[maromi]

Now even more has happened. Sadly the Puffer was dead when I just went into the room. :( I am upset but I understand from my reading that sometimes this happens with these guys (and of course all fish)

[Boredomb]

Originally Posted by maromi

Now even more has happened. Sadly the Puffer was dead when I just went into the room. :( I am upset but I understand from my reading that sometimes this happens with these guys (and of course all fish)

Awe Sorry to hear that!!!

[Jakiebabie]

Hi Maromi! I'm sorry to hear of your loss of your new Puffer. Did you just get him yesterday? Will the store replace it?
I have also heard of other members in here having an allergy to the Blood worms. You yes will need to wear gloves to handle them. Have you noticed anything else at all spark your allergies since starting to keep fish again? You will have to be careful indeed.
Before you add another new puffer to the tank can you give us some info? Do you have a heater? How long has the tank been set up? Have you tested your water parameters? How did you acclimate the Puffer to his new home/your tank?

[maromi]

I set my tank (five gallons) up quite some time ago (month ago maybe 6 weeks) so I could let it establish and plant it (java fern and dwarf chain sword)....I have a heater and keep it at 80F. I treated the water initially and treat any water going in for water changes. I did not test the water as I just got back into fish and haven't purchased a kit yet. There have been snails living in the tank since set up and a few times I have throw fish food in for the snails and to help things along.

I purchased the puffer, floated the bag in the tank and every 20 minutes or so I added a little bit of water from the tank into the bag. Did that a few times then released him.

[Boredomb]

Originally Posted by maromi

I set my tank (five gallons) up quite some time ago (month ago maybe 6 weeks) so I could let it establish and plant it (java fern and dwarf chain sword)....I have a heater and keep it at 80F. I treated the water initially and treat any water going in for water changes. I did not test the water as I just got back into fish and haven't purchased a kit yet. There have been snails living in the tank since set up and a few times I have throw fish food in for the snails and to help things along.

I purchased the puffer, floated the bag in the tank and every 20 minutes or so I added a little bit of water from the tank into the bag. Did that a few times then released him.

These puffers are super sensitive to Ammonia and Nitrites. Nitrates need to be under 20 but have heard that they should be less. These are not a fish to add to a non cycled tank. Not saying yours wasn't just letting you know if you decide to get another one. Also they are super messy dirty fish due to their eating habits and keeping them at 80° makes them pooping machines. So good filtration and 50% water changes weekly are needed IMO.