Malabar Puffers?

[Ty13]

I was at my LFS earlier and I saw these new puffers in the front display tank by themselves (10 tiny ones in a 75 gallon) and I thought that was strange cause there is normally a 7"+ oscar, today however there was only these little tiny puffers. I asked the manager about it and she said they had put them in but they killed the oscar overnight!!

She called them Malabar Puffers and I was wondering if anybody had any experiance with them? I'd like to get one but I only have 10 gallon it could go in by itself but by the size they are now I don't think it would be a problem. I just don't know anything about them, like how big they get, what they eat, what kind of water parameters they need, etc. Anything you know about them would be very helpful. Thanks!

[squirt_12]

A Malabar Puffer is also known as a Dwarf Puffer or Pygmy Puffer. These guys get to be about 1" big and they will eat anything else you put in the tank with them. They also eat blood worms, black worms, mosquito larvae, etc...alot of them will only accept live food but you can get them to eat frozen. With a nice planted tank, fake or alive plants, you could easily keep 2 in a 10g tank. I have kept 3 in a 10g with no fighting.

One important note. They HAVE to have snails in the tank. Snails that don't have a trapdoor. They need these because that have a beak which they use to break through hard shells to get to their food and they need snails to grind the beak back so that it doesn't get to big. So you have to always have snails on hand.

EDIT - Here is a link for you to read more about them. Hope it helps. http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/intro1.htm

[Deku]

ummm your talking about other kinds of pufferfish because dwarf pufferfish do not need snails and why is that? because they dont get overgrown beak.

[invadertoast]

I had a dwarf puffer who loved snails, I've always heard pest snails from the pet store (the free ones) are great for them.

[squirt_12]

ummm your talking about other kinds of pufferfish because dwarf pufferfish do not need snails and why is that? because they dont get overgrown beak.
Dwarf Puffers do need snails. Their beak may not get overgrown but it does grow. Just like your hair grows. They have to be trimmed back and without snails to grind down the beak, the beak could possibly overgrow and it may stop the puffer from being able to eat.

[Lady Hobbs]

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/Puffers/MalabarPuffer.php

Yes they do Deku. You need to read up more on these fish OR take the advice of some very knowledgable fishkeepers here that are trying to help.

Read the entrie article on these puffers.

[Deku]

i have hobbs ill show you the site i got ifrom

http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/care1.htm
its says you should give it like once in a while but not always look

[Lady Hobbs]

Well, it also says it's part of their regular diet and any fish should have food that's part of their regular diet. If it keeps their teeth whittled down, as well, then it's a bonus. It doesn't say they need thousands of snails but one now and then. Snails multiple by the hundreds with no effort so having some breeding for your puffer should be no problem. Check the advice of several sites when getting information online, as well, because often one will be flat out incorrect.

I take the advise of others here generally without question. If someone gives the wrong answer, 10 others are right there to correct them and set you on path again. Fortunately we are very lucky to have some very top notch members that won't steer you wrong.

[Deku]

well i was told for most pufferfish you would need snails..but these should just feed em as a treat....but like how very often?

[squirt_12]

well i was told for most pufferfish you would need snails..but these should just feed em as a treat....but like how very often?
You can just put 2-3 snails in the tank and leave them in there for a few days as it will take the little puffer to eat a snail thats bigger than it. I have followed the sites and all of them said, with a few who said different, that you should always have snails available for the Dwarf Puffer. When I had mine there were always 1-4 snails in the tank for them to nibble on if they wanted to.