Dwarf Puffers

**troy** · 07-30-2007, 04:01 AM

Whats the minimum tank size for 1 Dwarf puffer? I might be getting one in the future. Also what do they eat?

**YaYgoldFish** · 07-30-2007, 04:28 AM

I think you can get a 5 or 10g.

Id pm kimmers318..

**Rue** · 07-30-2007, 04:50 AM

You need to have more than 1 dwarf...they're not solitary fish.

**kimmers318** · 07-30-2007, 12:06 PM

On the contrary, dp's are just as happy solitary as they are in groups, alot of the time more so. They have such strong personalities that a dominant one will only accept one if it wants to, and will kill others.
Some sites will tell you 3g minimum, I tried a 5g with my first one and noticed a big difference in happiness, but that was also a corner model, a regular rectangular one that gives more swimming footprint might work better. Most do agree though that 3-5g per is okay which is why a duo or trio usually works in a 10g.
Things that will work is to make sure you have a completely cycled tank and add your dp's together when young.....the downside to this is not being able to tell male from female. I have been able to spot some very young males but that is from looking at a lot of dp's over the years

. Lots of decor to break up the lines of sight and give them alot to explore and make sure you are ready with a source of snails. Most puffer owners have a separate tank or container just to breed snails to feed their puffs. Puffers have to have crunchy food to help keep their teeth worn down or they will overgrow and they won't be able to eat and will die unless you manually clip them.
Dp's, as with most puffers, are notorious for not wanting to eat dried or frozen food, although most will take frozen bloodworms happily so be ready to cater to a picky fish!

**Rue** · 07-31-2007, 02:04 PM

...I don't know...my 4 exhibit definate group behaviour...min. signs of aggression...I have the 4 of them in a 10g tank with 'decorations' to help divide up the space...

Mine are all accepting frozen brine shrimp, mysis, bloodworms and glassworms...

...and live snails of course!

**hungryhound** · 07-31-2007, 03:28 PM

kimmers can correct my if I am wrong, but I was looking in to getting some and what I read suggested that you want to have a heavily planted (or fake planted with very short sight lines. You will cut down thier aggression if they cannot see each other all of the time. They tend to be aggressive in a bare aquarium. No experience but that seemed to be a theme that popped up over and over again when I was researching them a couple of months ago.