Misterpenguin4s 4 gallon dwarf puffer tank

[misterpenguin4]

I just ordered the tank today. It was a finnex package with a rimless 4 gallon, a light and filter.

Im planning on doing a dwarf puffer biotope. I am only going to get one dwarf puffer. I saw this great deal for manzanita driftwood Ill probably order this soon.

This tank is going to be pretty heavily planted so I will be running DIY co2. For substrate I wanted some white sand and my parents brought back some sand from the Caribbean. The only problem I see is that the sand is very fine. Im not sure if that will be a problem but the sand is also from the beach so will it alter PH or something? I hope its enough sand.

 

[Billbug68]

Not sure about the sand, but are you aware the finnex tanks have a tapered front glass?

 

[misterpenguin4]

Not sure about the sand, but are you aware the finnex tanks have a tapered front glass?

What does that mean? Im not planning on drilling anything.

 

[Billbug68]

What does that mean? Im not planning on drilling anything.

The front panel is beveled like this, I believe. Sorry, shoulda said beveled in the first place rather than tapered

 

[misterpenguin4]

The front panel is beveled like this, I believe. Sorry, shoulda said beveled in the first place rather than tapered

I was not aware about the beveled glass. I hope its not. Im not sure I like the look of it. Even if it is I wont mind much.

 

[Billbug68]

I was not aware about the beveled glass. I hope its not. Im not sure I like the look of it. Even if it is I wont mind much.

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure you knew before you had a nice surprise arrive at your door... I'm almost positive all the finnex tanks are like that, but you can always shoot them an email. If you don't mind much, then it doesn't really matter...

 

[misterpenguin4]

I already started a ramshorn and pond snail breeding bowl in the stand of my 10 gallon.

 

[misterpenguin4]

How do you guys think I should cycle this tank once I get it?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

The Finnex tanks (which are Schuber Wright tanks) do have that pronounced bevel on the front. You can just setup the tank backwards so that bevel is in the back if you don't like it.

For cycling, I would 'seed' the new filter with as much established biomedia that will fit. Seeding the filter will certainly expedite the cycling process. I usually stick a whole mesh bag full of biomax in my well established filter that's running on my other tank, weeks to a month prior to when I'm setting up a new tank. I then just stick that bag in the new filter and I'm almost instantly cycled. I might have to do a few PWC's to get levels stable before the BB has time to grow and get established fully.

There's some precautions and things to be concerned about with keeping a dwarf puffer in a small tank. For one, the dwarf puffer is considered a messy fish... so you'll have to stay on top of the water changes. They are tricky to feed and need to be feed quite often, I feed mine 2 to 3 times a day. The snails you are going to be growing is great for them! Lastly, you'll need a cover for the tank. These guys are jumpers. I learned the hard way when I moved my dwarf puffers to my rimless tank. I luckily found them, on two different occasions, alive on the floor quick enough to return them to the tank alive. I thought the first time was an isolated incident, but it kept happening until I put a cover on my rimless.

Oh one more thing I'm wondering about.. I was told by (can't remember who) that DIY co2 might be overkill in a tiny tank. Something along the lines of not being able to control the output so you'll run the risk of killing the inhabitant with too much co2. Monitor your co2 injection closely with a drop checker...make sure it doesn't get in the yellow. I can't confirm DIY co2 in a pico tank, but you might want to look in to that more carefully.

 

[misterpenguin4]

The Finnex tanks (which are Schuber Wright tanks) do have that pronounced bevel on the front. You can just setup the tank backwards so that bevel is in the back if you don't like it.

For cycling, I would 'seed' the new filter with as much established biomedia that will fit. Seeding the filter will certainly expedite the cycling process. I usually stick a whole mesh bag full of biomax in my well established filter that's running on my other tank, weeks to a month prior to when I'm setting up a new tank. I then just stick that bag in the new filter and I'm almost instantly cycled. I might have to do a few PWC's to get levels stable before the BB has time to grow and get established fully.

There's some precautions and things to be concerned about with keeping a dwarf puffer in a small tank. For one, the dwarf puffer is considered a messy fish... so you'll have to stay on top of the water changes. They are tricky to feed and need to be feed quite often, I feed mine 2 to 3 times a day. The snails you are going to be growing is great for them! Lastly, you'll need a cover for the tank. These guys are jumpers. I learned the hard way when I moved my dwarf puffers to my rimless tank. I luckily found them, on two different occasions, alive on the floor quick enough to return them to the tank alive. I thought the first time was an isolated incident, but it kept happening until I put a cover on my rimless.

Oh one more thing I'm wondering about.. I was told by (can't remember who) that DIY co2 might be overkill in a tiny tank. Something along the lines of not being able to control the output so you'll run the risk of killing the inhabitant with too much co2. Monitor your co2 injection closely with a drop checker...make sure it doesn't get in the yellow. I can't confirm DIY co2 in a pico tank, but you might want to look in to that more carefully.

Thanks for all of the amazing advice! Someone on here told me that I could cut a piece of sponge off of the filter in my 36 gallon tank and put it in the 4 gallon filter and that should instantly cycle it. I have read that some dwarf puffers will jump and some wont, depending on personality I think. If I get a jumper I guess I will have to make some sort of lid. That DIY co2 thing makes sense. Ill probably just dose excel. Can dwarf puffers be kept with shrimp? Probably ghost shrimp.

 

[dragonfisher33]

I just ordered the tank today. It was a finnex package with a rimless 4 gallon, a light and filter.

Im planning on doing a dwarf puffer biotope. I am only going to get one dwarf puffer. I saw this great deal for manzanita driftwood Ill probably order this soon.

This tank is going to be pretty heavily planted so I will be running DIY co2. For substrate I wanted some white sand and my parents brought back some sand from the Caribbean. The only problem I see is that the sand is very fine. Im not sure if that will be a problem but the sand is also from the beach so will it alter PH or something? I hope its enough sand.

i'm not sure if you're going to have success with sand as your main substrate in order to achieve the highly planted biotope. are you going to lay down another layer of substrate beneath the Cari sand? because sand is largely inert and provides no nutrients for the plants. furthermore, i would test would the sand a bit especially since you got it near ocean. it might cause unintentional pH swing as dwarf puffers are freshwater although they will tolerate brackish setup. also the micro organisms/chemicals in the sand is also a concern. i would do a through testing and research on the sand before you get the puffers. good luck and look forward to the picture of the full tank.

 

[misterpenguin4]

After some research on the sand I dont think I want to take the chance. I think I will just get some white play sand. What is a good brand ? I heard quickcrete from Homedepot is really good. Any suggestions?

 

[dragonfisher33]

After some research on the sand I dont think I want to take the chance. I think I will just get some white play sand. What is a good brand ? I heard quickcrete from Homedepot is really good. Any suggestions?

any brand of play sand should work. the difference is the grain size. you wouldn't want the filter to stop working because there's too much sand trapped inside of it. i would go to the store, whatever you choose, and pick up the sand with bigger grain size. i personally got play sand from Toys-r-us because the sand from HomeDepot is yellow when wet rather than white.

 

[dragonfisher33]

other members also suggest going to pool supply stores and get the pool filter sand because of the grain size. give that a shot as well.

 

[not_again]

Thanks for all of the amazing advice! Someone on here told me that I could cut a piece of sponge off of the filter in my 36 gallon tank and put it in the 4 gallon filter and that should instantly cycle it. I have read that some dwarf puffers will jump and some wont, depending on personality I think. If I get a jumper I guess I will have to make some sort of lid. That DIY co2 thing makes sense. Ill probably just dose excel. Can dwarf puffers be kept with shrimp? Probably ghost shrimp.

Keeping puffers with shrimp are a disaster. Also your puffer will need some salt later down the line. They live in freshwater when they are young and move to saltier water when they get older.

 

[dragonfisher33]

Keeping puffers with shrimp are a disaster. Also your puffer will need some salt later down the line. They live in freshwater when they are young and move to saltier water when they get older.

no, not true. dwarf puffers are 100% FRESHWATER. the puffers you're referring to are in the true puffer fish category such as figure 8. dwarf puffers are not considered as true puffers because they don't have the beaks/teeth that other puffers have. that's why they suck instead of crush when eating.

 

[dragonfisher33]

i don't know who give you the advice about dwarf puffers jumping out but that's not true as well. the dwarf puffers are too small to jump anywhere. other bigger puffers might jump but as far as dwarf puffers go, IME i have not had any jumpers because they're just that small, not even the a segment of my pinky finger

 

[not_again]

i don't know who give you the advice about dwarf puffers jumping out but that's not true as well. the dwarf puffers are too small to jump anywhere. other bigger puffers might jump but as far as dwarf puffers go, IME i have not had any jumpers because they're just that small, not even the a segment of my pinky finger

+1... ive never heard of or seen any dsp jump out... and ive seen people fill there tanks to the rim. The only thing they are worried about is its next meal.

 

[misterpenguin4]

Okay thanks. I think I will try to go to toysRus or a pool supply company soon and get some. As to the puffers providing alot of waste, I think I will do atleast 2 50% water changes a week, which wont be hard in a 4 gallon tank. I just checked and the tank should get here Thursday. I also called my LFS and they said they had figure 8 puffers which I know are not full freshwater and pea puffers. Are pea puffers and dwarf puffers the same?

 

[not_again]

Okay thanks. I think I will try to go to toysRus or a pool supply company soon and get some. As to the puffers providing alot of waste, I think I will do atleast 2 50% water changes a week, which wont be hard in a 4 gallon tank. I just checked and the tank should get here Thursday. I also called my LFS and they said they had figure 8 puffers which I know are not full freshwater and pea puffers. Are pea puffers and dwarf puffers the same?

That much of water changes will throw your tank off balance. And I think they are.