Q: How do you Define Cute? A: Dwarf Puffers

[madasafish]

Yep, I finally followed up on my puffer dreams and bought myself 10 Dwarf Puffers (Tetraodon travancorius) today. I'm enthralled. Spent several hours infront of their transition tank (1 gallon), watching and taking pictures. None of which came out particularly well!! But I have a few in the gallery, and I though I might show a couple here.

I got them at a Petsmart in NJ--I was amazed to find them there! No other petstore I've ever visited has them, and none can seem to find wholesalers/breeders who stock these fish. They seem to be hard to come by (though I know you can get them on the web). So cheap, too! $1.99 each! If they weren't the size of a pea, I'm sure they'd cost more like $10.

These guys are so much fun, and as of now non-aggressive. But that's because they're still really young (0.5 inches with fins!). I can't sex them yet since they're so young, so I'm expecting turf wars soonish between the males. Sadly, that might spell death for the weaker males... I hope not!!! If I see fighting, I'll separate them!

Anyways. Thought you might enjoy these pictures!

 

[madasafish]

Sigh.

 

[RogerMcAllen]

Nice fish. How big does it get?

 

[madasafish]

1 inch max. The ultimate cool/small fish. They'll get about twice this size.

 

[Allivymar]

That 2nd pic is AWESOME madasa. What cute lil buggers. LOL Gonna call em all Spot?

 

[tkos]

I had 2 of these guys in a 5 gallon but I couldn't keep them alive. I had bought them from WalMart but I think they were on their way to death by the time I bought them. WalMart said I could just feed them flake food, which I knew was wrong, but I figure that they hadn't eaten in awhile since I know these guys just won't touch the stuff.

I hope you have tons of snails to give these little guys!! They go through them fast.

 

[madasafish]

I have snails from the LFS, and have separated them off for breeding (takes a lot of work, har har). I've fed them a couple already.

I have bloodworms, also, for their diet. I've read and been told they adore these. They responded yesterday by sucking all of the substance of the worms out, and leaving the "shell." Wierd.

I don't have any live bldwrms at the moment, but I might raise some, or add some brine shrimp to the tank soon. I think I'll try to keep their diet varied.

 

[myriam]

Madasa, they are so CUTE! How amazing that they will stay pretty small. I love puffers!

Last year in Kauai I was snorkeling and saw tons of little puffers, about 3-5" long. Then when I was leaving the water there was one of them sitting at the edge of the surf. It was so sad! I was trying to help him by kind of waving more water towards him, hoping he'd turn around and swim back in, but he was a gonner, just sitting on the sand and puffing. I didn't want to pick him up and hurt him either. Wahhh

 

[snapcrackler]

Awwwwwwww!

mega cute!

I wonder how they would like live brine shrimp? You could hatch some up for them. yum yum

 

[Electrobes]

hehe they are cute! I would consider gettign some for my 45 gallon, but my XP3 outlet, even on restricted flow would probably blow them away... hehe but my future GSP will be in a world of purity!

 

[Guest]

10 of them! Awesome!

I haven't tried any other live foods, mine will eat nothing but snails. Gotta get some bloodworms soon. The will not eat any freeze-dried worms or shrimp, haven't tried any frozen foods yet either.

I only have 2, and I love my little fishies. However, they HATE each other. When they aren't hunting, they are harrasing each other constantly. A 45 gallon tank, with these 2 and one SAE, you would think there was enough room! Noo, chase and nip all day. Actually, I have not seen the tiniest nip on either of them, so maybe it's just chase and pretend to nip! I think I have a male and female, they do look different.

I was thinking, should I get a few more? is it like Mbunas, where you put in a lot, as to keep down aggression?

 

[tkos]

Mine wouldn't eat anything that didn't move. I did catch some mosquito larva and fed that to them and they loved it. It was funny watching them hunt. They are so methodical and those little eyes are scanning all over the place.

 

[Patwa]

These guys are so much fun, and as of now non-aggressive. But that's because they're still really young (0.5 inches with fins!).

i'd be careful ..i've had a puffer tank for ages...and i've had a few different types of puffers....including baby ones (0.5")....and they were VERY aggressive......even so bold as to nip on the fins of my old common pleco.....a fish nearly 4 times its size....and they were relentless...I eventually had to take the puffers out pronto!

in my opinion, baby puffers are just as bad as grown ones...be careful!

Zach.

 

[silverain420]

I miss my puffers so much! It has been almost five years since I had a puffer tank! I think I will start one soon. I just need to figure out how to get a new tank past my boyfriend! (Look at what my LFS gave me because I'm such a valued customer!)

My puffers loved live brine shrimp! They would chase them around sometimes for hours just playing with them! They were always very aggressive though. I never could keep many other fish with them. Always tried truly brackish tanks and my bumblebee gobies were always play toys!

I am jealous!

 

[Sati]

Lucky! I want a puffer so bad. I've never seen them at any lfs, but I'll keep looking. Are you going to put any other species in with them? Maybe they'll have babies. I read about breeding them on this site: http://www.rr.iij4u.or.jp/~kohda/en/en-dwarfpuffer.htm

They're adorable! Congrats :]

 

[TankGirl]

I adore my dwarf puffers! I had a bit of trouble getting them to eat in the beginning until I put in live adult brine shrimp, but after that they ate. They are certainly aggressive, and I had four but am down to three now, as the three harrassed the fourth to death, it seems. I have mine in with tiger barbs and they really seem to ignore each other. The barbs are so quick, though, that the puffers have trouble getting the bloodworms before the barbs zoom away with them all. Mine do not seem to eat snail shells, but slurp the creature out of the opening and leave the shell behind. When I do water changes the bottom is littered with tiny snail shells.

Enjoy!

 

[Patwa]

bumblebee gobies were always play toys!

Bumblebee Gobies are THE best tank mates for small puffers like the Green Spotted or the South American. These gobies are very beautiful too!...bright yellow and black banding....and they're small...growing to about the same size as the puffer (1.5 to 2" total)

If you want tank mates for your puffer, then bumblebees are the ones...make sure to get at least 2 or 3, as they're very striking in groups.

Zach.

 

[TankGirl]

If these are the dwarf malabar puffers I am thinking they are, then they are completely FW and will not do well in a brackish tank, but you are right about bumblebees! Most of the other puffers you see for sale are brackish and grow a bit bigger than the dwarf. Someday I am going to get myself a brackish tank.....so many tanks to create, so little time!

 

[ferret]

So little space

 

[William]

*swooon*

So...kyoooot...