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

[ferret]

Stop it stop it stop it. You're gonna make me go waste my next pay check

 

[Sati]

Stop it stop it stop it. You're gonna make me go waste my next pay check

Puffers = waste? I think not

 

[madasafish]

Sigh.

I've never seen this kind of response before!! 8) I'm so incredibly glad that you guys are as excited as I am!!! I showed them to a few other ppl, and got tepid responses. I'm definitely going about this fish-proselytizing thing wrong. Nobody seems nearly as excited by my fish as I am!

TankGirl is right. These (Dwarf, Malabar, Dwarf Indian etc.) puffers are some of the only completely FW species (as are the South American Puffers). When I bought them yesterday, I was told by a Petsmart employee that they really need brackish water. I politely denied this, and explained that these puffers are different from the Green Spots. Well, she said, they seem to thrive in it. I left it at that...

A lot of misinformation circling about these guys since there is still a lot of controversy over their classification (Tetraodon travancorius, or Carinotetraodon travancorius?). The site Sati linked is a good one that I've visited numerous times in the past. In fact, I'm considering taking the guy's advice on breeding... However, it seems that he has the C. travancorius species, and that I have the T. travancorius species. IF, in fact, they are separate species. This is not confirmed! Rather confusing!!!!

I've noticed a really cute characteristic to these puffers--they have bright blue eyes if you look closely. I think this might be my light. But I'll try to get a pic of this. They're in my 10 gallon now, and seem to be acclimatizing well. No aggression yet, but I'm sure it will begin soon. I do have a fair number of plants, and I know this helps.

BTW, TankGirl, post some pics, or link us to a site where you have. I'd love to see your puffers to compare markings!!

Thanks everyone for your comments. I'm chuffed!

 

[Madame_X]

Bumblebee Gobies are THE best tank mates for small puffers like the Green Spotted or the South American.

South American puffers are freshwater, too.

I love bumblebee gobies, though. Wish I COULD put some with my SA. Instead he has some danios and a peppermint pleco as roomies.

I must have gotten really lucky with feeding my puffer, too, because he's not picky. He eats snails, ghost shrimp, freeze-dried bloodworms, freeze-dried krill... pretty much anything I put in for him.

Except the flake I feed the danios. He spits that out.

 

[ferret]

stopstopstopstop i must pay rent!!!

 

[Patwa]

South American puffers are freshwater, too.

I love bumblebee gobies, though. Wish I COULD put some with my SA. Instead he has some danios and a peppermint pleco as roomies.

yup I know that SAs are freshwater....they're from the Amazon Basin, not estuarine areas like the GSP, Dwarf.........I've got 2 SAs in one tank and 1 figure eight with my community tank....but I also put salt in both tanks (just a little as a preventative step)

Why can't you put a bumblebee in with your SA?? not enough space?? my bumblebee has no probs with the puffers, vice versa.

I must have gotten really lucky with feeding my puffer, too, because he's not picky. He eats snails, ghost shrimp, freeze-dried bloodworms, freeze-dried krill... pretty much anything I put in for him.

no that's not a matter of luck...Puffers eat so many different types of food. What you have is quite normal.

In fact, puffers do not know when to stop!...they eat and eat and eat....they're even known to eat fine gravel or sand when they're really hungry (that's why it's highly recommended you have large grain gravel when dealing with voracious puffers like the Dwarf, GSP and SA.....

Figure eights on the other hand are weird....in groups of other puffers the figure eight goes nuts and is quite at home being aggressive and hungry...but in a community tank he becomes more laid back and does not really show any aggression (save for a few moments when I initially put him in the tank).

If you want a puffer for your tank, but do not want the hassle of setting up a new puffer-only tank, i'd highy recommend looking into the Figure-eight...of course, you'd need to make sure you have fast tank mates as well....such as tetras, plecos, cories, etc.

Zach

 

[madasafish]

Urg. So many conversations going on at once that we don't always read everything that's written...

*Patwa*
Look above--Dwarf puffers are entirely FW. They're from the Pamba, Vembanad, Minachil rivers in India mainly. They're not found in estuarine environments. Just FYI and Feveryone'sI.

 

[Sati]

I've never heard of a puffer in a community tank. I think I'd be too scared to add one to my tank...

 

[Patwa]

Urg. So many conversations going on at once that we don't always read everything that's written...

*Patwa*
Look above--Dwarf puffers are entirely FW. They're from the Pamba, Vembanad, Minachil rivers in India mainly. They're not found in estuarine environments. Just FYI and Feveryone'sI.

woops..my bad....i'm at work trying to type away without my boss seeing this...hahaha please forgive me!

Edit: for others, please check out this site for info on Pufferfish (see chart half-way down the page)

http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/brackish_water/puffer_figure_eight.htm

Zach.

 

[Patwa]

I've never heard of a puffer in a community tank. I think I'd be too scared to add one to my tank...

it's up to you...i do agree this species is aggressive, but there's something that happens to them when they are placed in a community tank....and it's amazing....the figure eight just swims around merrily...eating and eating...but no nipping and no chasing...(cuz if there was i'd notice it and take him out asap)

i'm the proof!....damn I wish I had my digi camera back...i'd take lots of pics for you non-believers!

T. biocellatus is a freshwater puffer inhabiting rivers in southeast Asia........only mildly aggressive to peaceful, figure eight pufferfish are among the better candidates for a community tank. Keeping in mind they are still puffers, they can be kept somewhat docile by giving them lots of room and food (Source: http://puffernet.tripod.com/biocellatus.html)

Zach

 

[madasafish]

As I think somebody mentioned before, South American Puffers are also considered borderline community tank puffers. They've certainly been kept in community tanks before successfully.

I've certainly thought about it!

 

[Patwa]

As I think somebody mentioned before, South American Puffers are also considered borderline community tank puffers. They've certainly been kept in community tanks before successfully.

I've certainly thought about it!

Yah right! South American ones too??? nice...seems super weird cuz the 2 SAs I have are SUPER aggressive....even more than the figure-eight when he was in the same tank.

I'll have to look into this more...but i think it won't be possible in my tank....i'm pretty sure if I add a second puffer to the commuity tank the original figure-eight might jump back into arse-kicking mode...and then all hell will break loose....and i definitely don't want that!

i'll vouch for the Figure-eight anyday, but the SA looks even more crazy...hehehe

Zach.

 

[madasafish]

*Patwa*

It's really a matter of situation and specimen. I've heard from many ppl, and have read on several sites that SA puffers are compatible in community tanks, but who knows whether these ppl's opinions changed once the fish got older. Or, even more importantly, if the fish they had in their CT were all short-finned zebra danios, or whether they were bettas and gouramis. Every post and site (especially) should be taken with a grain of salt. I guess I should really make the plunge and find out myself!

P.S. I read your introductory post here, and get your name, but every time I see it, I can't help but think "patois" since the two are phonetically pretty much identical. Arg.

 

[Madame_X]

Well, the only reason we got our SA puffer is because he is supposed to be one of the more docile species. Read here about South American puffers:

http://www.pufferfish.co.uk/aquaria/species/pufferfish/types/coloasel.htm

He has never messed with the danios or the pleco in any way.

Like Madasa said, it just depends on the fish. I have read a couple of articles that said Figure 8's can be less aggressive than other species but I've also read things to the contrary. All of the articles I've read on colomesus asellus (the South American puffer) suggest that it is much more docile than other puffer species. Mine certainly seems to be.

As for the bumblebee gobies... there is plenty of room in my tank, but it isn't brackish. If I were to set up a brackish tank with a brackish puffer, I would get some. They're adorable little fish!

 

[madasafish]

Yeah, I love those gobies. One great shame with FW fish is that most *FW* gobies are incurably ugly. Not that ugly isn't good sometimes... I don't think I'd buy a dragon goby or a jade goby (desert gobies are another matter). It's a shame, coz there are so many cool BW or SW gobies--bumble bee, watchman species, pinkbar, red-headed, etc. SO many cool species!!

Well, if I did go brackish with one tank, I'd get some bumble-bee gobies, for sure. I'm just frustrated with BW--there are so many species out there in estuaries, but there are so few options when it comes to stocking a tank.

 

[Sati]

Madame, that's the site I've been reading as well. Others saying they're quite docile too. Those SA's look sooo cute and I love the bumblebee's!

 

[madasafish]

Yep. I've read it there and elsewhere. That's a fairly good resource for FW/BW puffers. Sadly, there aren't that many resources on the web about these fish, though. It's our responsibility to keep the discussion alive, and to start well-informed websites if we can!

 

[Sati]

Yep. I've read it there and elsewhere. That's a fairly good resource for FW/BW puffers. Sadly, there aren't that many resources on the web about these fish, though. It's our responsibility to keep the discussion alive, and to start well-informed websites if we can!

I agree. My lfs mentioned how peopel buy up puffers when they have a snail problem. I know puffers love snails, but they're not like buying a loach... I don't think there's nearly enough info on them, at least from what I've seen. Maybe we should all become puffer breeders ;]

 

[Allivymar]

Ok folks...I've been following both this and the other recent puffer thread. I think its time you guys got together and wrote us an article on puffers; FW, SW or both. Obviously this is a big topic here, and you folks seem to have a helluva lotta info; we could use it!

 

[madasafish]

Hmm... ok. I'll think about getting a Dwarf Puffer article together. AlliV, prod me! I'm both lazy and forgetful.