Dwarf Puffer Tank

[FishyMamma]

I been reading more about how DPs need a varied environment with lots of hidey holes along with the vegetation to break eye-sight. So I added some of the ornaments I used to have in my pre-planted days.

Here are some shots.




I'm double-checking the biofilter with ammonia today and it should be fully cycled so that I can get my DPs tomorrow.

The tank is 29 gal., planted in Eco-complete.

Any suggestions as to how it looks or what I should add?


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[FishyMamma]

Let me add that the tank housed platies before and was fishless cycled before that.


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[Nils]

Seem like you're all set. How many are you planning on getting? Also, what will you try feeding them?

 

[FishyMamma]

Four young ones. Hopefully a male and three females. I don't know if they'll be old enough to see the gender differences yet.

I'll try them on frozen bloodworms soaked in liquid vitamins as recommended elsewhere as well as seafood like a shrimp or scallop fed on long tweezers. I have a few pond snails in my 55 gal. If that fails I'll try to find live black worms. I understand live black worms and snails are ideal.




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[Jaeroo]

Four young ones. Hopefully a male and three females. I don't know if they'll be old enough to see the gender differences yet.

I'll try them on frozen bloodworms soaked in liquid vitamins as recommended elsewhere as well as seafood like a shrimp or scallop fed on long tweezers. I have a few pond snails in my 55 gal. If that fails I'll try to find live black worms. I understand live black worms and snails are ideal.




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I think you're all set as well! DPs are at the top of my favorite fish list. They are too cute and have great personalities. As for feeding them, I've heard that bloodworms should be given as a treat or not at all because they lack nutrients and are fatty. When I get puffers, I plan on feeding them live grindal worms and juvenile ramshorns. Looking forward to seeing your puffs!

Edit: Just saw that you were going to soak the bloodworms. In that case, they should be great.

 

[FishyMamma]

Thanks Jaeroo! Its more fun when we get to pool our experience, that's for sure.

 

[john_franzwa]

I've got a few dwarf puffers so I might be able to help with anything


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[Nils]

Food wise you are all set to go! I always feed my puffer frozen bloodworms with tweezers, and although it took a while to train him, he got it eventually Really, live food is ideal but if you don't have it you would still be fine. Setting up blackworm cultures isn't hard at all, and the puffers really appreciate. The one way that my LFS told me to tell gender is by looking in the top of the tank, and if they are very speckled with little black dots at the top of front of their head then it is a male, but if not then it is a female. They should be easy and I doubt that you will have any problem with them

 

[FishyMamma]

I've got a few dwarf puffers so I might be able to help with anything

Thanks John!! Do you have a thread going anywhere with pics and details about how feeding them is going?


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[FishyMamma]

Food wise you are all set to go! I always feed my puffer frozen bloodworms with tweezers, and although it took a while to train him, he got it eventually Really, live food is ideal but if you don't have it you would still be fine. Setting up blackworm cultures isn't hard at all, and the puffers really appreciate. The one way that my LFS told me to tell gender is by looking in the top of the tank, and if they are very speckled with little black dots at the top of front of their head then it is a male, but if not then it is a female. They should be easy and I doubt that you will have any problem with them

Thanks Nils!

Looking forward to this more advanced fish keeping and keeping black worms alive. I have a container ready for propagating snails, too.

Regarding looking at their head markings, I'll use that trick today when I pick them out.


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[john_franzwa]

Thanks John!! Do you have a thread going anywhere with pics and details about how feeding them is going?


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No sorry I used to I think but I quote this app a while ago and now I'm back and starting to get back into fish keeping


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[FishyMamma]

Waited until today to get my new DPs. I acclimated them and released them into the tank and they immediately began exploring and even taking nips at the pond snails in the tank! One has the definite stripe on his belly so I know he's a male. Hoping the others are female.

They're hanging out with each other so I guess that means they're not comfortable yet - which makes sense. Their tails aren't curled though, so I think that's a good sign.

I had to turn off the extra sponge filter because it was making too strong a current, so I'll be relying on the Aquaclear HOB. It's rated for a 55 gal. tank, so hopefully with two 50% PWCs a week the tank will stay clean. I'll be careful with the feeding so as not to over feed.

Black worms are hanging out in a foil covered plastic container with air holes in the basement fridge. My non-fishy family members are a little grossed out. I don't remember who suggested this kind of set up for keeping love black worms, but thanks. As also recommended, I bought liquid vitamins to dose the worms with before I feed them.

Pics tomorrow. I don't want to turn on the light on the tank their first day.



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[Nils]

Great that you got the puffers and the worms! I recommend keeping the worms in a jar with white sand and an air stone. This method keeps the worms alive a lot longer compared to how long they would live in the fridge. I always put my air stone inside a pre filter intake sponge since it gives the bacteria a good, porous surface to grow on, which in return will reduce the amount of nitrates in the water. In the fridge the worms will die faster and will not breed, but in this set up they will. I always feed fake food once a week and change water the day after (Only about 75%) The jar I have them in is only about a gallon and they are doing fine. Just don't let nitrates get too high. Looking forward to seeing pictures tomorrow!

 

[FishyMamma]

Their tail fins are still clamped tightly but their tails are curved unless they are turning. Looking forward to seeing them relax and unclamp.

There are plenty of pond snails of various sizes in there so until they look like they need to eat I'll hold off on the blackworms. Their tummies are nice sizes right now. One that I'm pretty sure is female looks ready to deposit eggs. I'll try and get a pic of her.

Here are a couple pics from this morning.


I took these with my phone. Time to get out the REAL camera.


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[FishyMamma]

Here's the pudgy female that I think is holding eggs.


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[Nils]

Wow! Awesome puffers! My puffer almost always has a tail that isn't spread out, it's actually normal. It would be amazing if you got them to spawn since it has only been done a few times in captivity. Here's a great link to breeding them: http://ri.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVvSUU6VVJ1oAd7IPxQt.;_ylu=X3oDMTEzNDhnY25tBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDRkZHRUMwXzEEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1436926997/RO=10/RU=http%3a%2f%2fwww.zwergkugelfisch.de%2fReport1.html/RK=0/RS=F9RLRN6S4tdaUmQynPzYfeb2WSs- She does look pudgy, could we get a picture of her out in the open and from the front? Nice puffs!

 

[FishyMamma]

Bummer...yahoo says the link is not authorized.

I do remember reading that they will lay eggs of Dwarf Hair Grass - or something like that. I had some Christmas Tree Moss in my big tank and some of it was tied to a rock - the rest is on the large driftwood. So I took the rock and put it in the puffers' tank in hopes that for now that will make them happy enough to lay eggs.

Still working on a clear pic of pudgy female.



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[Nils]

Yeah they mostly spawn on java moss. You could try spawning moss, but I prefer the real stuff. Any moss should work though. I have never actually bred them myself but if you provide them with the right stuff it shouldn't be too hard. Any pics or updates? I would love to see some pics of the females stomach!

 

[FishyMamma]

I can't get any pics to upload. Ugh!

Is AA having any issues? That's assuming it's not on my end. I got some beautiful pics of the female showing her belly with my good camera, I just can't upload them! Grrrr.


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[FishyMamma]

View attachment 275198
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Going to pick up Dwarf Hair Grass today (if my LFS has it)


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