Feeding Dwarf Puffers

[pglenn]

so I took the "sudden-urge" plunge and added 3 dwarf puffers to my 29g. Current tankmates include 5 Rainbow, 3 female fiddlers, and an uncounted (10 or so) number of ghost shrimp - uncounted because they tend to hide mostly and on occasion I see one being carried off by one of the crabs for dinner.

I was hoping the Rainbow would be too quick but unfortunately each of the Rainbow's have a somewhat ragged tail now due to the puffers. The Rainbow also provide too much competiton for now for food sources - I have been adding dried blood-worm and brine shrimp in addition to flake but of course the Rainbow are too quick and greedy when it comes to mealtime. I have seen the puffers eat some brine but I dont know about the blood-worms.

I have had the puuffers in there for 2 days, at first they were terrorized by the rainbow but now it seems the other way around, at least when the puffers are hungry. I do see that when their little bellies are full of brine they dont chase the Rainbow, at least until they are hungry again. I know the brine dont add too much nutritionally but at least they are eating.

I was hoping the brine and blood-worms would suffice for now until I could get a handle on snails, but it may be too late at this point now that they have a "taste of fin". Is there somewhere online I could get "snail-babies"? my local LFS doesnt have a problem with snails so I cant get any excess from them. Or perhaps I should buy a few apple or otherwise and try to start breeding? Also is there anything else I can try adding for the Puffers until then?

Patrick

 

[TankGirl]

See if you can get some live worms or frozen bloodworms will work very well - also try whatever frozen items you can find - shrimp and krill and whatnot will help. The brine is not very nutritious but is great if they are reluctant to eat.

I am not sure the puffers and the rainbows are going to be able to live comfortably together, so just keep watching them. I have found dwarf puffers to be best kept in a species-only tank, but I have kept them successfully with tiger barbs.

Good luck!

 

[madasafish]

I strongly second TG's remarks. Dwarf Puffers are some of the most ornery little fish out there. They really need their own tank. Even if fed well, they tend to nip and bite, and they are a potential food source for anything that gets big enough (possibly the rainbows, but doubtful as they have small mouths). All in all, I'd recommend starting up another small tank for these guys with some of your present filter media and gravel and frequent water changes for 2 weeks.