Puffers

[smidget]

I've decided to try keeping a puffer again after having a couple figure eights awhile ago. My local LFS has Dwarf puffers as well as Green spotted puffers. I was wondering which one is easier to keep. My tank is a 10 gal. and water parameters are as follows:

pH 8.0
KH 80 ppm
GH 160 ppm

I have done some research and have found on the whole dwarves should be kept in FW and green spotted in brackish but there is some conflicting info out there.

Any thoughts or help on this would be appreciated

[lyquidphyre]

For a 10gal I would go with the dwarf puffers

hang tight because someone else when come around and answer ur other questions =o)

[penpitt]

Green spotted puffers also need to be kept in brackish conditions. They do fine as juvies in a fw setup but they need to be transitioned to brackish conditions as they get older if they are to thrive. Also gsp get to be 6-8" so a 10 would definately be too small.

[poppab02]

I've had both. GSP's are simply way too big and active for a 10 gallon. IME puffers need about 5 gallons of water per inch to be happy and exhibit healthy behavior.
DP's do realtively well in a 10 gallon. However, I would recommend a species only tank. They get really spooked by other fish, especially active swimmers. Remember to keep a diet of small snails around at all times to keep their teeth grinded down.

[youronlysin]

Pufferpunk has had a LOT of experience raising freshwater and brackish puffers. Where are you pufferpunk???? Might send a pm and ask some questions, but it looks like your getting some great advice here too.

[smidget]

Thanks, everyone Looks like dwarf is the general consensus then, but I may hold off and see if pufferpunk has any advice....

[TankGirl]

You will find her here: http://puffer.proboards2.com/

I have kept dwarf puffers in a 10gal and they did well with a rubberlip pleco, but I agree it should be a species tank. I would limit them to 4, also. Provide plenty of plants, silk are fine, as they like to rest on the leaves when they "sleep," and this will help them establish territories. Snails, snails snails is right - you may want to get a crop going before you actually get the puffers. Bloodworms were the other staple for mine.