Puffers Puffers and more Puffers

[Fishyfanatic]

I have become kind of lax on my tank maintenance for the 10 gal since it only houses 3 Tetras. I've let the algae and snails over run the tank. So now I am considering replacing the Tetras with puffers to make the tank more exciting. I would like pure Freshwater puffers, nothing that will require brackish or eventually saltwater. Can anyone give me species that would work in a 10 gal? I would like to have 2 puffers if at all possible. There are plenty of snails in the tank (pond and MTS) that he/she would have a great time munching on.

[Hrafnkel]

Dwarf puffers, maybe?

[puffergirl]

Take a look at SA Puffers (south american puffers) They are freshwater, you will need to trim their teeth, does not matter how many snails you feed them. They are great though and very interesting fish.

[penpitt]

For a 10 gallon dwarf puffers would be better then a SA puffer. Ideally the SA should have a minimum of 15 gallons. You could house 3 dwarf puffers (1m,2f) in a 10. Just provide plenty of cover such as plants and caves

[Hrafnkel]

I'd recommend SA Puffers too, but I've never kept them. Or even seen them for sale.

[Fishyfanatic]

How does one trim teeth? Would I literally have to pull it out of the water and hold onto it? If so, I don't think that puffers would be for me. I can't imagine holding a fish. The South Americans sound good. Does anyone have any names of S.A. Puffers?

[rich311k]

colomesus asellus It is a specific fish.

[Hrafnkel]

Dwarf puffers don't require teeth trimming, to my knowledge.

[Feeding_Frenzy]

all puffers need their teeth trimmed down because puffers teeth grow continuously throughout their lives and if they dont get their teeth trimmed they will die of starvation and you could do this via snails but when feeding snails just dont feed the malaysian trumpet snail because their shells are to hard causing damge instead of good to the puffer

[honmol]

I'd get dwarf puffers. I heard 1 for 5 gallons though. So couldn't you only keep 2? Oh well, dwarf puffers don't need their beaks trimmed. The way you trim it is by giing it thing like snails. The shell trims the beak. Dwarf puffers are really cool. I'd get them.

[azn_fishy55]

I really like dwarf puffers and I have 3 of them currently in my 15 planted with some guppies. I dunno where people get that they are aggresive, mine are certainly not. Another thing is that they are a bit hard to feed, so far the only things my dwarf puffers eat are blackworms and small guppy fry. I have no experience with the amazon dwarf puffers.

[Fishyfanatic]

Thanks for all your help guys. Now I am on the hunt for puffers. It's difficult to find fish that aren't livebearers around here. It will be a special trip to STL to scour the stores.