kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
My wife wants some bb puffers the guy at our lfs said she could do 5 in a 5 gallon tank. I was thinking more like 2 in a 1.5 gallon tank. Anything I need to know about these things?
anyone have bb puffers?
- Thread starter kwandrsn
- Start date
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Scottyhorse
Aquarium Advice Addict
What is the scientific name?
A dwarf puffer needs at least 5 gallons per fish. Two puffers in a 1.5 would not work.
If you are talking about South American Puffers:
3-5" in length
Min tank size: 15 gallons
PH: 5.5-8.0
Temp: 72-82
Need to be kept in groups of three or more, and 15 gal per puffer so 45 gallons
Lifespan: 10 years
Teeth grow faster than other puffers so you need to clip them or feed snails continually.
Food: They enjoy live insects, earthworms, brine shrimp, blood worms, shellfish, some plants, peas, algae wafers, and spirulina flakes. MTS snails are too hard for them to crack; so pond snails are a better option. Make sure you have a breeding tank for them as you will need to feed at least one snail once a day.
Puffers have no scales so they can get sick easier than most fish, and you will also need to have the tank well cycled, and heavily planted with a lot of areas to explore as they get bored easily.
5 in a 5 gal tank is way too many, as is 2 in a 1.5. I think you should choose a different fish if you aren't up to all of this, like a betta in a 5 gal.
A dwarf puffer needs at least 5 gallons per fish. Two puffers in a 1.5 would not work.
If you are talking about South American Puffers:
3-5" in length
Min tank size: 15 gallons
PH: 5.5-8.0
Temp: 72-82
Need to be kept in groups of three or more, and 15 gal per puffer so 45 gallons
Lifespan: 10 years
Teeth grow faster than other puffers so you need to clip them or feed snails continually.
Food: They enjoy live insects, earthworms, brine shrimp, blood worms, shellfish, some plants, peas, algae wafers, and spirulina flakes. MTS snails are too hard for them to crack; so pond snails are a better option. Make sure you have a breeding tank for them as you will need to feed at least one snail once a day.
Puffers have no scales so they can get sick easier than most fish, and you will also need to have the tank well cycled, and heavily planted with a lot of areas to explore as they get bored easily.
5 in a 5 gal tank is way too many, as is 2 in a 1.5. I think you should choose a different fish if you aren't up to all of this, like a betta in a 5 gal.
While I agree whole-heartedly with Scottyhorse about the 5 gallon-per-pea puffer rule, my partner does have a 1 gallon nano tank with a cycled filter called a "Red Sea Deco Art nano filter" and several plants that houses one pea puffer. He also has 5 ghost shrimp in there. He had two pea puffers during the cycling process and lost one. The current water change schedule is 75% every 2 days, at which point his water tests Amm: 0.0/NO2: 0.0/NO3 60.0ppm.
This is one happy Pea Puffer eating about 3-5 defrosted bloodworms daily. Each shrimp snags 1/2 to 1 bloodworms at mealtime as well.
Just a single case, I wouldn't recommend it myself.
ps I put all the teeny tiny pond snails from my 29 into his pea puffer tank and they disappear
This is one happy Pea Puffer eating about 3-5 defrosted bloodworms daily. Each shrimp snags 1/2 to 1 bloodworms at mealtime as well.
Just a single case, I wouldn't recommend it myself.
ps I put all the teeny tiny pond snails from my 29 into his pea puffer tank and they disappear
OP
OP
kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm not sure I am just going on what theguy was telling us.he said they only get a inch long?
OP
OP
kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
As for scientific name I found dwarf puffer or bumble bee puffer
OP
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kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah they told her she could put 5 in a 5 gallon. Bad thing is is this is the best fish store I have ever seen. All they deal with is fish and mostly saltwater. www.aquaticcritter.com
OP
OP
kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yeah, I just started a salt water tank and they helped me out. Its cycled now and slowly getting stocked
I haven't bought any freshwater fish from them. My wife has a 20 gallon that is in most peoples opinions way overstocked but all her fish came from petco . I think its perfectly stocked myself but it could use a better filter
OP
OP
kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
yeah I was looking at a 1.5 gallon thing at Walmart that has a, mini filter and a air pump
youngster54
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Feb 1, 2013
- Messages
- 15
Post a picture of thm
Not sure if you meant me or the op... But I just snapped a few so OP can see the nano filter I recommend: also Piopi the puffer just ate, look at his full belly!
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kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
Scottyhorse
Aquarium Advice Addict
While I agree whole-heartedly with Scottyhorse about the 5 gallon-per-pea puffer rule, my partner does have a 1 gallon nano tank with a cycled filter called a "Red Sea Deco Art nano filter" and several plants that houses one pea puffer. He also has 5 ghost shrimp in there. He had two pea puffers during the cycling process and lost one. The current water change schedule is 75% every 2 days, at which point his water tests Amm: 0.0/NO2: 0.0/NO3 60.0ppm.
This is one happy Pea Puffer eating about 3-5 defrosted bloodworms daily. Each shrimp snags 1/2 to 1 bloodworms at mealtime as well.
Just a single case, I wouldn't recommend it myself.
ps I put all the teeny tiny pond snails from my 29 into his pea puffer tank and they disappear
IMO nitrates are way too high for that poor guy. The reason that you need 5 gals per puff is: They are messy eaters, which makes the water quality poor. Since puffers have no scales they get sick easily. They also need a larger enviornment because they LOVE to explore.
Scottyhorse
Aquarium Advice Addict
OP, it really depends on what kind of puffer it is. If it is a dwarf puffer, then you can have one in a 5 gal. If it is a bumble bee puffer, you need 3, and that means a 45 gal aquarium.
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kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
all I know is they are calling them bb puffers and says they only get an inch big
OP
OP
kwandrsn
Aquarium Advice Addict
No not in Cali. I was born in long beach but we live in Tennessee now
Again, I really do agree! I would have the tank at least 5-10 gallons and daily changes of at least 50%. I treat my Betta fish to a 29 gallon and that's mostly because I have guilt over his lost "brother" who never had a chance... And because I don't want to lose him if/when the slightest thing makes the tank mini-cycle. But I am not one to boss around anybody so I am merely the messenger here
