Dwarf puffer & Betta dead...now what?

[JenNewbie]

So, it's been a bad fish month. My betta at work had a nasty case of fin rot that he succumbed to, despite treatment. My 2nd dwarf puffer wasted away and finally died today. I don't know if it was just me, or if these guys are hard to keep. It was on a diet of snails, dehydrated bloodworms and krill. Ah, well.

I hope it's not morbid, but now I'm wondering what to do with the empty tank at work and the slightly emptier tank at home. The tank at work is just a 2gal unheated tank. I suppose another betta is the best option for it, but what algae eater and/or bottom feeder would do all right in a small tank? And does the tank need to be disinfected because of the fin rot? I know it shouldn't stay empty long or it will have to re-cycle.

The ex-dwarf puffer tank is a 5gal brackish tank, current occupants are 2 ghost shrimp, an oto and a batch of snails. Would a figure 8 puffer do all right? Are they any hardier than dwarf puffers? My other hope is that a dwarf gourami would do okay in this tank. Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[youronlysin]

Fin rot can be nasty. Sorry about your loss. As far as I know, the Dwarf Puffer is a true freshwater fish. Supposedly, they are pretty tolerant of water conditions unlike most other puffers, but I cant say how long one might live in a brackish tank. That may have had something to do with his short life. The figure 8 puffer is a brackish fish, so one might do well in your brackish 5 gallon tank. If your shrimp arent too small, they may be ok with the Figure 8.

 

[Menagerie]

A betta is best off with a heated tank. That is probably the biggest reason for him not beating the fin rot.

As for a 5 gal BW tank--try a couple of bumble bee gobies. They like live foods or frozen foods. Give them each a shell as territory and watch them bumble around! Figure 8s get too big (I believe)

 

[TankGirl]

I would tear down the betta tank anyway if it was illness that did the fish in, and start over with another betta, but as Menagerie pointed out, they do need a heated tank. White cloud mountain minnows could do well in a small unheated tank, but probably only 3 in that size tank. It is too small for any kind of algae eating fish in addition, but you could get a snail.

The dwarf (Malabar) puffer is not a brackish fish, so that might have had something to do with it. I think that size tank is perfect for them, though, so if you make it completely freshwater then you could try again with the dwarf puffers. I adore these little fish! It is not unusual to lose a few of them due to parasitic diseases, as they are often shipped with this condition, so be sure you select ones at the LFS with nice round bellies and see if they will feed them for you so you can pick the active feeding ones. Frozen bloodworms might be a little better than freeze dried, if you have access to them.

Good luck!

 

[madasafish]

JenNewbie,

I had the same thing happen with my DPs when I first got them. They wasted away despite the great food I "fed" them. I quickly learned (after losing a few...) that they really really need live food, at least when you first get them, and that snails may not be enough. I recommend live black worms for the future. Mine absolutely adore the worms and brine shrimp, but as I understand it, the worms are a good deal more nutritious. These guys simply don't seem to recognize anything that's not moving as food...

I've tried to wean these guys off live food, but have had NO success! They still get the best food of all my fish.

If you get them again in the future, try the live food. Good luck with your replacement fish!