DPs and Cherry Shrimp

[Mr Burns]

....a match made in heaven or trouble in paradise? I've read a lot about keeping Dwarf Puffers with Amano Shrimp with success, but those are a bit bigger than Cherry Shrimp. The Cherry Shrimp will definitely be purchased this week and I don't -absolutely- have to get DPs, but I would -strongly- prefer to...even if it's just two or three.

btw, the tank is a heavily planted 10gal. tia

 

[Mr Burns]

LOL, it would help if I looked for answers first before posting....

This is the Dwarf Puffer description from AZGardens.com:

This is the smallest pufferfish in the world! Really really small, no kidding! Actually, full grown they are just about the size of a penny! Not to be confused with aggressive Figure 8 Puffers or Green Spotted Puffers you might see at the petstore. These are peaceful, and very beneficial in the aquarium as they eat small (we mean small) snails, mosquito and dragonfly larvae, and other aquatic bugs like, mantis shrimp and plant leeches and other micro organisms. You can supplement feed bloodworms if needed, but in a healthy planted aquarium, they'll find plenty of things to feast on thier own. They won't harm your Amano shrimp because their mouths are just too tiny. We house ours with Red Cherry shrimp, and everyone knows how small they are. Keep them in a school for best results. Yes, puffers are known to be in brackish water but these fellas are fine without the heavy salt just move them to brackish for spawning

 

[deeni0z]

I was just about to tell you that.

It's okay to ask before looking because we're here to answer your questions!

 

[LittlePuff]

Dwarf's are very aggressive. They need to be fed bloodworms and pond snails for their teeth. They can eat amanos and others, but most won't. Puffers don't school.
Put no more than five in a 10gal. Make sure you only get one male. And they are pure freshwater!

I can't believe that was posted on the AZ Gardens web site.

Kim

 

[cdawson]

hahahaha, cherry shrimp are like gummy candies for a DP!.

 

[TankGirl]

I agree - my cherry shrimp are much, much smaller than a ghost shrimp or an amano, and DP's are not to be underestimated - ounce for ounce, maybe the toughest fish out there!

 

[shawmutt]

Isn't the main meal for puffers inverts anyway?

I'm still getting over my Badis eating shrimp almost twice their size.

 

[cdawson]

Isn't the main meal for puffers inverts anyway?

I'm still getting over my Badis eating shrimp almost twice their size.

That's correct, inverts are a puffers natural food source. Any kind of invert will meet a quick death in the presence of the puffer. If not right away, then eventually it will happen.