What killed my Dwarf puffer?

[Brandon K.A]

Long story short I had this dwarf puffer come to me, and so I had no choice but to put him with my other puffer in the 5 gallon tall tank thus breaking the 1 dp to 5 gallon rule. Well, surprisingly, all went well, they actually kinda got a long. only once or twice my older dp would chase the other one, but they would mostly just swim on their own.

I noticed after coming from the lfs that the new puffer did not eat and it was the third day without him eating the frozen food I offered. On about the fourth or fifth day the poor puffer was found dead, and against my filter.. I know the filter didn't suck him up first as he swam past it numerous times. I noticed that the puffer was very skinny though. So what do you think killed him? Did he starve? Also, I am not sure on the gender, however seeing less agression from my other puffer, and seeing other pictures of females, the puffer that died may have been female.

P.S. Should i try adding another puffer? I have a good filter and a VERY HEAVILY planted tank. Or should I just stick with the one puffer, 2 ottos, and couple of ghost shrimp that's already in there? oh, and I originally had two puffers when I first got them, but one died by some disease or something, not sure, he looked really sick and dying so I had to put the poor guy out. However, the other puffer is still alive. "Knock on wood."

 

[rich311k]

Sounds to me like the fish was ill when you got it. Not eating is never a good sign,

 

[Mogurako]

Sounds to me like the fish was ill when you got it. Not eating is never a good sign,

I agree with rich most likely sick when you got him, I wouldn't add another puffer though, to big of a risk you could end up with one that's super aggressive or it could get your puffer sick.

 

[meegosh]

I'd say it was bad stock also. I would not add another one. While you may have had some luck with the two for the short time they were together, that is typically not the norm with dp's, IME.

 

[Terrance]

I don't think its bad stock. I think its overcrowding. You really don't know what goes on when you're not in the room. They will protect their own territory, and chase off anything else. I have a strong feeling that your older puffer was bullying the new puffer when you're not around, and it stressed out the other puffer because the new DP was not able to establish its own territory and did not eat from stress.

 

[Brandon K.A]

ok! Thanks for all the info guys! I will let the puffer be on his own with the ottos and ghost shrimp.

 

[Devon H]

it may not have been bad stock or bullying.. i have been looking to get some dwarf puffers myself and a lot of what i have been reading is that they are picky eaters... also my friend has had some bad luck with d. puffers. the ones he has will not touch flake food and only the two living ones he has now would eat the frozen brine shrimp. i think he went through about 7 of them until the two he has now finally ate and lived. i was just throwing this out as a possibility

 

[Brandon K.A]

That does sound like a possibility.

 

[meegosh]

When I kept DP's I would feed them snails to keep their teeth in shape and they would not touch flake food. That could be a possibility but was assumed they were feeding a proper diet.

 

[Brandon K.A]

I usually feed him frozen brine shrimp. The other puffer didn't seem to even nibble at it. Maybe I should have tried frozen blood worms as my other puffer eats those as well. Yea. My puffers hate freeze dried and flake food.

 

[Brandon K.A]

I used to have some snails, i no longer do, maybe if I can find some I'll get some later, I did notice my puffer ate one,. After about a week of the snail sitting there.

 

[maxwellag]

Usually dwarf puffers are picky eaters, and sometimes only accept live foods. But if you don't have any live foods, try freeze dried brine shrimp, or krill. They also LOVE snails. (By love I mean like to eat)...

 

[Brandon K.A]

Ok, yea I had a snail in there, took the puffer about a week to figure out he could eat him lol.

 

[maxwellag]

It is possible that the puffer choked on the snail, or the sharp shell punctured some of its organs inside the digestive tract. Even if it was a minor wound, there still could've been internal bleeding.