Dwarf puffer = pea puffer??

[PCDawg]

Drawf puffer = pea puffer??

I went to my lfs looking for some cories and i spotted a puffer in one of the tanks...i asked the sales person and they said it was a pea puffer....i picked it up as i always wanted a dwarf puffer.....

It seems to get along fine with my school of flame tetras and my 2 paleatos cories where it doesnt chase after then or vice-versa...

but its always hiding in the bottom left corner by my plants.....looking lonely....
is it natural for it to do that???

Does all puffers only eat live or frozen food??? The lfs salesperson said he has one and it eats flakes....

[TrashmanTodd]

Hey Dawg,
My Pea Puffers seem to eat flake and frozen blood worms. I have them in a tank w/ two dwarf frogs a couple of tetras, and a dwarf graumi.
The funny thing is, that for their size, the puffers seem to rule the tank:rolleyes: . Go figure! The other fish just stay away from them.

Todd

[cdawson]

that's because they're grapes with razor sharp teeth and the rest of the fish world knows this =)

[I8b4u2]

Dwarf Puffers = Pea Puffers...beware community. Many people have posted that they are no problem in a community tank, but as with most puffers (from what I have read) they all have their own personalities and the actions of the juveniles do not reflect their actions when more mature.
For an example see Tiny Terrors (http://forum.tropicalaquariums.info/index.php?act=ST&f=28&t=1751) and check the story links there. Even the smallest puffers can be deadly when provoked; see the replies from "Firsttanks" in Freshwater Puffer??? Need Help (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6949&pagenumber=2) (same as Pufferpack from the other forum)

[TrashmanTodd]

Well that should be no problem. I have a agressive tank to put them in if they get out of hand.

Todd

[I8b4u2]

Pufferpack/Firsttanks seems to have tried that approach, and the end result was 1 dead Cichlid and the puffers getting their own tank. From what I've read the puffers will turn viscous if harrassed, otherwise they are just "playfull"

[PCDawg]

My puffer seems to be very friendly...it's with 6 flame tetras and a couple of paleatus cories.....the only ones fighting once in a while are the tetras biting each other.....the puffer minds its own business and sometimes swims with the tetras....

I was thinking of getting right of my tetras and putting some other fishes in there...

waht other fishes can go alone with dwarf puffers??

Thanks

[somefinnfishy]

Puffers love snails.

[Bantam]

they need snails and other shelled critters to keep their teeth in good order.

[Dangerdoll]

I have mine with an Angel, some cories, a danio, a couple bumblebee gobies and a red tailed shark (RTS) and have had them for quite some time now.....not a single problem. I do know that it's quite rare for them to go for flakes, but they love the blood worms and snails.
As Bantam says, snails (or other shelled creatures) are a must for them, otherwise you're risking overgrowth of teeth which will eventually lead to starvation.
As I8b4u2 says, beware of keeping them in a community tank, it might seem from here that they'd be harmless, but it is an individual trait. As with most (possibly all) puffers, you really need to keep watch of them as they could be brazen regardless.