Dwarf Puffers Solitary?

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pisces22

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Aug 1, 2004
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Hey all,

I have done some research and searched the forums, but I just wanted to know for sure if a dwarf puffer would be happy alone in a tank or if it needs fellow puffers for social stimulation/enrichment?

Thanks
 
I am not that sure if they are solitary or not. I do know that they are best in a species only tank (tank with dwarf puffers only).
If you buy a single dwarf and put him in one of your existing tanks you will probably soon have a bunch of fish with cropped fins because they are little fin nippers.
I have a figure-8 that seems happy alone, but then again, he ate anything I put in the tank with him ( 1 mollie, 1 hermit crab, many a ghost shrimp).
 
I treid to keep more than one together several times with failer. ended up with just one in a 5gal. he lived happy for years. I also kept water on the brackish side and kept a few bumble bee gobies in with it which it totaly ignored.
 
5g specialized DP tank

Yeah I have a 5g, and on the dwarfpuffer.com website they say that 3 gallons per DP is a good amount, so I have two in there. When I had 3 DPs, I was able to get them to leave eachother in peace when I made three distinct boundaries/broke up the territories. after the first week they were fine. I only don't have 4 now because we promised the 3rd to someone.

But, nothing we've put in there has survived, and its a little too small for most things. We've had 3 plecos die, its too small for otos in my opinion, but ghost shrimp have been good because they clean and then are eaten. Too many of them, however, and they will clean the tank too well and try to nibble on the DPs in their sleep (no so good).

Good luck!
 
I do agree that DPs are FW, not BW. I also agree with the volume allowances stated - so a singleton in a 5, a trio in a 10, 4-5 in a 15.

I also stronglt agree that DPs belong in species tanks, possibly with Otos and/or shrimp as cleaners. Many DPs ignore shrimp completely, others may eat them.
 
RTR said:
I do agree that DPs are FW, not BW. I also agree with the volume allowances stated - so a singleton in a 5, a trio in a 10, 4-5 in a 15.

I also stronglt agree that DPs belong in species tanks, possibly with Otos and/or shrimp as cleaners. Many DPs ignore shrimp completely, others may eat them.
Click to expand...

yes definately FW. everyone at http://dwarfpuffers.com/ is very adamant about that.

I had 3. one died from shipping trauma within 24 hrs. the female lasted 3 weeks and finally died( i think) from internal injuries from the "love taps" from the male.
I seperated them too late
.
Im sitting at week 5. I am going to try to find me 2 more females whenever store gets them back in.

Also I recommend not buying them in the fall (august september especially).. from what i can tell from research, if they have a season to breed in that is it. Male harrasing the female right after bringing them home from store where they were probably starved for long period of time probably isnt the best thing.

Also, mine has never eaten dead food of any kind (frozen whatever) I finally got me a good population of snails and my daphnia culture is starting to snap back i think.
 
maaltan - Try live blacworms. DPs love them. Use a cone feeder to hold them for the DPs to "examine" - they check out everything before they eat it.

I also agree that DPs are not good with non-living foods.
 
sorry forgot that. blackworms are out of reach until it cools down. nobody around here has them and noone will ship in this heat
 
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