Leopard Puffer

beachbuum04

beachbuum04

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Jan 5, 2005
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Freshwater Puffer Questions

I am looking into buying a few Leopard Puffers....How many could I put in a 5 gallon tank? They usually don't get much larger than 2 inches. I also wanted to get some kind of algae eater. Anyone have experience with puffers? Thanks!
-Lindsay
 
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I wouldn't put anything other than dwarf puffers in a 5. 2 inches, yes, but they are very messy fish and can be territorial. Also, make sure you identify the species--leopard puffer is used for multiple species, some which are brackish fish.
 
http://home.messiah.edu/~dw1178/pufferlist.htm

Go to that site and try to ID your puffer - there are many puffers called "leopard" as so many of them are spotted. I do not not know of any 2" puffer in the trade called leopard which is really that small. The commonest called that is the Green Spotted puffer, which gets to 6" and is very heavy bodied - it should never be kept in any tank as small as a 5, even as a singleton for QT. It is also high BW to SW as an adult.
 
They must be dwarf puffers because the pet store said they do not get any larger than the size they are now (and they were less than 2"). I have the tank running now so its properly cycled before adding the puffers...Its an AquaTech Hex 5 (which has all 3 filtration types). I put Stress Zyme (which contains bacteria to speed up the cycling process of new tanks) and ammonia-absorbing rocks. I also bought 3 zebra danios to even more speed up the bacteria build-up...they take the cycling process pretty well, so I have read. I know it is recommended to let the tank cycle for at least a month before adding fish but I'm so anxious to get those cute little puffers for myself....How long should I wait, considering all of the precautionary steps I am taking to "speed" up the process?
 
Oh, and how many dwarf puffers in the 5 gallon? Initally I'll start out with one, then add one each week thereafter, but what should the max number be?
 
Stress-Zyme does not add the correct bacteria that will establish in an aquarium. The ammonia absorbing media works, for a while, but prevents the bacteria from becoming established. In short--this won't work to short cut cycling.

The danios may survive the cycling, but won't be appropriate to stay in the tank with the puffers. You'd be better off cycling the tank fishlessly and then adding the puffers once the ammonia and nitrites go to 0.

Honestly, I would still look at the species ID's before purchase. LFS are not good at ID'ing puffers, and a mistake will be trouble in the long run.

Total--if they are dwarves--you should be able to have 3 in the 5. They are very messy fish, and can be territorial so you need to provide lots of cover and decorations. If you can identify gender, getting 3 females will be more peaceful, or at least 2 females and a single male.
 
I was not planning on keeping the danios in the tank with the puffers...My roomate has a tank with gourami's and 3 other danios.

Should I purchase ammonia and nitrate test kits? If so, what kind are the best?

So, you're basically saying that I should be patient and wait a month?
 
And no matter what the fish store says you will not be able to feed them a good diet with just flake food. They need live food, especially at first. And they definatley need snails in their diet. You really should setup another tank or bicket to breed snails in so you have a good supply of food before you even buy them.
 
Personally, I allow 3 gallons per DP, so one in a 5. Some folks go as heavy as 2 gallons per DP, but I do not approve - they are too territorial for that IME, and in small tanks, the chemistry is too hard to control, both factors combined are asking for trouble.
 
Already did research on snail breeding and I'll probably end up doing that. The DP would also eat danios if they happened to breed, right? I know it sounds horrible but I figure its better than them going to waste.
 
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