Dwarf Puffer Housing

ttmnky

Large Fish
Jan 16, 2005
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Vancouver, BC
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#1
Is it possible to house ONE dwarf Puffer in a 2.5 gallon hex? Or is that still too small?
And by the way, is there a difference between "Fresh Water Puffers" and "Dwarf Puffers"?
I asked because I saw an entire kit for a 2.5 gallon hex for $20...Not bad.

And, if that's a bad idea, what's the minumum size for one Dwarf Puffer.
 

Last edited:
Jul 26, 2004
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Northwest Indiana
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#3
I agree- you'll be fine with that. They're not community fish so you don't need a big school of them.

There are a few different species of dwarf puffers, all freshwater. However, if your dumb lfs has them in a brackish tank (like mine did) it might be a good idea to make your tank slightly brackish and acclimate them to freshwater. I'm not sure, but dwarfpuffers.com would be a great place to ask a question like that, if the need arises. A decent website, with an entire forum devoted to these fantastic little fish! Make sure you check it out before you get one, as they are a little more work than your average fish, as in larger water changes, feeding frozen foods, snails, etc. They are absolutely worth it, in my opinon! Have fun!
 

Lotus

Ultimate Fish
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Aug 26, 2003
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#4
I wouldn't put a dwarf puffer in anything less than a 5g tank. It's too hard to keep the water parameters constant in a small tank. Puffers are messy fish and their diet means they produce a lot of nitrates, which is bad for their health. Those 2.5g tanks that come with an undergravel filter really don't work well IME. They get full of mulm in the bottom, are hard to clean and it's also hard to keep the temperature stable.

Dwarf puffers are a type of freshwater puffer, but there are many other types of freshwater puffer. Make sure that you can positively identify what you're buying, as some puffers get to 6". Dwarf puffers only get to an inch.
 

LIGURLIE

Small Fish
Jan 31, 2005
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Flushing
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#8
darwinfemfish....im in the process of setting up my 10gallon right now from puffers....the sign says "Freshwater puffers" but the guy is telling me they have them in brackish water so i should have my ph up to about 8.2.....and as of right now ...i do....what should i do??? i dont wanna have the tank set up as freshwater and put them in and shock them and they die.....do i ween them out of it or keep it??? help me please.... im totally confused
 

ashleigh

Superstar Fish
Jan 8, 2004
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Missouri
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#9
Are you positive they are dwarf puffers? if so, a simple solution might be to see if you can find them in another store. that probably sounds stupid, but if you can find them in a store keeping them in the same conditions you woudl be that's probably an easier plan for you than messing with water conditions, which you may or may not be ready to do.
 

ChakaRaka

Small Fish
Dec 27, 2009
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Alberta, Canada
#10
What about an Eclipse 3 System? It is still small, the Puffer makes a lot of waste, I acknowledge this, but this is a 3-Stage filter with a Bio-Wheel. The g/f bought this tank and I was just wondering if there were any alternatives to a species: Betta, Invert or Frog tank, such as one tiny Puffer?
 

Doomhed

Large Fish
Feb 11, 2003
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Rhode Island
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#11
What about an Eclipse 3 System? It is still small, the Puffer makes a lot of waste, I acknowledge this, but this is a 3-Stage filter with a Bio-Wheel. The g/f bought this tank and I was just wondering if there were any alternatives to a species: Betta, Invert or Frog tank, such as one tiny Puffer?
no one has posted on this thread for over 5 years...I dont know why you would do so!