F8 Puffer and Guppy Fry

[Aysvin]

Will a Figure 8 Puffer eat Guppy fry?

I have my puffer in a 10 gallon tank right now (I'm saving up to get a 20 gallon so he has the proper sized home) and I feed him mostly freeze dried bloodworms, dahpnia, and tiny shrimp along with a pond snail or two a week. I want him to hunt around though to help decrease boredom so I'm looking for something to put in the 10 gallon once I get the 20 for him. It seems like a male and one or two female guppies could work and reproduce easily. I'd keep their tank FW then when I feed the fry to my puffer I'd acclimate the few he'll get over a half hour or so.

Is this a good plan? Yes, no?

Is there an easier source of live food to breed that the F8 can hunt? (besides pond snails, I already have those)

 

[achase]

I wouldn't put guppies with my puffer. I had a baby guppy that got loose with my dwarf puffers once and nothing happened (baby guppy was living in a "breeders cage"). My DP's completely ignored him.

Do you have plants in your tank, either real or fake? That will make hunting more challenging and provide a hideout for your puffer.
I don't think your puffer will be that bored if you provide him with snails to hunt regularly. Remember that the snails you provide him shouldn't be any bigger than his eye (otherwise they can't eat them properly).

You already know but Figure 8 puffers are brackish fish, meaning they need a combination of fresh and salt water. Just something to think about for the continued health of your puffer.
The Puffer Forum - Is a helpful website and you may find some ideas on how to "entertain" your puffer.

 

[OrangeCones]

Blackworms are easy to culture and I've never seen a puffer NOT eat them. They do need to be cultured in freshwater, not brackish or salt as your F8 puffer will need ultimately.

Regarding the comment about the snail being no larger than the puffer's eye, that has not been my experience. My Dwarf Freshwater puffers routinely eat snails larger than their entire bodies. Granted, they don't eat the shell when they are that large, but they WILL pull the snail body out of the shell and eat it, and have not had any problem living long and healthy lives.

 

[achase]

Regarding the comment about the snail being no larger than the puffer's eye, that has not been my experience. My Dwarf Freshwater puffers routinely eat snails larger than their entire bodies. Granted, they don't eat the shell when they are that large, but they WILL pull the snail body out of the shell and eat it, and have not had any problem living long and healthy lives.

Interesting and good to know (finding snails that size was a real pain)! You learn something new everyday. I was told that years ago.