Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) So, it seems that this forum has become a little bit of a bastion for puffer keepers - especially of the freshwater variety, which is awesome! There's not been such a resource on care since ThePufferForum became dilapidated. I've gravitated towards puffers over the years, and have kept quite a few of the common species, although there are many (many, many, many) more I'd like to keep. They're like chips, you can't just have one! My Green Spotted Puffer: My Figure 8 Puffer: My Dwarf Puffer: My Valentini Puffer: I've had other species, including the Blue Spotted Toby, a Dogface (short-term, holding it for a friend), a Porcupine (short-term, for the same friend), Amazon Puffers, a Hairy Puffer, and an Avocado Puffer. Next on my list are the Redeye Redtail Puffers and Schoutedeni Puffer! Share your pics and videos of your puffers here! Edited October 3, 2021 by Chris 4 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshStover Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 I’m totally obsessed with freshwater puffers as well. I’m on a mission to get as many as I possibly can. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 They're like baseball cards! Gotta fill up the tanks like we used to fill up our binders, lol. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 Here’s a shakey video of the Amazon’s at Aquarium Coop yesterday. Pros: they’ve already been de-wormed and medicated, and they look super happy and super cute. Cons: I’ll need a school of six at $34 each, they might eat all my shrimp and I’d have to give away some fish to make room. They have a reputation for excessive glass surfing. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 12:20 PM, Patrick_G said: Here’s a shakey video of the Amazon’s at Aquarium Coop yesterday. Pros: they’ve already been de-wormed and medicated, and they look super happy and super cute. Cons: I’ll need a school of six at $34 each, they might eat all my shrimp and I’d have to give away some fish to make room. They have a reputation for excessive glass surfing. It's worth it! Amazons are probably the puffers I enjoyed the least out of all that I've owned, but still... they're puffers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 @Patrick_GSA puffers- The fact you can keep them with other fish, they aren’t brackish and stay relatively small has put them on my list of must haves for the last year. Their teeth and the need to get them grinding them down regularly is only thing that scares me a bit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) On 10/3/2021 at 9:20 AM, Patrick_G said: Pros: they’ve already been de-wormed and medicated, and they look super happy and super cute. Cons: I’ll need a school of six at $34 each, they might eat all my shrimp and I’d have to give away some fish to make room. They have a reputation for excessive glass surfing. I still see them in your future! 🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡 I lost me Betta today and am seriously considering getting another pea puffer for that tank... 😵 Edited October 3, 2021 by eatyourpeas 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 1:38 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: @Patrick_GSA puffers- The fact you can keep them with other fish, they aren’t brackish and stay relatively small has put them on my list of must haves for the last year. Their teeth and the need to get them grinding them down regularly is only thing that scares me a bit. SA's are about the worst for having overgrown teeth, but in general, it's not too big of a deal. A proper diet is really all you need - plenty of shelled foods. I scrape the majority of the meat off of clams on the half shell when I feed so that the puffer has to really scrape the shell, then I feed the meat after it's done scraping. It keeps their beaks pretty well trimmed. My Figure 8 seems to be an anomaly when it comes to beak growth, but I'm thinking that's just because of his individual feeding habits. Maybe look into Red-Eye Red-Tail Puffers - they stay much smaller (they're a dwarf species), but live fairly peacefully in pairs (1:1 M:F ratio) and do great with tank mates, from what I've heard. Cool little guys. On 10/3/2021 at 1:38 PM, eatyourpeas said: I still see them in your future! 🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡🐡 I lost me Betta today and am seriously considering getting another pea puffer for that tank... 😵 Sorry for your loss 😞 But, do it! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardedbillygoat1975 Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 @Chrisive only seen the red eye red tails online never in a fish store including wet spot but I’d be into them if I could find them. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) @Beardedbillygoat1975I should add, that as a dwarf species, Red-Eyed Puffers have no issues with beak growth, just like Indian DP's (or so I've heard). Lots of the less common species will have to be ordered online, unfortunately, and most are wild-caught and seasonal. Edited October 3, 2021 by Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 11:03 AM, Chris said: Maybe look into Red-Eye Red-Tail Puffers - they stay much smaller (they're a dwarf species), but live fairly peacefully in pairs (1:1 M:F ratio) and do great with tank mates, from what I've heard. Cool little guys. That’s something to look into. Especially since I know Aquarium Coop stock them occasionally. @Chris, we’re talking about Carinotetraodon irrubesco right? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) On 10/3/2021 at 11:05 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said: @Chrisive only seen the red eye red tails online never in a fish store including wet spot but I’d be into them if I could find them. Red eye puffers (Carinotetraodon irrubesco) are really neat. I've had a pair in a 20l for about a year now. They live with a small colony of cull neo shrimp, take vibrabites, and have on occasion shown courtship behavior. Haven't tried them with other fish tankmates though, I think eventually they would pick at them over time in such a small tank. But if you see them, in a shop I recommend. Edited October 3, 2021 by MAC Don't mind the excessive algae, it is what it is 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 2:06 PM, Patrick_G said: That’s something to look into. Especially since I know Aquarium Coop stock them occasionally. @Chris, we’re talking about Carinotetraodon irrubesco right? Yes, although C. Borneensis and C. Lorteti are similar enough to be included in the discussion too, if you ever ran across them! On 10/3/2021 at 2:26 PM, MAC said: Red eye puffers (Carinotetraodon irrubesco) are really neat. I've had a pair in a 20l for about a year now. They live with a small colony of cull neo shrimp, take vibrabites, and have on occasion shown courtship behavior. Haven't tried them with other fish tankmates though, I think eventually they would pick at them over time in such a small tank. But if you see them, in a shop I recommend. Interesting - I've seen several people keeping them with small, fast fish (small tetras, peaceful barbs, small danios) and cories. Would you still not try it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 11:26 AM, MAC said: Red eye puffers (Carinotetraodon irrubesco) are really neat. They are stunning fish! 😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 11:27 AM, Chris said: Yes, although C. Borneensis and C. Lorteti are similar enough to be included in the discussion too, if you ever ran across them! Interesting - I've seen several people keeping them with small, fast fish (small tetras, peaceful barbs, small danios) and cories. Would you still not try it? I've seen online people having success with tankmates and I don't doubt it can be successful and I've considered trying it. But for me in a 20 long I really didn't want to risk putting fish in and having it not work and then have to go around and catch out something like danios out. In a larger tank with more room and things I'd be more likely to try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted October 3, 2021 Author Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 2:36 PM, MAC said: I've seen online people having success with tankmates and I don't doubt it can be successful and I've considered trying it. But for me in a 20 long I really didn't want to risk putting fish in and having it not work and then have to go around and catch out something like danios out. In a larger tank with more room and things I'd be more likely to try. Ah, I didn't consider the tank size. That is a very good point! I can't wait to set up a tank for these guys. Do you have any advice to offer that may not have made it onto care sheets for them, or that may set them apart from other species of puffer? Or have you found them to be very similar to Indian DP's in care? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAC Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 On 10/3/2021 at 11:38 AM, Chris said: Do you have any advice to offer that may not have made it onto care sheets for them, or that may set them apart from other species of puffer? Or have you found them to be very similar to Indian DP's in care? I haven't had any experiences that differ much from what I've seen in care sheet/general info on them. One thing though is they really like caves, overhangs, dark getaways to go explore and "rest" in. Sometimes they seem to disappear only to emerge from a little nook in the rock or under a leaf. They're very interested in their surroundings so I'd really let their habit season and grow all sorts of things for them to pick at and take interest in. I haven't found them hard to feed at all. They eagerly go after vibrabites and any frozen food. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 The king of his tank, H.R.H. Nicodemus, showing his breakfast belly, of course! The 1.5" killing machine is off to find more food (as if he needs it!). 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 10:24 AM, eatyourpeas said: The king of his tank, H.R.H. Nicodemus, showing his breakfast belly, of course! He’s incredible. You see very few images of full grown Dwarf Puffers. Thanks for this one! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppy Guy Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 Man! I would love some puffers! I’ve been eyeing the green spots and figure 8s for awhile now. If only I could find more aquarium space 😛. One day when I can come up with enough space for a 300 gallon tank(and the funds 😣) I really want a mbu puffer(inspired by The coop[that should be a hashtag. maybe: #TheCoop or #TheFishCoop]) For now, maybe I can build a shelf somewhere for a 20 high to hold the smaller puffers! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 10:38 AM, Guppy Guy said: Man! I would love some puffers! I’ve been eyeing the green spots and figure 8s for awhile now. If only I could find more aquarium space 😛. Nicodemus lives in a 3 gallon tank (18" wide). I do have a canister filter to provide extra clean water and not take space inside the little tank. He has been with me for a little over a year now. WC once a week after the canister filter went in. Here is a picture for the sake of scale: On the other hand, Murphy is hard to beat! 🐡 On 10/4/2021 at 10:35 AM, Patrick_G said: He’s incredible. You see very few images of full grown Dwarf Puffers. Thanks for this one! And what are you waiting for???? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 Here are my three girls hunting snails in some susswassertang. They're in a 10 gallon with a male who spends most of his time in the back guarding his space. I'm hoping to upgrade them to at least a 20L and add a couple more. @eatyourpeas love your little guy! Very handsome! 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 10:50 AM, eatyourpeas said: And what are you waiting for???? Enabler! 😀 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 11:47 AM, Patrick_G said: Enabler! 😀 C'est moi! 😉 🐡 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eatyourpeas Posted October 4, 2021 Share Posted October 4, 2021 On 10/4/2021 at 11:40 AM, Jennifer V said: Here are my three girls hunting snails in some susswassertang. They're in a 10 gallon with a male who spends most of his time in the back guarding his space. I'm hoping to upgrade them to at least a 20L and add a couple more. @eatyourpeas love your little guy! Very handsome! They are getting big!, and so beautiful!!! 😍 I will keep the handsome comment from him, as he is already a big peacock and doesn't need more encouragement. But between you and I, he is a sweetie good looking pea! 🐡 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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