Animal Stories - People Talking About Puffer Fish



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Latest Animal Stories on Puffer Fish (264)

Eve Cieutat - 2010-05-07
My son saw the puffers at Walmart and had to have them. We bought a 10 gallon aquarium and after 1 week bought 2 puffers, 2 gouramis, and a corydora. The gouramis died after about 2 weeks of some fin disease. The puffers and corydora seem to be doing ok after nearly a month. One puffer "Brian" is very aggressive and eats whatever he can get. The other "James" was very shy and not eating at first but is now doing well. I started feeding James by putting food in a forceps and placing it right in front of him. The forceps kept Brian away at first and gave James some confidence. Now they both go after the food on the forceps. We'll see what happens. I am going to start the frequent water changes since it sounds like my tank is small for 2 puffers. Do fake plants do as well as real plants for the puffers to hide? I'm afraid to add real plants.....algae et.al.

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Amanda - 2010-05-25
I would pull the cory out of the tank. Cories are very sensitive to salt and if you are adding aquarium salt to the puffer tank it will kill your cory. Cories are also best kept in schools of at least three, preferably six.

Real plants are always good in any tank. They help with water maintenance and shouldn't contribute to algae. Most come with pond snails already on them, which your puffers will love! :)
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
2 puffers need at least a 20 gallon tank...they should have 50. You can put in real plants because it is good to have objects in the tank that will break the puffers' line of sight. Also...they need marine salt appx 1.012-1.015 and as they get older they will need even more...so they shouldn't be mixed with freshwater fish.

Jess - 2010-02-28
I have two puffers (Hindenburg and Bloat) and they have been eating all my other smaller fish in the tank. Is there anything that I can feed them so they won't eat my little fish?

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nikki2010 - 2010-02-28
They are typically suppose to be in there own tank, we had to seperate ours from our other fish because they were doing the same to ours. They have also killed my dragon goby(drangonfish) by nipping all of her fins off. I have 4 of them. They were put into their own tank and are feed special foods, like feeder fish and frozen blood worms, and of course they need snails to eat!
Laura - 2010-03-10
Jess, puffers are very aggresive fish. Keep them with their own kind only. Also, feed them frozen blood worms and half-shelled frozen clams. They need to nibble on the clam shells to keep their teeth trimmed, otherwise, they won't be able to eventually eat as the teeth grow and not allow them to consume their food.
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
Make sure they have enough room..at least 20 gallons and you need plenty of plants/rocks to break the line of sight and give your other fish places to hide.

Shannon - 2010-02-19
I just bought a young green spotted puffer fish and when I brought him he was in a 5 gallon tank with other fish of his kind and other kinds. I also bought 2 fancy tailed guppies being he was with other fish in a 5 gallon, I thought it would be fine. I put them together in a 10 gallon tank and the water was 75 degrees. I wake up this morning and my guppies are dead and the puffer fish alive, the guppies have no bite marks on them or anything so I dont think they were killed. How could the guppies have died?

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Laura - 2010-03-10
Dear Shannon,

Puffers are very aggresive and usually kill other fish. Only keep puffers with puffers. be sure and feed them frozen blood worms, krill, brine shrimp and frozen half-shelled clams - which they need to keep their teeth trimmed by nibbling on the shell. If they can't keep their teeth short, they won't eat.
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
If you have multiple puffers and other fish you need 50 gallons of water. Try at least a 20 gallon tank. I can tell you 10 gallons is not enough. Sorry about your guppies but I know nothing about them. I do know that your puffers need more water or they will die too.

Mike Schuh - 2009-05-19
I am here to ask for advice. I purchased some pufferfish for my gf for Christmas because she saw them in the store and she loved them. I have had them going with what the pet store fed them and kept them in ( a brackish water of silinity from 1.012 to 1.013, and feeding them jumbo krill). However, one has been mostly laying on the gravel for a couple of days (3 or 4 days) and does still swim around once in a while, but it still seemed like something was wrong. She died sometime yesturday, and even before death I noticed that her body seemed a little darker than that of the other puffer fish (greenish grey instead of green), yet her belly didn't look black or darker to me (it was creme colored). Does anyone know how this death could happen so suddenly, or what might be wrong? What should I do to make sure the other green spotted puffer fish stays healthy (he is healthy and eating right now)? Should I be feeding them something besides krill (shrimp), they do not like flakes or bloodworms, but I see many people posted other things that they feed their fish?

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Laura - 2010-03-10
Mike, try lowering your salinity to 1.009. water temp at 78 degrees. Try blood worms again along with brine shrimp. You can try feeding snails too and very important add frozen half-shelled clams. They need the clams to nibble on to keep their beak shapped teeth trimmed. If the teeth become overgrown, they will be unable to eat. Did you add water conditioner to the tank to remove the chlorine????? Good luck, Laura
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
Your salinity is perfect..especially if you have multiple puffers. Make sure they have enough water, you need at least a 20 gallon tank, preferably more. Mine eat brine shrimp and are happy and healthy.

Heather Stockl - 2009-05-10
Hey Everyone! I just purchased a spotted puffer from Walmart yesterday. My son's and I just feel in love with the little guy. He seems to have a personality and is just the cutest little fella. However, I noticed he is not eating the tropical fish flakes. I was worried and found this site. Any suggestions out there? I read that mostly everybody on here is feeding them these flakes. Is it that he is getting use to his new home? I do have other fish and they are doing well together so I do not think it is that. I really want him to make it so please any suggestions? Thanks

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Laura - 2010-03-10
Hi,

ok, first, puffers need brackish water (part fresh,part salt) The mix is one quarter sea salt (not table salt) per one gal of water along with water conditioner to remove the chlorine. The salinity in the water should be at 1.009. You can buy something cheap at the fish store to measure the salt content in the tank. You'll need a filter and heater in the tank to keep the water temp. at about 78 degrees. Puffers are brackish fish. Flake food is not enough. They need frozen blood worms, krill, brine shrimp and very important: frozen half-shelled clams for them to nibble on in order to keep their beak shaped teeth trimmed. If the teeth get overgrown, they will be unable to eat. Lastly, my guess is your other fish in the tank are freshwater not brackish, not to mention puffers are very aggresive and will most likely kill the other fish. Regardless, you can't mix fresh water fish with brackish fish anyways. I suggest keeping puffers with puffers of the same size only. Hope this info is of help to you. I've had a very busy morning answering 26 letters. Just love the little guys and want to help them. Sincerely, Laura Ps keep at least a 20 gal tank or larger for them
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
You have some good advice down there now you really should go to Walmart and let them know they need to a) inform people better about these fish or b) stop selling them. I have talked to my Walmart and they agreed to try and stop selling these fish. Trust me, you aren't the only one who has been sold this fish and told the wrong information. Mine too, would not eat flakes and flakes are ineffective as far as helping them dull their teeth.

Josh - 2010-03-13
I need help from some one, my puffer (zeppelin) killed my pleco, I have a 5 gallon tank its brakish and has alot of algae when I got my pleco he cleaned up some of it,after 4 days my pleco was dead with all of his fins chewed off? what kind of algae eater will the puffer agree with or not notice he/she is there?

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pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
You need a 10 gallon tank for your puffer and even larger if you are putting it with other fish.

Kole - 2010-03-15
I have 2 green spotted puffer fish and wanting to put other fish with them. My aquarium is freshwater. What can I put with the puffer fish?

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Perry - 2010-03-25
I see them all the time at the pet store with mollys, platys and swordtails. Any livebearer fish should be ok as they are usually all active, quick and most importantly they like brackish water. I have my puffer with 1 male and 1 female black swordtail, a pleco, a corycat and a female betta.... so far ever thing is working out really well. But I found a puffer who didn't seem to mind the other fish in the tank and swam with them. If you already have 2 puffers it may be harder for a new comer to be accepted in the territory. I hope this helps some.
maggie - 2010-03-29
I have 2 blood parrot fish (not coloured ones) with my green spotted puffer fish and they get on great as long as you have plenty plants and caves for them they enjoy playing among them.
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
If you get other fish make sure they are larger type fish and non-aggressive. Also..puffers are brackish water because they live in tributaries. However, as they grow they move toward the ocean. So, as your puffer gets bigger it will need marine salt. A 1.012-1.015 level is fine. If you put fish with them make sure you have hiding places.

dani - 2010-04-05
I bought 2 pretty puffers I have them in a 5 gallon. I was wanting to know if this is ok or should I put them in a 10 gallon? And I was wanting to know how much of the sea salt I should put in a 5 and a 10 gallon. I never had puffers before and I don't want them to die I think they are really neat.

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pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
They need at least 20 gallons. 2 puffers should have 50. Without enough space/water and oxygen your puffers will die. Also, put at least enough salt to get to 1.012 (buy a salt reader).

Katelyn - 2010-04-22
My fish, Greg, has been just sitting on the bottom of his aquarium today and yesterday he was just floating at the top. Now, I KNOW he's not dead because he moves his fins but I just don't know why and it is really worrying me! Please help!

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pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
Your puffer should be in at least 10 gallons of water, with a 1.012-1.015 salt content. Also, make sure you are feeding it something substantial..I recommend brine shrimp. Puffers will usually not eat flakes and they need crustaceans to wear down their teeth.

charlie - 2010-04-25
I have one baby green puffer in a 2 and 1/2 gallon tank .... Will He Grow? I can't afford anything much bigger but I don't want him to die.

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DeeDee - 2010-04-28
I've had two puffers (one is 1-1/2inches, the other half that size) in a 3-gallon tank for 6 months and they're doing quite well with a bi-monthly 40-50% water change and the addition of a scant teaspoon of aquarium salt. I had problems with previous puffers with some type of parasite that caused their bodies to corkscrew - we could never cure it and it was quite sad to watch their demise, but these two are healthy and personable. Good luck.
pufferlvr - 2010-06-15
One puffer needs at least a 10 gallon tank. You can find them for about 29.00 but this is minimum. If you have 2 puffers they need at least a 20 gallon and they should have 50. While the puffer may do well short term it won't live as long.

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