# The Puff Base: Pufferfish Thread!



## angeliza

Poofy the Puff welcomes you to our humble thread!
This thread is for information on Puffs, and discussion of Puff care, as well as simply showing off and talking about our Puff's in their homes!

Pufferfish can live in freshwater, brackish water, and salt. Puffs are cute, but can be bloodthirsty! They are carnivorous, and are all aggressive (just varying levels of aggression. Some puffs can be kept in groups like a sorority, other puffs need to be alone, like male bettas, and others CAN be community fish if one takes great care with selecting tank mates.)
They eat shelled food, like clams, snails, shrimp, and crab. They have strong plates that work like toothers and are good for the crunching!
Those toothers never stop growing, however, and feeding food with shells is necessary to keep them trimmed. Some puffs like the "Amazon Puffer" have notoriously fast growing teeth, and MAY need fishy dentristy, and others, such as "Pea/Dwarf Puffers" have toothers that grow very slowly, so it's not as much of a concern!

(For baby puffs, or tiny puffs, I personally suggest bladder snails! They're easy to start a culture with, reproduce quickly, and are small enough for the tiniest of puffs to crunch!)









Puffs get very grey when they are sad, sick or hurt.So a bright puff is a happy puff! On some types of puff, (Green spotted puffer, spotted congo puffer, and figure 8 puffer) A snow white tummy is evidence of a healthy, happy puff!








(A sad, hungry puff with an empty tum  )








(A happy, well fed puff with a full tum!  )

Most puffs you see in stores are only babies! I personally suggest treating them as you would fry to aid them in their growth, however, a puffer keeper who's decently known (Puffer Punk) suggests feeding a small amount 1 time a day with 1 fast day a week. Another, (Cory of Aquarium Co-op) Suggests keeping your puff well fed! Especially if your puff in in a community tank...a fat, well fed puff is a lazy puff, and less likely to nom upon the "harder" to catch fishies in your tank!








(Poofy 40 days ago!)








(Poofy now! Mushroom decoration in background for a size comparison.)

That's it! That's the puff basics! 
Now it's feeding time!
















(Poofy's lookin' for snails to nom)








Whoops! That's a pebble!

Speaking of which, Poofy needs to be moved to a tank with a SANDY bottom! That will prevent a puff from hurting his toothers trying to nom on a snail-looking rock, and makes it easier for them to "hunt" for snails like they would in the wild!

NOW you're done learning the basics, and Poofy has been fed! \^0^/
So you can go ahead with the thread! Ask questions! Talk about Puffs! Show pictures of your cute puffs! And overall; Let's have fun!
And learning!
Educational funtimes! 
Afterall, people learn best when they're having fun.^0^


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## angeliza

I saw sick puffs at Walmart today;
























OnQ

Please note the empty tummies with grey on them, as well as the more obvious signs or illness, like the white fuzzy stuff.

I got Poofy from this walmart, oblivious to the kind of care a puff entails. They sell them as "mildly aggressive" freshwater fish who "MAY nip fins".
They are not freshwater, and the other stuff are, like, the under exaggerations or the year.
It's a simmular problem as with bettas; People see pretty fish, and want to take them home, but arn't given the right information to give them proper care. Yes, I want to save these poor, suffering puffs who will go to clueless homes and lay havoc upon any poor fishies an unsuspecting owner puts them in with...but I also don't want to encourage more of this terrible treatment and misinformation about puffs. 'Tis an ongoing struggle, so while I want this thread to be Puff owners having fun telling about and showing off their puffs, I also want non-puff owners and new puff owners to be educated! I'm a new puff-mom, and have much to learn, but I want to help where I can, and maybe we can learn together!


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## Tree

Great thread! and those poor puffers! D= Walmart needs to stop selling fish all together. 

anyway my puffers and their tanks! 

one is Bien, my little pea puffer in her own 5 gallon naturally planted tank:


























and her tank:









And my new puffer named Copter. A Figure 8 puffer: he was in rough shape as well due to the LFS had the F8s with the GSPs. =( 

















he now looks much better with his fins healing and a large belly. <3

























and his tank:









I will be taking more photos of Copter once his fin gets fully healed which should be by next week! 

thanks for making this thread angeliza and hope more puffer owners pop up!


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## angeliza

@Tree
Oh my goosh Bien is a UNICORN! :O!!
Or rather...a uni-puff!^^

I agree that Walmart should stop selling fish...but at the same time, seeing fish at Walmart, and standing there with my little face pressed to the glass was how I came to love fish as a kid. My very first Betta, Rosemary, was in a community tank in Walmart, and I found her that way. Then again, the walmart I went to as a child not only had a small saltwater section, but was actually better taken care of.

Walmart should either stop selling fish, or start properly educating their workers and their customers on how to care for them.

Walmart aside though: Copter is SO CUTE!
GSPs like Poofy are even more aggressive then Figure 8s and grow to be bigger so I can very much imagine the terribleness that poor boy has had to go through. 
(I love Poofy...but he loves murder. It's second only to his love of BUBBLES.) X'D


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## Tree

HAHA yeah, I'm not sure why that lump is there. She had it when she was very young. But it's not bothering her one bit. lol 
agreed, maybe with having people care better for the fish there and teach people about them would help a lot. I'm glad you got Poof outta there. 

and thanks! =) I'm seeing a strong bond with Copter and I. Bien is more skiddish with her being so small but Copter is so curious about everything I do.


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## angeliza

@Tree I've heard that Pea Puffers sometimes perfer to be in groups...? Like small schooling fish, they may be less skittish when they're not alone. I'm not sure though.

(My favorite Copter picture is that one where he's ALL white tum tum and big eyes. He's so stinking cuuute~<3)

Puffs have so much personality! Poofy and I have bonded, and he's always happy to see me...I have his tank across from my bed, as he seems to like being able to see me and watch what I do.

He also seems to be afraid of the dark.
Everytime I turned the lights off and turned his tank light off, he used to start splashing around, and I could hear him jumping and hitting the ceiling. I put in a nightlight for him, and it stopped for awhile, but I can't sleep with bright lights in the room, so I put glowing plants and caves in his tank!
Problem solved!


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## Tree

I've read that pea puffers are kinda like female bettas housed together. You need thick plant cover so they have their own territory. Bien was the only one in the tank at the store and I was afraid she would attack another puffer if I put about one in the tank with her. She used to be very curious when she was down stairs in my room but when I moved her up stairs in the living room she got more skiddish. I might end up moving her downstairs again and having my betta upstairs for all too see. It could be the vibration when we walk around upstairs too cause it's every time we move around but when I am feeding her or about to get it ready, she gets all excited and curious.

The one where he is looking at the camera? hehe my fave too. I added the salinity to his tank earlier this week and so far so good! I made a new batch of marine water for next week to add in there to higher the salinity. I was worried for a bit when I added the water into the tank cause he was glass surfing like he was when I first got him. I now know when he is uncomfortable he glass surfs but when he is content he chills and watches me and hunts for food. 

awww so cute! poor Poof scared of the dark. <3 and what a smart idea with glowing plants! and yeah reasons why I think Bien is now skiddish. she used to be in my room all the time =( yup time to move her back into my room or at least down stairs with less activity.


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## angeliza

@Tree Poofy doesn't like the dark, the the Breicorn doesn't like vibrations or too much people-traffic. Each puff certainly has it's own personality and fears, lol!^^

And Thanks! I'm planning to move him into a larger tank soon, and he's gonna trade tanks with a betta, get a sand substrate, all his plants and decor from his old tank, and maybe some new glowey stuff that keeps with his mushroom-theme!^^

Also, Poofy update:








He try to nom food through the tank wall.
It no work.
He is now confuzzled;








He can see the food, good for nomming...so why can he no nom it?

After watching his confusion for a few more minutes, I eventually gave him a tiny peice, (despite the fact that he's already had his dinner...CURSE his cute faaaaace!)
XD


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## Tree

so true. I was looking up if I could keep one more pea puffer in the five gallon she's in, but I hear pros and cons of it. being two small and being that she is older she might attack the smaller one. =/ might just stick with just her in the 5 gallon. 

Hahaha! d'aww! that face <3

So where do you get your food for him? Right now I only have pond snails, cherry shrimp, and blood worms. I want to get some more variety of foods for Copter and Bien. (that is IF she eats it! she is a picky eater)


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## angeliza

@Tree Pondsnails are good for their teeth, but both they and bloodworms lack in protein and nutrition...So I bought a very high-protein food as the base of Poofy's diet: Omega One Freeze dried krill!
Sadly, there are only 2 petstores in my area... (+Walmart), so I have to order a LOT of my stuff online. X'D

Krill if high in protien, however, and if freezedried or frozen, the still have shells on, so the have a bit of crunch. They're too big for Poofy, though, so I break them into little pieces and feed him about 2 at a time. For the Breicorn, you may have to smash it up some.

Blackworms are really good and high in protien too, but I can't seem to find ANY started colonies for them anywhere. X'D

(When we eat seafood sometimes i slip him some too).


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## Tree

Great, thanks! I heard from my sister that I can get seafood from our local food stores too. Like kinds of shellfish but all of them were way too large for Copter unless I did chop them down for him to eat. My sister used to have a puffer fish and she is envious I have a F8 puffer. LOL 

I will look for frozen Krill for sure. I think I saw some at my LFS downtown, if not I can buy some online. I need to buy some frozen mice for my snake too anyway. =P


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## ThatFishThough

Im going to follow! I don't have a puffer yet but I'm hoping to get a pea puffer. In the future I'd love to have a F8 or GSP but I'm not comfortable with mixing stuff into water yet.

ETA: Curse autocorrect.


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## angeliza

@Tree AWESOME!^^

I live right SMACK in the middle of Texas so sea food is SO PRICEY... T^T
(Which is a shame. I'm half Puerto Rican, and fruit and seafood is like... 75% of a Puerto Rican's diet. Both me, and my puff are suffering for it, lol).

@ThatFishThough
AND SO WE MEET AGAIN! Lol.^^

Tree has Pea-Puffer experience, and will probably be more help then me. From what I can tell, however, F8 and GSP care is very simmular, F8's are just less aggressive, and can be more easily housed with other brakish water fish.
My adorable and very dear Poofy, however, has proovin to be prone to VIOLENCE on the rare occasion that he get's bored with his bubbles, so I'd rather not risk it.

Since I was originally unaware of Puff aggression and care, (And he did the UNTHINKABLE and nommed upon the fins of my mother's fish), he wound up exiled from the family community tank, and I had to throw together a NEW tank lat minute. Having had a huge die-off due to water problems, and having had my last remaining betta accidentally killed by my fish-sitter while I was visiting my sister in her new college a month before, all my tanks where stored away and I had to dig out the pieces and put them together. My old heater finally gave out, so I had to buy a new one etc.
So he's in a very small betta tank currently.
He's going to get an upgrade...alas, my parents/landlords have banned me from having such a "large" tank as a 30 gallon, and won't even let me buy a 20 gallon for him until he's 6 inches.
=v=;

(I have purchased a 20 gallon anyways for a sorority...I'm trying to make sure Poofy get's the largest amount of space i can give him as well...however, it is a slow process. However, I do 1/3 waterchanges every other day, and over filter Poofy's tank to make sure it's as clean as possible. Puffs actually enjoy the heavy flow, and have very strong tails that are built for such things.)
SO my plan is to keep doing all this work, and when I get him to 4 inches, convince them I need a PROPERLY SIZED TANK, or move out and buy him one. Whichever comes first. XD


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## ThatFishThough

I'm building a 10' long shelving system out of 4"x4"s and cinderblocks. It will have 2 20 longs, 2 de-rimmed (top only) 15s, two 10s, and 2 5.5s. If I'm sneaky I can put three extra 4x4s on the top and add two or three 20G longs on the top. If not I'll still get a third 20, because I want a B. Hendra pair. I could always divide one of the 20s for Kai if he recovers or I could divide on for the puffer.


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## angeliza

@ThatFishThought
That ROOM Though. O0O

Soooo many tanks! 
Please give me your space. X'D

I'll let Tree give you Pea-Puff advice since I'm afraid I'll get something wrong. X'D


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## ThatFishThough

LOL. It's not it a room, it's my parents garage! Unfortunately I'm going to college in two years, but these shelves are easily taken apart and moved/stored. The 4x4s are 10 feet long, but they could be cut in half for even easier storage. TBH I haven't measured the space yet so I might have to downsize and add another shelf on the top anyways, but it will have the same number of tanks. Yout should go check out themamaj and her fish room. It is to die for!

ETA: the shelves are also 16" off the ground so I have storage and potential space for plastic tubs for ponds underneath. I believe I can fit 6 17 gallon tubs ynder there but I would have to check.


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## Tree

sorry for not replying this whole weekend, I was camping! =D 

Anyway glad to have you watching the thread ThatFishThough! 

Friday I went and bought some frozen krill and MY GOD they STINK! haha! Copter loved it though. 

as for changing the water to brackish, it is very scary but once you read into it and all the things for turning fresh into brackish, it's really easy. You can still have your good bacteria while you change the water slowly once a week into brackish. I will send some more photos your way later tomorrow of Copter and Bein. maybe even tonight if they are up for the lights being back on for a bit. haha

for pea puffers, they are the easiest things to keep and they are fresh water puffs! Though you do need to make sure the water is completely cycled. Like all puffers they have no scales and any type of ammonia or nitrite spike will hurt them. Pea puffers are messy things as well, like all puffers. My little Bein is a snot though and will only eat blood worms, but small snails, blood worms and shrimp work well for food for them. If you want to keep just one in a tank, a 5 gallon or more is best. If you want to keep more than 1 in a tank, 3 gallons per pea puffer is the rule due to them being VERY messy things. 3 puffers in a 10 gallon works best. They like lots of cover because they are smaller than other puffers and are more fragile. I read that they are like a female betta sorority tank and the more cover means the less fights that break out from them. 

there are other puffers that are fresh water only:
Amazon puffers
Red eye puffer
Fahaka puffer
Target puffer
Avocado Puffer

I have read a lot of these types of puffers but they need a lot more than 20 gallons. more like 30 plus! 

hope this helps!


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## Tree

As promised, Copter! His light was still on so I snapped a few shots of him with his full krill tummy. 


























I didn't get Bien photos, she was sleeping. =)


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## angeliza

@ThatFishThough
Here's an idea: You do off to college, and just, like..let ME take care of your entire fishroom/grarage and all your tanks for you. 

XD
(Lol, I have many found memories of bettas and college...I hope you have a greta time!^^)
@Tree CAMPING IS SO MUCK FUN! I hope you had a great time! 

And Krill ARE smelly...even Freeze-dried! But I think their smell is what makes them attractive to puffs. X'D
(Poofy BEGS for them...I'm glad Copter like them too!)


Fahaka puffers are adorable murderers much like GSPs, but I've heard that red eyes and Avacado puffers are a BIT less aggressive. 
Amazon puffers tend to need more hands-on dental work as well. Just things to keep in mind!^^

Copter looks healthier everytime you post pictures of him, Tree! He's already come SO FAR! OvQ


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## Tree

the camping trip was amazing. minus the rain on Saturday, Friday and Sunday was nice weather. 

I wonder if Bien would eat something like Krill. But I will have to chop one up. BLAH. GAGS. lol 

yeah agreed, I have read a lot about all the fresh water puffers. I think Fahaka's get pretty large too. 

RIGHT?! He's been so happy in his own tank and he loves it! Though I'm not sure if the water changes are stressing him out or not. I just added more water with marine salt that was mixing all week and he was glass surfing soon after. He hardly glass surf until I do a water change to slowly add the salinity. I'm doing everything correct. x_x 

here is a before and after of his progress: 

Before:








After:


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## angeliza

@Tree waterchanges probably just scare him. X'D

(Poofy will swim right up to my hand when I'm doing water changes, and will even play in the new water I'm pouring back in, and often eats right afterwords...Poofy is also a proven goof though, and finds the dark much scarier. XDDD)


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## Tree

oh good! I was worried. T^T


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## angeliza

@Tree Yeh, the salt is part of their natural environment...Giant hands and tubes and other water-cleaning what not is NOT. Especially since most puffs are wild caught...of COURSE they're gonna be scared! X'D (Poofy would "hide" from me at first when doing waterchanges...but he's chill with it now.)


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## Tree

yeah that's what I figured. 
I do have a pump and hose to pump the water into the tank and he gets interested in the hose but once everything is settled he starts surfing. It could be from just the commotion afterwards.


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## angeliza

@Tree Puffs are also smart and like attention. If you pay more attention to him everytime he glass surfs, he may start glass-surfing whenever he wants attention. X'D

If so, he's a puff mastermind!


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## Tree

oh my word HAHA! 

note taken lol! though I give him more attention when he watches me more.


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## angeliza

@Tree NEVER underestimate a determined Puff! Lol. XDDD

Poofy has a very small tank, but I've only rarely seen him glass surfing...he's normally either watching me, hunting the snails I hide in there sometimes, or playing in the bubbles. Occasionally, he lays on the cap of the mushroom decoration, but he's otherwise very active...

Maybe hide snails for him and/or get him a bubblestone? Puffs actually seem to LIKE current and swimming in it...especially Brakish puffs like ours who are found in rivers that meet the sea. (Might be why Poofy likes his bubbles, lol).


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## Tree

OH, I have a bubbler. I always wanted it in there but was not sure of f8s liked bubbles.
Maybe once he starts getting really bored I'll add it in. I have been hiding snails in areas and give him live cherry shrimp time to time to chase which he LOVES to chase them. Lol any other enrichment you do for you puffer?


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## angeliza

@Tree His tank is SO full of plants and little caves...I try to change things around occasionally when giving him water changes to give him something NEW every time...other then that, until recently, he was the only fish in my room, and I spend a lot of time there...especially since my work hours are relatively light, so he's been SPOILED with attention. I'm willing to bet that he probably glass-surfs when I'm gone...but he seems content with that.

Puffs are very good at recognizing who their "Nom-givers" are, and seem to be very happy to see that person since they associate them with food and good things. Just a guess though. 
(He may start acting up, actually, now that he has to share me with Babyfish and a Sorority, lol). He only recently started going INTO the caves but he likes them now...I may get him a bigger glow-cave when I move him into a bigger tank. XD


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## ThatFishThough

Thanks for all the info @Tree

... My LFS had a tank full of GSP's. I came so close to snatching one! The only thing that restrained me is the fact that I didn't have an open tank ;-;

Once I build my racks, though..... 
@angeliza, I'm not sure if you want to buy a plane ticket every day for at least a year... I think it would be hard to drive from Texas to North Dakota just to feed my fish and do water changes  I'm hoping I can live at home or get my own apartment my Sophomore year of college


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## Tree

you're welcome ThatFishThough 

thanks for the info angeliza! I decided to add the bubbler in today and he seemed interested in it. Time will tell. =)


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## Tree

My little Bien eating her bloodworms. that lump is getting larger too. Its hard to see it when she swims around but when I take quick snaps of her I can see how it's changing. I hope it wont get any larger. T^T









Copter...I kinda overfed him. oops. I didn't feed him today due to his belly still being quite large. ^_^;


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## angeliza

@Tree I hope the bubbler helps!^^

And Oh dear...it could be a tumor, maybe...? She's so tiny, I'm not sure how to treat it if it get's worse...hopefully it doesn't.

PFFT tho! Such a chub tum~ 

We had crab Monday night, and I gave Poofy some little pieces of it...he was SOOOO HAPPY! Good to know we have the same favorite food! XD


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## ThatFishThough

Heh. My favorite food is also crab. Odd that I have something in common with a pufferfish...


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## Tree

Copter seems to be enjoying the bubblier. =) I also placed a small my little pony toy I got from my sister a long time ago, in the tank and he was so interested in it. HAHA 

yeah I'm worried for little Bien, but the only thing that I can do right now is make her happy. ^_^


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## angeliza

@ThatFishThough
I also enjoy clam, octopus, and shrimp...I'm a big seafood-person! It's amusing, though, that you and your puff can share a meal.^^
@Tree
Glad to hear it!^^
It's also good to hear that he loves ponies, and as for Bien, I'm sure she's happy. You're a great puff-parent!^^


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## ThatFishThough

The only seafood I can tolerate is clrab; I am majorly texture-picky and if it has varying texture (for example, that red vein/line down the middle inside part of shrimp) I can't eat it. Luckily my pets are not so picky.


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## Tree

Haha next time I will try a toothless toy. he was interested in that outside of the tank. hehe

at least Bien is feeling happier downstairs. That's a plus.


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## Tree

Bien is feeling a lot better in her new location <3


















Copter showing off to a MLP toy in is tank. LOL


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## Katlyn Josephine

Thank you for this great thread!
I'm planning to be a puffer mom soon!  I'm still earning some money to buy tank, water filters, the fish, etc. I'm still inexperienced, so having this thread is a great thing for me to learn!
Those are wonderful fishes btw!


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## Tree

Katlyn Josephine said:


> Thank you for this great thread!
> I'm planning to be a puffer mom soon!  I'm still earning some money to buy tank, water filters, the fish, etc. I'm still inexperienced, so having this thread is a great thing for me to learn!
> Those are wonderful fishes btw!


Isn't it an awesome thread?! I'm excited when you get your puffer! What type will you be getting?


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## Tree

"hello, I am a unicorn Puffer. I poop rainbows and sparkles" 









still don't know what that lump is on her head but I hope it stops growing. She had that lump for a year now.


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## angeliza

@katlyn_Josephine Welcome to the Puff-Base! And soon...to Puff-motherhood! 

It's a journey, but a fun one.^^ 
What kind of Puff do you plan to get?

And @Tree

OHMIGOOSH UNIBIIIIIEEN <3
I love your puffs, btw.^^

I'm still working on getting supplies in and plants grown for the sorority tank so I can move Poofy into what has wound up my current hospital tank for the bettas, then move Cerin into Poofy's current tank...it's like playing musical tanks, lol!^^

(I also found a breeder with a lovely hybrid wild line who ships to the US and I REALLY want a pair...I may have to buy another 10 gal at some point, aha. X"D)
I also have acquired a kiddiepool that holds roughly 40 gallons...me thinks it'd make a good grow-out tank...but THAT is a non-puff related tale.

Poofy has recently begun to have a bit of a harder time eating snails, (Takes two crunches instead of 1, sometimes the snails pop out of his mouth) however, their shells are darker, and may be thicker...or his teeth have grown bigger. I'm going to up the amount of snails in his diet, juuust in case.


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## Tree

Lol! I'm just happy bien is happier downstairs. She's coming out more and enjoying the new view.

I'm getting more anubias plants for biens tank along with kites and the community tank! I bought two large bundles for 20 bucks and I got the third one free!! So excited to get more cause those are my fav plants and easy to care for. 

Tonight I'm going to do all of the water changes. Gah! I wish I could change them before thier lights shut off but I work until 8ish tonight. 

I do have a question though. Whats your salinity in you puffers tank? Im thinking of just keeping it 1.008 in there but not sure if that is too low. I mean he is still a teen so sure I will need to up it when he gets larger correct?


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## angeliza

@Tree Hard to say, since I tend to not be very exact with my measurements...but I keep it between 1.0005 and 1.0010. I figure that in this instance, it doesn't HAVE to remain stable, since things like rain etc. bring more freshwater in in nature. Once Poofy reaches 3 inches, I'll creep more towards saltwater.^^

1.0008 is perfect. Once his body reaches 2 inches, (not counting tail) then maybe raise it a bit higher bit-by-bit.^^


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## Tree

Good to know. And that makes perfect sense! 
I have to add a little more tonight to make it 1.008 it's at 1.004ish.

I have realized when I give him large snails I need to break them. He cannot get all the meat from inside. Lol but I do have extra small ones for him I just need to get rid of the large ones that are taking over the 5 gallon jug. Lol


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## Tree

Another question:

So I have read that f8 puffers like earthworms. Not sure if GPS likes them. Wondering if I get them at a normal fish bait store or get them somewhere else
I don't want to chance getting them wild outside due to possible parasites.


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## angeliza

@Tree

I think you can get them at a pet store or in a store that sells bait for fishing. Nightcrawlers are a good one, but you might have to cut them up! They're good for many kinds of fish due to being high in protein.^^
They're just slimey.
And you'd have to cut them into itty bitty peices.
X'D


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## Tree

okay cool!. I'll for sure get some bait and cut it up for him. I think they do have smaller thinner earthworms so I will try to find those. if not thick ones wont batter. I'm used to cutting worms up. I go fishing at times. (I don't like eating fish I just catch an release.) 

Anyway here is a top look of Copter with his pattern. though after seeing these photos, I am seeing cracks. or scratches on his body. What do you suppose that is? is it normal? or does he need to look smooth? My guess is the spider wood scratching him but it does not look like he is rubbing on them. I made sure they are rounded off so no sharp edges on the wood.


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## Tree

Copter showing off all sides! Minus his butt. hehe

He's been enjoying the smaller snails I've been giving him. Trying to kill off all the snails in my 5 gallon shrimp tank. I have yet to get earthworms. will be going to get them tonight or tomorrow. =P


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## angeliza

@Tree

I love their full little bellies after you feed them. <3

Also he looks like he is smiling! What a happy, content puff!^^


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## Tree

thank you =) he loves having a full tummy that's for sure. 

I bought myself a new light for his tank but he's a bit confused on why the lighting changed. He was hiding until I shut it off for the night. It might have spooked him when I tested it out though. His light was off at the time. Oops.


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## angeliza

@Tree Awwwww...poor boy must've gotten "stage fright" with that bright light shining on him! X'D
He'll get used to it in time, of course...but it may take gradually leaving the light on for longer and longer periods everyday for awhile. X'D


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## Tree

https://plus.google.com/104680098748332919067/posts/4p7pG2knGgf

Took a vido of copter! Let me know if the link does not work.


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## Tree

GOOD NEWS! Bien started eating small snails! She's shy for me to watch her so I couldn't get a photo of her eating but saw her pick at them and ate one. So happy! as long as they are small enough for her to kill she will eat them. no more bloodworms every day now. =D Strangely she will not eat any kelp or shrimp though. Oh well. lol 

Copter is slowly growing more and more! I was thinking about adding Bumblebee Gobies into his buuuut I'm sure he would kill them... Then again, there is one cherry shrimp that is still alive due to it being so stealthy and fast. LOL but I'm not a fan of a community tank due to a parasite breakout. but I would love to add at least some gobies for the left over food he leaves behind. =/ I'll think about it later down the line...

so enjoy these photos while I ponder! LOL


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## angeliza

@Tree that's wonderful! It's great to hear that Bien is broadening her nom-horizons!^^


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## Tree

She is loving her nom noms. lol


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## ThatFishThough

Almost broke and bought a cute little GSP today, but don't have the tanks and wouldn't be able to handle the brackish water changes. Cute little things, though.


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## Tardigrade

I just got some pea puffers after not having kept them in like 10 years! I never got to know them because mine died after like a day. I did not know how to care for them at the time.

I always assumed that no matter how aggressive they get, they cannot be taken seriously because if their size and you would just laugh like you would at a kitten. Well, no that is not true. They are terrifying hunters.


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## trahana

Aww, this reminds me of the pea puffers I had in highschool. They were soo cute. If I get an aquarium available I might need to get a pair. 
The pair I had lived in a 10g and where never more then an inch apart! They stuck close together it was sweet.


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## Tree

Pea puffers are the best. LOL 

I am saddened to say that Bien, my little pea puffer has passed away. T^T I'm guessing it was the lump on her head that done her in. Might have been cancer cause she was loosing weight so much and not even gaining anything . I though she might have had wasting disease too but it was hard to tell. =( Swim in peace little girl. the 2 years with you taught me a lot. <3

good news is that Copter is doing wonderful! he loves to eat and watch me when I am chilling in my bedroom. <3


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## trahana

Tree said:


> Pea puffers are the best. LOL
> 
> I am saddened to say that Bien, my little pea puffer has passed away. T^T I'm guessing it was the lump on her head that done her in. Might have been cancer cause she was loosing weight so much and not even gaining anything . I though she might have had wasting disease too but it was hard to tell. =( Swim in peace little girl. the 2 years with you taught me a lot. <3
> 
> good news is that Copter is doing wonderful! he loves to eat and watch me when I am chilling in my bedroom. <3


Funny thing, not so funny about wasting disease. 
I talked to a local fish store person about wild caught versus tank raised. Apparently the way they catch small fish in the reef is by using cyanide gas which knocks out the fish and lets the diver just pick them up. A large portion of the fish die right away, the rest have cyanide gas inside their system. The fish's liver and organs tries hard to get the toxins out of the fish's system until the liver and other organs eventually shuts down. During this process the fish continues to eat, but can't get any nutrition because the liver is dying and the fish eventually wastes away. It can take a few days to a year for the fish to die from cyanide poisoning. 
This has lead me to believe some of Wasting Disease may be because they are wild caught using this method. It is used most commonly in reef/marine fish, but has also been used in freshwater wild fish. I've had a few catfish that wasted away before I learned about this, and stopped buying them because they where wild caught.


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## Tree

oh man, something new I learned today! 

anyway here is Copter. He just ate blood worms and a fatty in these shots. LOL


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## KendraPM

There's a puffer thread! 
I am not a puffer mommy yet, and probably won't be for a little while yet, but I have plans to get a freshwater pea puffer just as soon as I can get a tank set up. Hence the delay. I technically have a spare tank and was getting ready to set it up when my mother talked me into buying a matching tank to the one I already have. Because "they're not just homes for your pets, they are also part of the décor." She's not only willing to help pay for the new tank and set up, but the new one will be bigger. Can't turn down that.


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## Tree

yey pea puffers are the best too! hope to see your little cutie in the future!

sorry for not replying to this thread much. =( life has been hard.

anyway here is a before and after shot of my F8 puffer.


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## Tree

I am happy to announce that I have added some fish friends in with my F8 puffer and he is behaving very well with them! I added four bumblebee Gobys! I was thinking about added my Nerite snail in with the 20 gallon tank but it might be too large of a bio load for the five of them with a snail. any ideas on this? I would like to have the snail in there to help clean the tank. I heard F8s cannot eat the nerite snails due to its hard shell and on how large my snail is I don't think Copter would mess with her (it is a she and she does lay eggs which I am wanting to breed her to make more baby nerite snails for Copter to eat.)


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## Tree

Im happy to say that my 37 gallon looks very nice and Copter and the BBGs are happy!


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## trahana

I now have a pea puffer, I was very happy to see some in my fish store. But man, is this one so much pickier about food! She won't bother with my re-moistened dried bloodworms. I got live tubiflex to feed my new gobies and she eats those. But I had a pair of peas before and they would eat the bloodworms, I hope I can switch them over because I can't see my parents being to happy about having a jug of wiggling worms in the fridge for very long.


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## Tree

Yeah Peas can be picky on their food. try the frozen bloodworms or try breeding bladder snails for the little puff. She might not eat it right away but I'm sure if hungry enough she will chow down on them. =)


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## Tree

new videos of my puffer boy!


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## ThatFishThough

I’m happy to announce that I can FINALLY take part in these discussions. Although I’m not very active, I figured I should introduce he newest member of the fish family: my (unknown gender) Pea Puffer, who I think will be named Buzz. S/he was one of the last few at my LFS And is VERY skinny although even within a day has gained much weight. Pictures to come, the itty bitty fish is still pretty pale.

Edit: actually I have one pic from yesterday before it went into the 10G


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## Tree

Eeeee! congrats! I'm glad you adopted one! Puffers are so much fun to have! give us updates when you can. 


update on my puffers as well.
Copter the F8 puffer is doing great. Eating well and being nice to the Bumblebee gobies. My new Pea puffers I adopted and placed in the 10 gallon with the neon Tetras are also enjoying their tank and not bugging one another. I'll be watching their aggression if I see any change but so far so good. There has been a few territorial moments but not to where they are attacking one another. a view of their tank:

















and my 37 gallon tank, I added some live plants to see how it goes. 









oh and my puffers!


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## bettatanksalot

Those guys are so cute! I want one! are they hard to find at LFS? Very interested in learning more about them!


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## Tree

In a LFS, at times yes. But you can have them order you a puffer. 
I drove a good 50 minutes to adopt mine and it's well worth the drive too.


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