tanks alot
Member
what is the secret to keeping puffers i have never had luck with them
puffers
- Thread starter tanks alot
- Start date
tanks alot
Member
i know that ive tried 3 times the last one was a black dogface that was 5in i payed $10 cause blind in one eye i got this last month and they had him since april and i acculamited him and put him in the tank and he puffed and the next morning dead
docsls6
New Member
Originally Posted by Tanks Alot
i know that ive tried 3 times the last one was a black dogface that was 5in i payed $10 cause blind in one eye i got this last month and they had him since april and i acculamited him and put him in the tank and he puffed and the next morning dead
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
i know that ive tried 3 times the last one was a black dogface that was 5in i payed $10 cause blind in one eye i got this last month and they had him since april and i acculamited him and put him in the tank and he puffed and the next morning dead
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
cgrant
Active Member
Originally Posted by Docsls6
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
I didnt know that...I always thought puffers were basically very healthy, hardy, easy to keep fish. I guess I have just been lucky!
So are the issues with puffers from the collecting/shipping or are they sickly in nature to begin with?
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
I didnt know that...I always thought puffers were basically very healthy, hardy, easy to keep fish. I guess I have just been lucky!
So are the issues with puffers from the collecting/shipping or are they sickly in nature to begin with?
stdreb27
Active Member
Originally Posted by Docsls6
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
Where in the world do you find a lfs with 25 puffers? i've gotta go to that one!
There is a huge quality issue with puffers when they are imported. There were 10 sick looking ones for every good looking one. You need to pick a puffer that looks active and isn't sitting still. I hand picked mine out of 25 and he has been fine.
Where in the world do you find a lfs with 25 puffers? i've gotta go to that one!
chesley587
New Member
very true about ick and puffers My fisrt puffer died from ick redid my tank have another porky puffer and dogface and have been fighting ick for about a month.
leftyblite
Member
I've had my porc puffer for a few months now and have not, so far, had any problems with ich. :thinking:
diane4
Member
I think, from my experience with have my dogface puffer over 1 year and a Guenea Fowl puffer a few months, the key is a daily steady diet, good water quality, but most importantly - they thrive on attention from their owners. We sit and talk to our puffers every day. They are VERY smart fish and they get emotional or moody.
For example, when my dog face puffer yawns, he is so cute, he makes me laugh. But, my Ipo doesn't like it when I laugh, it upsets him. I know this because he turns color from a white with black spots and yellow, to almost all black and he starts to swim away. But, if I stop laughing and start talking to him sweetly, his colors return and he comes back out. He is a sweety with a deep spirit and soul.
I firmly believe that Puffers are highly social animals and they do not do well if lonely or not visited with. My puffer also does not like being alone, he likes tank mates. He has a Harlequin Tusk, Greenbird wrasse and a foxface as tankmates.
My question would be the standard set of questions that the SWF forum would ask, params - what are they, how old is the tank etc.
But to cut to the chase, I do think that they need love. They are way to smart to not love them. They know and are aware more than we humans realize.
Another thing that my ipo (puffer fish) doesn't like is if his tank lights have not gone on yet for the day, and if we open the front door and a lot of daylight fills the living room, the light from the door upsets him.
I don't know if he is just brilliantly smart, or he just has me well trained and I have learned to know what he likes and doesn't like.
Talk to your puffer, love him - observe his behavoir, it tells alot. Puffers are the BEST in my book, luv them.
For example, when my dog face puffer yawns, he is so cute, he makes me laugh. But, my Ipo doesn't like it when I laugh, it upsets him. I know this because he turns color from a white with black spots and yellow, to almost all black and he starts to swim away. But, if I stop laughing and start talking to him sweetly, his colors return and he comes back out. He is a sweety with a deep spirit and soul.
I firmly believe that Puffers are highly social animals and they do not do well if lonely or not visited with. My puffer also does not like being alone, he likes tank mates. He has a Harlequin Tusk, Greenbird wrasse and a foxface as tankmates.
My question would be the standard set of questions that the SWF forum would ask, params - what are they, how old is the tank etc.
But to cut to the chase, I do think that they need love. They are way to smart to not love them. They know and are aware more than we humans realize.
Another thing that my ipo (puffer fish) doesn't like is if his tank lights have not gone on yet for the day, and if we open the front door and a lot of daylight fills the living room, the light from the door upsets him.
I don't know if he is just brilliantly smart, or he just has me well trained and I have learned to know what he likes and doesn't like.
Talk to your puffer, love him - observe his behavoir, it tells alot. Puffers are the BEST in my book, luv them.
L
lpuzon
Guest
goes with mine too. she's a real sweetheart!!! i always touch her and rub her, and she always like it!
diane4
Member
Thanks Rick. I am glad to see that you agree in your observation of our puffers.
Just like dogs, the more you talk to them, the smarter they get - the more they thrive and depend on the human relationship.
I do think that the puffer family of fish do not do well in environments that like a tank for appearance only. I think they crave attention, being talked to etc. But thats our opinion.
In fact, we notice jealousy between one of our Oscar tanks which is adjacent to our tank that that the DF puffer in it. They are envrious of each other because they know that I love the two Oscars (Beatrice and Clyde) and my Puffer (Ipo) the most in the house. They know it.
Just like dogs, the more you talk to them, the smarter they get - the more they thrive and depend on the human relationship.
I do think that the puffer family of fish do not do well in environments that like a tank for appearance only. I think they crave attention, being talked to etc. But thats our opinion.
In fact, we notice jealousy between one of our Oscar tanks which is adjacent to our tank that that the DF puffer in it. They are envrious of each other because they know that I love the two Oscars (Beatrice and Clyde) and my Puffer (Ipo) the most in the house. They know it.
diane4
Member
Wow lpuzon - that is cool. Your puffer lets you pet her and she likes it. That is way cool. I haven't tried it because people say it disturbes the fishes natural slime when you touch them.
I will say that once, when my puffer got food stuck in between his two top teeth/beaks, I put my arm in the tank and got near his face and pushed the food loose from his teeth. He was a little stressed when I did it and he was already stressed with the food being stuck, but after I relieved the stuck food, he almost seemed to understand that I helped him and he appreciated it. Puffers are very smart creatures and relate to their humans.
lpuzon - would love to hear more about how long your puffer has allowed you to do this and what does he do that tells you he enjoys the pet?
I will say that once, when my puffer got food stuck in between his two top teeth/beaks, I put my arm in the tank and got near his face and pushed the food loose from his teeth. He was a little stressed when I did it and he was already stressed with the food being stuck, but after I relieved the stuck food, he almost seemed to understand that I helped him and he appreciated it. Puffers are very smart creatures and relate to their humans.
lpuzon - would love to hear more about how long your puffer has allowed you to do this and what does he do that tells you he enjoys the pet?
L
lpuzon
Guest
Originally Posted by diane4
Wow lpuzon - that is cool. Your puffer lets you pet her and she likes it. That is way cool. I haven't tried it because people say it disturbes the fishes natural slime when you touch them.
I will say that once, when my puffer got food stuck in between his two top teeth/beaks, I put my arm in the tank and got near his face and pushed the food loose from his teeth. He was a little stressed when I did it and he was already stressed with the food being stuck, but after I relieved the stuck food, he almost seemed to understand that I helped him and he appreciated it. Puffers are very smart creatures and relate to their humans.
lpuzon - would love to hear more about how long your puffer has allowed you to do this and what does he do that tells you he enjoys the pet?
yeah, it is really cool! i do it everytime, all the time! a little pat in the head, rub on the sides, and she doesn't bite me back. one time, when i was just first starting to do it, i kinda tickle her belly underneath, she bounced back, swam away from me and back, knowing that she's charging!!!
it's funny! water splashed at me bec i immediately removed my hand!!!
how did i know she liked it? she doesn't leave whenever i do it. and always comes back for it!
a sad news though........
a had an episode with my tank this 4am. last night, i did WC, and leveled my tank to .009, coz i'm doing hypo. i also set up my skimmer again, (coz i took it out when i was dosing the tank with Stop parasite). when i went down at 4, i saw all of my fishes at the bottom, not moving!!! waht's terrifying, i saw my puffer, puffed up, and got sucked by the pump of the skimmer!!! it is really really a dreadful feeling!!! i unplugged the skimmer, felt a little relief to see that she's still alive. but her lips are really swollen, until right now. it toned down a little, but still swollen.
i revived all my fishes when i immediatley thought that my salinity is way too low. i added 3c of salt mixed with it's water. (1c at a time)5 mins later, they all bounced back. this am, everybody's right the very front of the tank, waiting for me to feed them...
Wow lpuzon - that is cool. Your puffer lets you pet her and she likes it. That is way cool. I haven't tried it because people say it disturbes the fishes natural slime when you touch them.
I will say that once, when my puffer got food stuck in between his two top teeth/beaks, I put my arm in the tank and got near his face and pushed the food loose from his teeth. He was a little stressed when I did it and he was already stressed with the food being stuck, but after I relieved the stuck food, he almost seemed to understand that I helped him and he appreciated it. Puffers are very smart creatures and relate to their humans.
lpuzon - would love to hear more about how long your puffer has allowed you to do this and what does he do that tells you he enjoys the pet?
yeah, it is really cool! i do it everytime, all the time! a little pat in the head, rub on the sides, and she doesn't bite me back. one time, when i was just first starting to do it, i kinda tickle her belly underneath, she bounced back, swam away from me and back, knowing that she's charging!!!
how did i know she liked it? she doesn't leave whenever i do it. and always comes back for it!
a sad news though........
a had an episode with my tank this 4am. last night, i did WC, and leveled my tank to .009, coz i'm doing hypo. i also set up my skimmer again, (coz i took it out when i was dosing the tank with Stop parasite). when i went down at 4, i saw all of my fishes at the bottom, not moving!!! waht's terrifying, i saw my puffer, puffed up, and got sucked by the pump of the skimmer!!! it is really really a dreadful feeling!!! i unplugged the skimmer, felt a little relief to see that she's still alive. but her lips are really swollen, until right now. it toned down a little, but still swollen.
i revived all my fishes when i immediatley thought that my salinity is way too low. i added 3c of salt mixed with it's water. (1c at a time)5 mins later, they all bounced back. this am, everybody's right the very front of the tank, waiting for me to feed them...
rarend
New Member
With our Dogface Puffer -Ipo we have a Foxface who really gets along well with him. We had a Harlequin Tuskfish who was close to him once but he died and we replaced him, but though they get along they do not hang around together like the first one did. We also have a Green Bird Wrasse in there who also gets along with the puffer. In our other tank with the Guinea Fowl Puffer we have a Blue Line Triggerfish. But the Foxface and Ipo are really good pals. I hope that this information is helpful to you. It seems that the Foxface (squirrel fish family) and the wrasse family do well with most puffers. Also triggers, but I tend to prefer the wrasse family and our foxface.