quickcluck Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 We've just got 2 in a separate tank, a green spotted and a true red eye.... Very cute, both of them.... Are there any puffer keepers out there? What do you feed them? These are freshwater/tropical...... Thanks.. K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Oooh Photos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I used to! In my teens which was (ahem) quite some time ago. He was called stanley and was my favourite fish, apart from cornelius, my freshwater lobster. Not that a lobster is a fish, but YKWIM. It was a looooong time ago but from what I remember he was in with quite a few other species and just ate the same tropical freshwater feed that they all had. He was quite hardy from what I can recall, lasted years. But I do remember that if you make them puff I.e. by startling them or if they feel threatened, it shortens their life as it takes a lot out of them. He never puffed, which was good. I remember him trolling around the tank like a little rectangular submarine, he was v cute. Photos please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I used to work in an aquatics shop centuries ago (ahhh, those were the days ....) but anyway, we had one or two puffers that were full of character. Do remember they LOVED snails, absolutely their most favourite food (only aquatic ones, not ones from the garden!) so if you find any it might be worth treating them!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 We are off to find some snails today. Out some freshwater shrimps in yesterday but the didnt survive...... Think the water wasnt to their liking.... We might dried shrimp as they are crunchy too! Photos are tricky as the red eye is very shy...... We are treating for a fungus also apparently that can be stress induced.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Id have expected the puffers to eat the shrimps - another favourite food!!! With fungus, salt in the water helps a lot, they are really brackish water fish so salt is good anyway - cooking salt (NOT table salt) is fine or you can buy tonic type aquatic salt - up to half-ounce to the gallon would be fine and won't do any harm at all to any other fish you might have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Thanks for thank! They have scoffed most if the shrimps and we've added snails now too! We have water treatment for everyother day for the fungas. Will look into the salt as we have read that alot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 green spotted puffer! Red eye puffer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Aww!! Lovely. Makes me want to start keeping fish again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Aww!! Lovely. Makes me want to start keeping fish again It does get quite addictive - there is a very unfortunate condition called "Morefish Disease", you know!!!! Salt is great, very helpful for lots of conditions and fish - can't go wrong with it really! Lovely photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Yep, I can vouch for that - was a sufferer of MoreFish disease in my teens...piranhas, lobsters, 4 giant freshwater aquariums (also the aforementioned Stanley and cornelius)....all in my normal-sized bedroom at home. My mum was very understanding I could lose hours sitting and just watching what was going on in the tanks...it was like meditation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 I saw them batting a snail about yesterday, but have get to see the Red Eye eating anything We gave them one of the girls mealworms (dried) but they ignored it! We do have another tank which is lovely as the fish are contantly moving, but had a disaster last week. We got Fergus the fighting fish a lady friend Felicity. However she died..... The shop said 'ahhhh yes we've had a problem there, the rest are in quarentine it's something specific to Fighters '!!! Then a day later Fergus died we were really upset as she had obviously infected him. The remaining fish are fine tho - Phew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Have to say, the little red eye does look a bit sombre in the photo, not easy to tell, but he looks as though his problem might be velvet (can't see any fungus) as his fins look quite "folded". It may be that the fungus treatment you are using will cover velvet, but possibly not as it's a parastic problem where fungus tends to be bacterial. If it's a new tank, a partial water change might also be helpful (about 10%) every few days until the beneficial filter bacteria are established. You could also try them with some live bloodworm - that usually perks them up! (Sorry, I'm prattling on now, feel free to ignore me!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 lol nonsense!!! They have blood worm, fresh and frozen. The spotted has some 'cotton wool' on his eye if you look closely. I'm hoping that he is just shy! At the moment am wishing we'd just got the Tiger Barbs as at least they charge about! We also wanted Angels, but they grow tooooo quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bramble Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Puffers will have much more personality though if you can get them settled in - much more entertaining than tigers and angels! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Aren't you just a teensy tiny bit tempted to make them puff? I would be! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Mollys latest edition of Practical Fishkeeping arrived in the post yesterday. It's in her room so I've not had a chance to read it yet but there's a Puffer Fish on the front so I assume there is a good article on them inside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
