smidey Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Hi, I have just had a look at the puffer fish forum. Without me registering there, does anyone know about freshwater pufferfish? They hava a freshwater puffer gallery. I understand that some puffers start in freshwater then graduate to marine as they grow but are there any that are solely freshwater fish. They are so comical looking to me I'd love to add one or two to my tank. Do they mix with other fresh water fish? Anyone know, I look forward to your comments. Smidey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocean4freedom Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Hi, Most puffers are full marine or brackish but here are some links to some FW puffers. As you can see all are are species tanks as they are aggressive but possibly with some other aggressive fish they might be okay. I'd personally not risk it cuz I hear they are difficult to come by and hard to look after. So a species tank would allow you to control their environment quite carefully and reduce the chance of a damaging, if not fatal, fish fight. Anyway, here are the links http://fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=4&nl=&nt=1 http://fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=186&nl=&nt=1 http://fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=161&nl=&nt=1 I'm not sure what ones are available in NZ tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Brazilian puffers are freshwater and are about the least aggressive of the all puffers. Mine is in a community tank and other than the occasional nipped tail which I can't actually say was him there's no signs of aggression. I've had him for a year and had two before this current on(*Sniff* power outages ) and they never were aggressive or nippy either. Usually they're a bit of a pain to feed, my previous two only ate brine shrimp, blood worms, snails or live food. But my current one eats flake, pleco chips and just about everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Hehe, Puffed cuteness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 He really is cutie Ira...tell me, do they actually "puff" up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Mystic, don't the ones in the wild, I wouldn't have a clue as to what kind of puffer fish they are...but I thought seeing a program on TV, ages ago...that they did "puff" up as...maybe a protection thing, but I could be wrong it was years ago that I saw that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 They puff up full of food if you feed them enough, look like they swallowed a marble. He also puffed up when he got sucked up in the siphon. Once I pushed on his face to get him back out of it and he plopped down into my hand he puffed up. After I tossed him back in the tank and he floated around like he was deadfor a few seconds he let out a big burp of air and shrunk back down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Ira, you said you have them in a community tank...what other fishies are with them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_elmo Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 anyone know where i can get one of these in chch? how much do they go for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2fishy Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 i have them in the shop i work at, not sure where u can get them in chch but we retail them at $29.90ea. mite give u an indication of wat u mite pay anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Ira, what size is the tank and how big do they get?? What fish can you have them with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil_elmo Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 i have them in the shop i work at, not sure where u can get them in chch but we retail them at $29.90ea. mite give u an indication of wat u mite pay anyway. sweet thanks for the idea of price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted August 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Thankyou all for your comments. After the first reply I had almost given up the thought of the posibility of having one but now seems to be possible in some form. I will research some more a update with findings. I was looking at the puffer site because last summer i was boat fishing off bream head outside the whangarei harbour & actually caught & hauled a puffer up to the boat (puffed), I didn't what to do with it & even that it could be in the waters there so managed to get it off the hook. As it swam off it "un-puffed" and looked beautiful on the way back down. Smidey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Keenly await updates on this topic, been looking on the net a little and theyre cool looking fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metajet Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Hi smidley, I have had a couple of freshwater puffers (Dwarf Puffers). I got mine from Hollywood FF, the first two I got did not last long, I was probably a bit to quick to get some, they had sunken bellies, and would not eat. My next two lasted well over a year, i made sure I picked the most active and plumpest ones, I fed them frozen blood worms and and they absolutely loved mosquito larvae. Be careful, once mine had a taste for live food, they would not go back to frozen ! They aslo love snails, but will gorge themselves on them, and quickly annihilate any stocks you have made. The Puffers are very samll under 1 inch, so the could easily eat baby snails (ramshorns are the best), but would hassle and peck at larger ones, then the big ones die and stick up the tank. They shared (yes shared a tank) with two ottos and a bumble bee goby, no problems what so ever with those tank mates, however two puffers did not get on so well. I housed them in a heavily planted AR126, some people might think it is too small, but it seemed fine - would recommend lots of plant, as they love to explore. I highly recommend http://www.dwarfpuffers.com/ My tips from my experience - choose the healthiest puffers you can find - start breeding lots of live food, they love it They are the most fun fish I have ever had, very cute and very clever. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Caper, they're in with guppies, rummy noses, silver tips, cardinals, blue rams, bristlenoses, black phantoms and...Ummm...A golden plec. Keri, I'm not sure how big they get, I've read 6", but mine seems to be staying around 2". He's in a 400X400X900 tall tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted August 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 i have them in the shop i work at, not sure where u can get them in chch but we retail them at $29.90ea. mite give u an indication of wat u mite pay anyway. hi 2fishy, how many are there & what are the contact details? I went to my LFS today & enquired about the puffers. They told me that they had heard of the brazilian freshwater puffers & was aware that they had been kept in community tanks. However they did not know where to source one but did say that someone else had been in recently asking about them as well. Smidey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted August 15, 2006 Report Share Posted August 15, 2006 Wow Ira, I thought you could only put them in with other puffers 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2fishy Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 hey Ira Sorry my puffers arent the freshwater ones. they are the green spotted puffers. havent been able to source any freshwater ones. Which contact details were u after? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Souxsi Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 I also kept some dwarf puffers when I was in the states. These little guys are soso worth it. they don't need a lot of space, but do be careful with their housemates, they are notoriously aggressive and don't seem to realize how minute they are. They follow you with their eyes and come out to see you when you feed em, getting very excited. They have really expressive personalities, I loved them. Being pretty inexperienced I will add that I had some issues. We had a pair in a 10 gallon tank, and the female never lasted long. She wasn't bullied or anything, Just died mysteriously and we'd get another fem to replace her every few months. We eventually named them Harold and Maude after the movie, which is only funny if you've seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted September 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 I have found a bit more info. They are commonly called Brazilian Puffers as above, but are ofthen called SAP (South American Puffer) & Latin name of Colomesus Asellus. There are actually 17 breeds of freshwater puffer, see the "pufferpedia" on the puffer forum as link below. If anyone can find a SAP or any of the other breeds please let me know. http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug. ... fferPedia/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meesheelly Posted September 22, 2006 Report Share Posted September 22, 2006 Hey i just thought that i would add that i am also interested in getting some puffers, so if anyone sources some let us know!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sirkus Posted September 23, 2006 Report Share Posted September 23, 2006 ive got some of the dwarf puffers in with fry, they may pick off the odd one now and again and if i dont feed em for a few days the tqankmates become the object of their desires lol. but as long as they get bloodworm every couple of days they remain rather peaceful, theyr in with endlers fry and fan shrimp, pango eels but no more snails.... not to worry, never really bothered me losing them. just make sure the tank is well planted, i keep loads of frogbit and samolus and java moss in there to give them loads of hiding places or more like steak out spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
me love fishy Posted September 24, 2006 Report Share Posted September 24, 2006 I have seen freshwater puffers in Petworld on Ferry Road before, in Chch. So even if they don't have them they might be able to get them in, not sure which variety of puffer they were though. Ira your puffer really is a cutie, does it have a name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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