10 Gallon Dwarf/Pea Puffer Tank

I'm looking at setting up a dwarf puffer tank. I have an empty 10 gallon. It seems like opinions on setting up and stocking tanks for dwarf puffers vary from source to source, so I wanted to get opinions from the puffer people here...

1) What type of substrate is preferred? I want to do live plants, so I'm not sure if sand would be sufficient or if I need something else.

2) What types of plants would be good for puffers? Are there any types of live plants I should stay away from? What about other decor, like driftwood or rocks?

3) How many dwarf puffers can be stocked in a 10 gallon? I've seen people say they should be kept alone, while others have said up to 3 or 4. Ideally I would like 2 or 3...

4) Tank mates... I've heard of people keeping otos or pencil fish... Is there anything that would be a happy companion for dwarf puffers in a 10 gallon?

5) I have a small tank where I plan on having snails. Will dwarf puffers eat any type of pest snails? Or should I scout for a particular type?

6) Any recommendations for heaters or filters? I read they need heavy filtration (messy little things), but don't like a heavy current. Plus I'm hoping to have water Sprite, dwarf lettuce, or another type of floating plant...

Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

 

they are jerks. my friend had 3 which he stupidly put in with an angelfish that got torn up overnight. so they really are species only. anubias or java fern is a good plant. pea puffers you can have about 5 but dwarfs can be around 2.

 

MJDutI can help you.

 

I'm looking at setting up a dwarf puffer tank. I have an empty 10 gallon. It seems like opinions on setting up and stocking tanks for dwarf puffers vary from source to source, so I wanted to get opinions from the puffer people here...

1) What type of substrate is preferred? I want to do live plants, so I'm not sure if sand would be sufficient or if I need something else.

2) What types of plants would be good for puffers? Are there any types of live plants I should stay away from? What about other decor, like driftwood or rocks?

3) How many dwarf puffers can be stocked in a 10 gallon? I've seen people say they should be kept alone, while others have said up to 3 or 4. Ideally I would like 2 or 3...

4) Tank mates... I've heard of people keeping otos or pencil fish... Is there anything that would be a happy companion for dwarf puffers in a 10 gallon?

5) I have a small tank where I plan on having snails. Will dwarf puffers eat any type of pest snails? Or should I scout for a particular type?

6) Any recommendations for heaters or filters? I read they need heavy filtration (messy little things), but don't like a heavy current. Plus I'm hoping to have water Sprite, dwarf lettuce, or another type of floating plant...

Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

1. Sand is fine. I used the white petco brand sand.

2. Since you're going with a small tank, I'd stick with plants that stay small. That being said, my puffer liked compactas. I also had ludwidgia repens, Java moss, and Java fern. The moss was tied to driftwood.

3. I'd stock 1 puffer per 5 gallons. Make sure you add them both at the same time or there will be territory issues.

4. I kept mine with ghost shrimp. Not sure about otos. Maybe if you had a bigger tank...

5. Pea puffers are small, but mine liked pond snails. They would eat it right out of the shell.

6. A sponge filter would work nicely. It will take up a lot of room, but it's a good fit for a fish who likes low current.

 

Yeah, otos wouldn't work in this size tank.....

 

I bolded my thoughts below

I'm looking at setting up a dwarf puffer tank. I have an empty 10 gallon. It seems like opinions on setting up and stocking tanks for dwarf puffers vary from source to source, so I wanted to get opinions from the puffer people here...Awesome fish!

1) What type of substrate is preferred? I want to do live plants, so I'm not sure if sand would be sufficient or if I need something else. Any substrate is fine

2) What types of plants would be good for puffers? Are there any types of live plants I should stay away from? What about other decor, like driftwood or rocks? Any plants, but more is better. They prefer lots of decor for places to explore.

3) How many dwarf puffers can be stocked in a 10 gallon? I've seen people say they should be kept alone, while others have said up to 3 or 4. Ideally I would like 2 or 3...
2 or 3 will work fine, but only 1 male

4) Tank mates... I've heard of people keeping otos or pencil fish... Is there anything that would be a happy companion for dwarf puffers in a 10 gallon? This all depends on the puffer's personality. Some are nice, some are not. I would suggest starting with a ghost shrimp to see if it lives or gets bullied/eaten. Then guage its level of aggression from there. Just remember that the options for a 10G are limited, but there are more than what most people think. I also agree that Otos do better in groups and need larger tanks, mainly due to their algae obsession. For some reason a lot of people, including myself, have had luck with red cherry shrimp. If you end up having a small group in there they are great for a little bonus cleanup crew.

5) I have a small tank where I plan on having snails. Will dwarf puffers eat any type of pest snails? Or should I scout for a particular type? Some do, some don't. The hardest part is getting these guys to eat because they can be picky. Frozen bloodworms are usually taken. If you can get live blackworms it'll be like crack to them. I've also used krill and brine shrimp. Usually pond/bladder snails are best as they are the smallest. You could try small ramshorns and even Malaysian trumpet snails as pea puffers don't crush shells, they suck them out of them. Which means you don't have to worry about keeping their teeth worn down. They don't have the same dental issues as their larger brethren.

6) Any recommendations for heaters or filters? I read they need heavy filtration (messy little things), but don't like a heavy current. Plus I'm hoping to have water Sprite, dwarf lettuce, or another type of floating plant... Any heater will be fine as long as it's for a 10 or larger. Your choice will be more for aesthetic reasons. Same for filters, but I love my Aquaclear 20. Sponges are great but take up space in the tank. These guys are messy because they may start to eat something and then leave leftovers on the substrate because they just don't care anymore, and can poop with the best of them.

Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

Have fun!