20 Long Planted Pea Puffer Build

Update...
Added the Java moss and the shrimp.
Tank is ready for the "Puffers" when they arrive....
ChrissFishes01 After seeing the powerhead, I decided to hook-up a small Eheim 2211 will see how they do. If they are fine and enjoy the current then I'll remove the Qanvee moving bed filter it's kinda of large for the tank.
And now the reveal...




Oh and one of the shrimp .....




"Thanks" Pwilly07

 

Looking good! As long as there are calm areas of the tank, they should be just fine - if they seem to avoid high flow areas, it's probably too much.

 

Acclimating and got some pics before releasing.

 

Acclimating and got some pics before releasing.

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YAY! A couple of them look pretty fat, good.

 

Fantastic! Do post thoughts on keeping the puffers with shrimp once you've gotten a handle on how this is working out. I would be somewhat interested in adding puffers to my CPD + shrimp tank if this seems to work well.

 

Fantastic! Do post thoughts on keeping the puffers with shrimp once you've gotten a handle on how this is working out. I would be somewhat interested in adding puffers to my CPD + shrimp tank if this seems to work well.

Mine don't usually bother shrimp - shrimplets, for sure, but adults are safe. I think it's more down to individuals, though! I'd honestly be concerned about them chasing the CPDs more than the shrimp.

They look great, jmaldo ! Congrats.

 

so, have you released them to their paradise yet?

 

They are exploring their new home. So small, in fact some of the shrimp are the same size. Just a couple of quick not so good pics. The 2nd pic shows the size comparison to a ramshorn.







I'll try to get better pics this weekend.

 

They are exploring their new home. So small, in fact some of the shrimp are the same size. Just a couple of quick not so good pics. The 2nd pic shows the size comparison to a ramshorn.


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I'll try to get better pics this weekend.

So cute!

 

They look great! I see some nice bellies on them, too. Have they taken food yet?

 

I've noticed them picking at stuff on the leaves and sand. Just tried feeding them some brine shrimp and bloodworms. They noticed them but no takers. Will try again tonight.
Fingers crossed...

 

I've noticed them picking at stuff on the leaves and sand. Just tried feeding them some brine shrimp and bloodworms. They noticed them but no takers. Will try again tonight.
Fingers crossed...

I wouldn't be too worried yet. Puffers are known to go on hunger strikes after big stress events. As long as none of them are emaciated, they'll be okay!

 

Well, the "Beans" are doing fine. Just so tiny, for comparison. I have raised a few types of "Cichlids" so they are approx. the size of maybe 8 -10 week old juveniles.
Yesterday, I could only locate 4 , had my son "Eagle Eye" take a look he found 5. They are fascinating to watch. Still trying to feed, no takers. But I did witness one them taking bites out of a Ramshorn and others pecking at the plants.
Time will tell...

 

Watching the tank today and I noticed some missing little bites out of some driftwood branches. Anyone know if the peas will take bites?

 

Watching the tank today and I noticed some missing little bites out of some driftwood branches. Anyone know if the peas will take bites?

I've never noticed that, but if the driftwood has been wet for a while there might be little pods and other bugs on it that they're picking off and getting wood in the process.

 

The pieces have been in since I started and have some algae growth, maybe they were trying to get some baby ramshorns /eggs or other little critters? I noticed their bellies still plumb. So they are eating something.
Just surprising to see the little bits taken, I'll try to get some pics...

 

Disappointing Update.
I have lost maybe 3 could only see 3 swimming around. My son found one yesterday on the sand it had a chunk missing. And I just found one floating this morning, with a chunk missing. Not sure, whats going on. The water parameters are fine. Could be the stress from shipping, or "Hierarchy" no way to tell. Fingers-crossed...

 

How do their bellies look? Sunken in, or a little chunky?

You say a chunk missing - out of the fins or body?

 

Son found another one last night. Well down to "2".

How do their bellies look? Sunken in, or a little chunky?

You say a chunk missing - out of the fins or body?

One appears to have a bit of a belly the other not so much. Of the 3 found dead, two had a fin missing, and one it appeared part of the belly gone.

???

 

Son found another one last night. Well down to "2".



One appears to have a bit of a belly the other not so much. Of the 3 found dead, two had a fin missing, and one it appeared part of the belly gone.

???

They are probably stressed and hungry that’s why they are cannibalistic. It’s not your fault though. This is why I wouldn’t buy puffers in groups online, unless it’s flip aquatics.

 

Thanks, for the theory it is a possibility, just so surprising and difficult to deal with. Just thought having a juvenile group might work. Probably will never know for sure. The 2 remaining do cruise the tank together.
Fingers-crossed....

 

When we had our 8 gallon puffer tank we started wit 2 and as early as the next day one was already gone and no remains to b found but the other one lived a good life for a couple years and we even had a couple little guppies and an otto cat in there and all he ever cared about was his frozen bloodworms and an occasional ramshorn snail. Hopefully your 2 remaining ones will coexist with each other. Good luck sorry for the losses.

 

When we had our 8 gallon puffer tank we started wit 2 and as early as the next day one was already gone and no remains to b found but the other one lived a good life for a couple years and we even had a couple little guppies and an otto cat in there and all he ever cared about was his frozen bloodworms and an occasional ramshorn snail. Hopefully your 2 remaining ones will coexist with each other. Good luck sorry for the losses.

I am so excited to get mine or maybe a pair in a 5-10 gallon (depends on how many)

 

Hopefully the remaining two do well.

I really, really do think these guys are better off in solo tanks. I've never had issues keeping them that way (they don't get bored, sad, and don't behave any differently than I'd expect from a puffer), and they are aggressive fish, plain and simple.

Very similar to betta sororites - can it be done? Of course! But they're aggressive fish, and every time you attempt it, you risk having them turn on each other and starting a little mini-world war.

Not saying that this is your fault at all, jmaldo - I know you're giving them the best care, and the deaths may be more related to illness or hunger than anything else. I just hate seeing that same advice being regurgitated over and over, seemingly without thought to their aggressive tendencies.

 

Thanks Everyone!
Well, the 2 are still with me. They do swim together and have nibbled on some worms and brine shrimp, fingers-crossed....

 

Well water change today, they are still with me, in fact they came over to the siphon tube to check it out.
Just watched a vid of ChrissFishes01 feeding his puffer with tweezers.
Gonna give a try tomorrow.

 

I feed mine with a transfer pipet. Same idea!

 

Well water change today, they are still with me, in fact they came over to the siphon tube to check it out.
Just watched a vid of ChrissFishes01 feeding his puffer with tweezers.
Gonna give a try tomorrow.

They might need to be trained to do that but once they do it will be efficient!

 

Well water change today, they are still with me, in fact they came over to the siphon tube to check it out.
Just watched a vid of ChrissFishes01 feeding his puffer with tweezers.
Gonna give a try tomorrow.

Glad you watched

I like how it trains the fish to associate my hand with food - keeps them from freaking out and panicking every time my hand is in the tank. I can't exactly hold 1-2 bloodworms, so tweezers are a nice compromise

 

Fed some bloodworms/brine shrimp to them a couple of hours ago. They were interested and even saw them take a bite of two. So here are a pics, very poor quality but.. at least they are eating. Used a pipette to squirt close to them, will eventually try the tweezers. Gotta find the macro lens attachment I purchased for the phone a few years ago.

 

Fed some bloodworms/brine shrimp to them a couple of hours ago. They were interested and even saw them take a bite of two. So here are a pics, very poor quality but.. at least they are eating. Used a pipette to squirt close to them, will eventually try the tweezers. Gotta find the macro lens attachment I purchased for the phone a few years ago.

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Looking chunkier! Good sign!

 

Well, earlier in the week I thought I would need to share some disappointing news. On Tuesday I could not locate them, my son also searched. MIA?
Thursday night my son texted me, he found them swimming. Yeah!




They got a water change and brine shrimp yesterday. About to feed some bloodworms.

 

Well, earlier in the week I thought I would need to share some disappointing news. On Tuesday I could not locate them, my son also searched. MIA?
Thursday night my son texted me, he found them swimming. Yeah!

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They got a water change and brine shrimp yesterday. About to feed some bloodworms.

In that big of a tank you might not see them sometimes lol

 

Well they are doing fine, fed them some bloodworms and tried some krill. At least they are eating. They each have a section of tank they prefer and guard. A bit of chasing if one or the other cross the invisible boundary.

Still looking for the macro lens.

 

Quick pics...

 

Quick pics...
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SO CUTE!

 

I just arrived but read back in your thread! They are adorable and I’m glad the two are hanging in there. Post pics of the entire tank again, I’d love to see the plant growth. Nice work overall.

 

jmaldo

Any updates??
I was at the LFS today and they had a tank of tiny Pea Puffers!
They were about 8mm long!! So cute and inquisitive at such a tiny size.

So many new avenues of fish keeping since I was a kid! Not enough room for all the tanks required!

 

Figured I’d join in just because I love pea puffers. But don’t get too panicked if they ever disappear. Just check again later because they have a tendency to do that even if it’s just 10 gallon lol. Have 7 pea puffers (1 male, 6 female) in a 55g with neocardinia shrimp and planning on breeding.

 

But don’t get too panicked if they ever disappear.

Too late, see post #82, they are very good at hiding and blending in. The other morning the duo were swimming together. And then they retreat to their areas.
Fun to observe.
Nice looking tank and Peas, good luck with the breeding.

JuDom
Next water change I'll get a tank pic...

Not enough room for all the tanks required!

Agree! "MTS" is real.

 

Figured I’d join in just because I love pea puffers. But don’t get too panicked if they ever disappear. Just check again later because they have a tendency to do that even if it’s just 10 gallon lol. Have 7 pea puffers (1 male, 6 female) in a 55g with neocardinia shrimp and planning on breeding.

Beautiful scape! What are the tall plants on the far right??

 

Beautiful scape! What are the tall plants on the far right??

Thank you! The plant on the right is temple compacta. Very easy to care for and grow but it can definitely grow above the water if you let it.

 

Got pics after water change.

 

Got pics after water change.

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Looking nice and chunky, good to see!

 

Ok, for all you Puffer keepers.
A few hours after the water change and before the lights went off. I noticed one of the puffers got really dark in color, thought I might have an issue. Checked parameters everything is fine. Every happen to anyone?

 

Since my build is down to a duo of beans. Been contemplating down sizing their home. Decided yesterday to setup a 10g for them, had everything I needed collecting dust, up and running within 40 mins. Ordered some plants from Mcasella should arrive middle of the week.
Just some pics:
20 Long after tank maintenance, scape and water change.
Can you see one of the beans?








This next pic I noticed the snail eggs on the driftwood.
As mentioned I have been seeing some of the wood pieces have been chewed on, the beans are really getting plump, must be the snail eggs as desert.



Eventually their "New" home.

 

Since my build is down to a duo of beans. Been contemplating down sizing their home. Decided yesterday to setup a 10g for them, had everything I needed collecting dust, up and running within 40 mins. Ordered some plants from Mcasella should arrive middle of the week.
Just some pics:
20 Long after tank maintenance, scape and water change.
Can you see one of the beans?
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This last pic I noticed the snail eggs on the driftwood.
As mentioned I have been seeing some of the wood pieces have been chewed on, the beans are really getting plump, must be the snail eggs as desert.
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Beans! <3

 

Hi jmaldo how your puffers doing, I've only just come across your thread, just last week finally got a tank ready for a Green spotted puffer, he's about 1½" and such a greedy so&so I think I'll start feeding every other day once he grows a bit

 

richiep
Congrats on the new pea. Mine are doing "Ok", thought 6 in a 20 Long would work, but... down to the duo. They will be moving in a few weeks.
Let's see a pic.

 

Mine a green spotted and growing to 6" will need a 55g at the moment he's in a 30g
Hes bursting at the seems after his cockle