Pea Puffers Behavior Suggestions

Hi everyone!
(Temp: 78-80, NH3,NO2,NO3: 0/0/>20, last water change Tuesday)
I have 2 Pea Puffers, what I believe to be a male and a female. When I first got them, they were in a 5G tank together with 2 Cherry Shrimp(breeding, and 2 Nerites.
I kept them there for about 6 months and they were very happy always darting around together, sharing food, sleeping in their cave together. After a stocking swap, I had an open 10g tank and transferred both puffers to the 10g w/ Cherry shrimp (Breeding) & 1 Nerite Snail

Both tanks are almost identical minus volume(10g has airstones); heavily planted, with duckweed & water lettuce, and other plants.

Two and a Half weeks after the transfer and my female puffer has not been eating, one of her eyes is cloudy, and her tank mate is now attacking her.

I moved her back to the 5g to try to heal up for a bit. I use prime and weekly water changes. Any suggestions for treatment methods or suggestions on what to do going forward.

Thanks you very much!
Emily & Mike

 

Hi everyone!
(Temp: 78-80, NH3,NO2,NO3: 0/0/>20, last water change Tuesday)
I have 2 Pea Puffers, what I believe to be a male and a female. When I first got them, they were in a 5G tank together with 2 Cherry Shrimp(breeding, and 2 Nerites.
I kept them there for about 6 months and they were very happy always darting around together, sharing food, sleeping in their cave together. After a stocking swap, I had an open 10g tank and transferred both puffers to the 10g w/ Cherry shrimp (Breeding) & 1 Nerite Snail

Both tanks are almost identical minus volume(10g has airstones); heavily planted, with duckweed & water lettuce, and other plants.

Two and a Half weeks after the transfer and my female puffer has not been eating, one of her eyes is cloudy, and her tank mate is now attacking her.

I moved her back to the 5g to try to heal up for a bit. I use prime and weekly water changes. Any suggestions for treatment methods or suggestions on what to do going forward.

Thanks you very much!
Emily & Mike

I’m going to bump this one, but I am sure it was caused by stress. It is very cool you had a pair of peas in a 5 gallon! Not everyone can do that, I really want to.

 

I’m going to bump this one, but I am sure it was caused by stress. It is very cool you had a pair of peas in a 5 gallon! Not everyone can do that, I really want to.

Thank you! I appreciate you saying that!!

I think you’re right about stress, it seems to be the only likely factor.
I was away for a week so I don’t know if the water fouled while I was gone but I’ve done two water changes since I got back and things aren’t better.
I was actually considering adding 4 more pea puffers to the 10 g but I’m obviously going to be holding off on that for now. I’ve heard pea puffers are happier in groups and I figured 6 would be appropriate for my 10g.

 

Thank you! I appreciate you saying that!!

I think you’re right about stress, it seems to be the only likely factor.
I was away for a week so I don’t know if the water fouled while I was gone but I’ve done two water changes since I got back and things aren’t better.
I was actually considering adding 4 more pea puffers to the 10 g but I’m obviously going to be holding off on that for now. I’ve heard pea puffers are happier in groups and I figured 6 would be appropriate for my 10g.

Yeah peas can foul the water pretty quickly. But 6 ina ten gallon is a no no. They are fine in any numbers but it depends on the tank size. If you want to get more, get 1 more but I don’t know how heavily planted your tank is. My motto is if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. In this situation I stand by that motto. If the pair is happy, then let em be. Like I said I think patients is important and people will help you with them.

 

Yeah peas can foul the water pretty quickly. But 6 ina ten gallon is a no no. They are fine in any numbers but it depends on the tank size. If you want to get more, get 1 more but I don’t know how heavily planted your tank is. My motto is if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. In this situation I stand by that motto. If the pair is happy, then let em be. Like I said I think patients is important and people will help you with them.

They’re separated right now anyway. I don’t need any mystery murders overnight. My only concern is suddenly they’re not happy now that they’re in a bigger tank. That’s where they got me stumped.

Side note;
Putting 6 in a tank is a lot of work I wouldn’t say it’s a no no, it would just requires a lot of work. Don’t want you to think I’m irresponsible now!
This was my care plan:
5%-10% daily water changes
lots of plants to break up sight lines.
Live food from a pipette with pest snails added daily.
You’d also need;
Airstones,
Heater
Filter (preferably one with high water turn over)
Lava Stone (additional filtration)
Plenty of hiding spaces (rock/driftwood)
Nerite snails / Shrimp (I say these things are necessities because they help to maintain the tank) etc etc

Thanks for the response
E

 

They’re separated right now anyway. I don’t need any mystery murders overnight. My only concern is suddenly they’re not happy now that they’re in a bigger tank. That’s where they got me stumped.

Side note;
Putting 6 in a tank is a lot of work I wouldn’t say it’s a no no, it would just requires a lot of work. Don’t want you to think I’m irresponsible now!
This was my care plan:
5%-10% daily water changes
lots of plants to break up sight lines.
Live food from a pipette with pest snails added daily.
You’d also need;
Airstones,
Heater
Filter (preferably one with high water turn over)
Lava Stone (additional filtration)
Plenty of hiding spaces (rock/driftwood)
Nerite snails / Shrimp (I say these things are necessities because they help to maintain the tank) etc etc

Thanks for the response
E

Right but due to aggression I would highly suggest not going with 6!

 

Fair enough!

Right but due to aggression I would highly suggest not going with 6!

 

Fair enough!

I would reccomend getting 1 more though! If you are confident that they are peaceful

 

I would reccomend getting 1 more though! If you are confident that they are peaceful

Yeah I may! I want to wait until my female is healthy again and then go from there!

I’m not sure whether getting another female or another male would be the better move.

 

Yeah I may! I want to wait until my female is healthy again and then go from there!

I’m not sure whether getting another female or another male would be the better move.

Female for sure. Males out numbering the females is a death sentence for them all. But if you get another female they should do better than ever!

 

Now that you say that it’s possible the aggression I was seeing was a part of mating season. That would explain the random aggression and if there aren’t enough females in the tank he’s always bullying her. Especially if she’s already weak or stressed from the move. Before the move id never seen any aggression between them so it’s possible I could have triggered some form of mating season.

Something to consider…

 

If possible, I would get a bigger tank and 3-4 more puffers. In my experience, they are very interesting to watch in a group setting and it will spread out the aggression so no 1 puffer gets picked on too much. Cheers!

 

Just a little update for everyone. Both puffers are thriving in their separate tanks. The female is fattening back up, and her eye is healing wonderfully. I believe she’s partially blind in one eye now due to the damage. I’m happy to see her doing well again!

If possible, I would get a bigger tank and 3-4 more puffers. In my experience, they are very interesting to watch in a group setting and it will spread out the aggression so no 1 puffer gets picked on too much. Cheers!

Hey thanks for the response! I have 6 tanks and a small reptile zoo in my home so unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to add another tank . However, I do have a 55 g filled with shrimp, snails, 8 rummynose tetras, & 8 Kuhli loaches. I could consider moving them there.

 

Just a little update for everyone. Both puffers are thriving in their separate tanks. The female is fattening back up, and her eye is healing wonderfully. I believe she’s partially blind in one eye now due to the damage. I’m happy to see her doing well again!

Hey thanks for the response! I have 6 tanks and a small reptile zoo in my home so unfortunately I wouldn’t be able to add another tank . However, I do have a 55 g filled with shrimp, snails, 8 rummynose tetras, & 8 Kuhli loaches. I could consider moving them there.

you could put a large group in there. in my experience, the larger the group of puffers, the more peaceful they will be to each other and other fish. my friend had one in a 10 gallon and it used to murder shrimp for fun, then he got 7 more and put them in a 29 gallon now none of them touch the shrimp