I have been thinking about puffers for a while now, and looking, and looking, and some more looking at them.
Today, I was done looking, and got one! At first I went for a figure eight puffer, then decided for a leopard puffer, until the store owner informed me that she has some nice, true freshwater, puffers, that stay small and are hardy little things. So, thats what I got!
Its a funny little thing, and keeps following his own reflection in the tank glass for now. I have to think of a name for him. He is the cutest. His tank mates are a few black skirt tetras, neon tetras, a sailfin mollie, cherry barbs, serpae tetras and a misguided guppy, which was supposed to be turtle food, but the smart turtle never liked it, so he found refuge in the tropicals tank.....
I even could feel his tiny little beak when I had him in my hands to get him out of the bag and into his tank. He had his first dinner of bloodworms, and is eating fine!

get him some pond snails he will love them good luck..I've always wondered do fresh water puffers actually puff or is that only sw puffers?

Thats funny, my daughter asked the same question. Guess she has been watching "Finding Nemo" a few too many times!
Honestly, I don't have a clue if they puff up or not. That would be cool to find out. Now, how do we make him mad?.....

I have pond snails plenty to go around, those little buggers seem to inhabit my pond filter these days....Its time for a little revenge!

Their little bellies puff up, but not like those porcupine puffers.

Tim

Aww that must be a site to see

Puffers are so cute , but I have read that its dangerous if the puffer feels threatened, because they may release their toxins and kill their thank mates.

Here is a quote from petfish.net
"Overly aggressive fish will pick on the puffer and make it feel threatened. The puffer, though it may take several days, will eventually reach its limit of tolerance and "clean house", either killing or seriously injuring the offending co-habitant. Puffers are formidable opponents when provoked. They will attack much larger fish - and win. Even if the larger, more aggressive fish kills the puffer or seriously injures it, the puffer will avenge itself through its natural poison - tetradotoxin."

heres a link to the page
Puffer Fish @ petfish.net

I have decided to give him a "puffers only" tank, he keeps bothering one of my longfinned black skirt tetras. Would he be fine in a 20 gl by himself, maybe with a few cory cats as companions?
Its almost impossible to get food to him anyhow, the bloodworms, krill and shrimp pellets all get eaten by the tropicals befor the food makes it down to him, or the corys for that matter.....

Is it a dwarf puffer? I saw those last year and instantly fell in love with them. I currently have two in my planted tank. I often advise people to keep them in a species-only tank (and yes, I am a hypocrite–but this works with my tank). They are VERY nippy, especially to long finned tankmates. Mine actually nip at my corys' fins sometimes. Mine love bloodworms though I had my last group long enough that I was able to train them to eat frozen shrimp and even flakes and pellets. These are still newbies and are working up to that. They do need shrimp or snails because their little beaks grow and they need to be able to keep them worn down.

If youre keeping him alone in a 20 gallon I would recommend adding a few more puffs for companionship. You can try corys but provide plenty of hiding spaces.

These guys are native to India. There has been dispute over their scientific name but right now they go by Carinotetraodon travancoricus. They get about 1.25" full grown. They are a scaleless fish and are very, very sensitive to medications. I lost all 15 of mine this year when I had to treat my tank for ich. It was awful.

Most are wild caught but some people have successfully bred them in captivity. When I have more tanks I may try it myself. Males get a brown bar on their underside when theyre in the mood for breeding.

They do have the puffer toxin but since they are so small its not dangerous. They also do puff up when theyre upset. I witnessed mine doing it when they were fighting over a worm–one bit another and the victim puffed up!! It is very dangerous and stressful to them though so I dont receommend making them puff!

Anyway in case you couldnt tell Im a fish geek and have devoted many hours to researching these little guys. Ask away if you have questions.

You sure are the puffer expert, Jen, and I remember your first puffers, and how proud you were of them.
Mine is indeed a dwarf puffer, and the lady in the store said he is a true freshwater puffer, not a brackish one. I took a picture of him, but am so busy right now, that I haven't even uploaded the recent show pictures yet. Or my tropicals tank pictures with all the new reddish plants in them, or a few other things...

er, just out of interest, i was thinking about getting a dwarf puffa, but after reading this im not sure.
I have a really cute little snail in my tank (called Dave) and im very fond of him, and i dont want him to get eaten. will a puffa eat it?

ottos are good tank mates and so are amano shrimp

Puffers are very curious and nippy fish. Anything slow moving in the tank may get nibbled at, including otos and shrimp. Snails especially are targets, as well as being an important food source for puffers.

I keep my puffs with dwarf tetras (amaandae and Cardinal tetras) who are much too active to be nibbled and Ive had no problems.

How are your puffer(s) ranchu girl?