# puff babies



## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

The dwarf puffers have been spawning off and on for about 4 weeks. Yesterday, I found the first 2 babies. They're second generation - their dad hatched in the same aquarium about a year ago.
Compare the size of the one in the photos to the duckweed...
If you think adult dwarf puffers are cute, you haven't seen baby peas


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## Johnnyfishtanks (Apr 21, 2010)

what size tank?


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## Tn23 (Apr 21, 2010)

Mind sharing some info? what are the parameters? They look adorable! Great job!


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## athena (Apr 22, 2010)

awww they look adorable! Congrats on the babies


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

Wow. those mini puffers are all head. It just looks like a swimming sphere.
Storm, it's so great that you share these photos with us. 
Do the parents look after them at all?


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## pt1190 (Apr 21, 2010)

Congrats Storm! They are so cute & tiny..how ever did you spot them


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## Brisch (May 13, 2010)

wow mad skill man.....My male and female used to try to kill one another


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## thefishwife (Apr 21, 2010)

Woo Hoo!!! So happy for you, congrats!


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## josephl (Apr 21, 2010)

Congratulations, those are so cute


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## budahrox (Apr 21, 2010)

Congratz Storm!!
That's very cool, never knew anyone successful at these Lil guys before.
Is there anything you can't breed??? LOL
Cheers!!!


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

Congratulations Storm. 

I know Sheryl (hoolagal) was breeding these little guys a while back. It's nice to see other hobbyist are having similar success !

Best Regards,

Stuart


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## Guest (Apr 17, 2011)

great pics !!! and funny, my puffs just started spawning again too ... must be the time change or time of the year ???


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks for the comments, everyone The dad was born in this tank last June, so we know they don't take very long to get frisky!

>Brenda and Shane, the mom is one of the puffers you gave me a couple years back

>> Ming, the parents don't even look at them. I was a little worried they might eat the babies, but so far I haven't seen any aggression. I've moved the 2 babies I can find to a grow-out tank.

>>> Johnnyfishtanks, Tn23,
breeding info: 20 gallon tank, temp 26 - 28C; pH about 7.6, 2 teaspoons of salt to every 5 gallons of new water. The substrate is sand covered in snail shells. (The salt and pH are for some livebearers that share the tank; last year the puffers spawned when the pH was only 7, so I don't think it's particularly critical as long as things are a little hard, and warm.)

Plants are critical. Boys play rough, and it's good to have an overgrown environment for females and fry to disappear into. Go for a 'Dutch-style' planting, even if you just use guppy grass and hornwort. Plants also foster the growth of all those little animals - rotifers, paramecia, copepods - which babies and even adults enjoy munching on. I'm feeding microworms, too, while they're still small.

Spawning has always occurred in a raised clump of moss or hair algae. The male chases the female, then synchronizes his movements with hers, hanging beside her and a quarter body-length back. He butts her ventral region with his head, repeatedly. This goes on for a while until they slide into the moss, her first, then him, for 3 to 5 passes.

Diet: snails. Puffers are lazy eaters. Give them bigger snails and they'll just take a couple of bites and wander off. If the snails don't move, the puffs lose interest. That causes 2 problems: a lot of rotting snail carcass, and bad beaks. Feed really small snails, so that the whole thing gets eaten, and so the puffs wear down the beak.

This adult male eats only snails, with some small live foods like copepods, daphnia, small scuds, new-born shrimp and fish fry (I think). The adult female also eats frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp.

here's a couple of shots of last years spawning


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