# Feeding Ideas



## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Just wanted to hear from peeps whom keep or have kept "pea puffers" regarding

*1>>* What's the best type of food to feed? I know they will eat snails...flake foods if your lucky but not to rely on them. How bout dried blood worms?? What has worked rather than not....


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## liquid_krystale (Dec 13, 2011)

I saw a tank of pea puffers at IPU Richmond a couple of weeks ago, and they're just so cute! I had to fight myself not to consider getting a couple. Hopefully someone can enlighten us both.


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

I just bought a pair from IPU because they looked pretty neat and i've never kept any puffers... as far as feeding, i've had them for a couple days now and I actually havn't seen them eat at all. Really I hardly ever see them. My tank is pretty heavily planted and they hide out away from the Angels which constantly look like they want to use the puffers as a snack. I feed the tank a mix of flakes and bottom feeder wafers along with blood worms every few days. I'll keep you posted when I actually get a look at them eating


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Ya me too....they were a surprise...personally I research my fish to ensure suitability before purchasing....furthermore, that feeding would not be a problem...I don't want these guys killing off my other fish or each other....yikes...However, they are soooooo cute.....=)


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## monkE (Aug 4, 2010)

ya I also usually research the fish before purchase, but in this case they were like 2 bucks so i took a chance.... they didn't look so bite sized when they were at IPU but as soon as I got them in my 77gal. they sure do look like they are on the bottom of the food chain


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## grizadams_7mm (Aug 29, 2011)

We got 3 from IPU as well, with a little research we were unsure if they would be ok in our community tank. But now that they have been in there for a couple days it seems the other fish are to fast for the puffers and they seem content hunting down the snails in my tank  They don't bother the whiptails at all and all my green tetras are accounted for. As for the others in my tank they just cant keep up with them. I feed a mix of food but last night Brine shrimp was on the menu and they seemed to enjoy them, same goes for the blood worms the night before.


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## shelby67 (Jun 19, 2011)

We picked up a few at ipu on boxing day. We couldn't resist, they have been picking at the snails... So cute to watch. I also seen them eating blood worms...


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## IceBlue (Mar 17, 2011)

Dwarf Puffers : Home

some good info here. Cute little critters.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Thanx everyone for all the useful info and input...yes they are very cute indeed especially their eyes...just something about em eh!! I will be hatching some baby brine just to see if I have any success...lol But in the meantime they are hunting down snails and finally swimming about which is nice to see as well. I think they are starting to adjust to their surroundings and tank mates....=) Happy Fishy keeper I am


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

My puffies were good with my community fish except for guppies...they had a hate on for guppies....blood worms, brine shrimp, snails were their staple diet.

I have had friends whos pea puffers were holy terrors and killed or harassed everything to death and others that were peaceful. 

I have my brand new 55 gallon to set up, and will try a community heavily planted tank. I used a pipette previously to make sure they got some food, and will do that again. Hungry puffers are killer puffers lol 
I am keen to see how all your do...


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Puffs are awesome little fish. Very individualistic. This is what I found with my breeding colony...

best food:
-tiny snails, especially ramshorns. One site recommends snails the size of the puffer's eye, and I find that works. Anything bigger and they just bite off the exposed parts of the snail, leaving a great deal of dead meat to fester on the substrate. Also in that scenario, the fish don't wear down their beaks by crushing any shells. I collected mine from prefilters.
-live daphnia. Gives them something to hunt and lessens attention on other tank mates.
-baby shrimp. Cherry shrimp are the gift that keeps on giving. Maintain a colony of these or other prolific shrimp in with the puffers for a constant supply of shrimplettes.
-frozen foods like bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp may be accepted, or not, depending on the puffer. Not all will eat dead food.

Long fin fish of any kind could be in trouble. Some (not all) will harass slow moving fish. They certainly will eat fry from egg laying fish (small size).


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Thanks Storm for the info....will aid in keeping these lil guys alive....although this noon when I got home from snail hunting myself found one of my long term residents (long fin danio) belly up......and I can only count for three of the puffers....!! I was able to get a few very tiny snails from PetSmart which I had to fish out but hey the girl gave me what I caught for free....


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

What do you mean by the following?
"Also in that scenario, the fish don't wear down their beaks by crushing any shells. I collected mine from prefilters."


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## elemental (Jul 29, 2010)

puffers have beaks in their mouths like a parrot. Very visible in larger species. I even had to trim my green spotted's beak once....shells of snails ect keep it worn down and keep puffers healthy.
Dont think you could even trim a peas beak if you wanted too!!!


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

thanks, elemental

BubBleBee, I collect the baby snails when I clean filters. I'd be happy to set some aside for you.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Thanks Storm...that would be awesome =)


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## liquid_krystale (Dec 13, 2011)

Couldn't hold out any longer. I picked up a pea puffer of my own today. Oh man are they ever small. Mine is hanging out by the heater right now, but he has a fearless attitude and was cruising with the neons earlier.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Ya they are cute as heck.....!! Can hardly wait to transfer mine from the 46 to their new home...so we can see them floating around more. Congrats on ur new lil guy!


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

Moved to plant classifieds.


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