A male attracts a female by raising his keel and engaging in fluttering dance routines.

They are schooling fish that must be kept in groups of at least six specimens and, being particularly active swimmers needing lots of oxygen, this scenario practically demands a tank upwards of 90 l/20 gal for them. Because of problems distinguishing the two species, it isn’t clear which reports belong to Carinotetraodon travancoricus and which to C. imitator, but in all probability their breeding behaviours are identical. Males have ridges along their backs and bellies that can be raised when displaying or threatening rivals. Some stories describe dead dwarf puffers being found inside filters, but whether they were sucked in post mortem or while alive is open to conjecture. If you leave your dwarf puffer along with shrimp, they will pick on them even if they can’t eat them. Dwarf puffers relish snails, and aquarium owners have reported that just one dwarf puffer can make short work of an aquarium that has dozens, if not hundreds, of snails. Very small tanks often have inadequate filtration systems and dwarf puffers will not tolerate elevated levels of ammonia or nitrite for long. One of the relatively few Asian cichlids is from this part of the world too — the rarely traded but beautiful Canara pearlspot (Etroplus canarensis). This blog is the place where we tell you all about the pet shrimp. At one level it is fair to say that dwarf puffers and Otocinclus catfish get along reasonably well. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'shrimptips_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_4',107,'0','0'])); Some aquarium owners have reported that as long as their dwarf puffers are well fed, they’ll avoid the shrimp in the tank. Despite dwarf puffers wanting to eat your shrimp, dwarf puffers and shrimp can live side-by-side if they’re small enough. Before we conclude, let’s look at one last common tank-mate; the humble snail. It’s your job to keep the tank clean! Java moss, Java fern, Anubias, and hardy species of Cryptocoryne such as C. wendtii are recommended. Growth is fairly rapid and the fry will be 1cm/0.4” or so after two months.

Sign up to the free PFK E-Newsletter and get the latest news, reviews and competitions delivered straight into your inbox! However, if you don’t want your shrimp being harmed or want even to take that risk, it might be better to keep the dwarf puffers and the shrimp in separate tanks.

Indeed, the overall process is very similar to other Carinotetraodon species as well. Some of the live food that you can feed your puffers are crayfish, snails, shrimps, crabs, crickets, earthworms, blackworms, bloodworms, etc. And as if that wasn’t enough, I even managed to snare icthyologist Luiz Tencatt into writing about what goes on during a fish collecting expedition. The largest size of dwarf puffers can reach 1.4 inches. If you plan on breeding shrimp, remove the females when you see eggs or remove the eggs entirely to let them hatch in peace. It resembles C. lorteti but, on the few occasions it has been kept, has turned out to be substantially more snappy and aggressive. These tiny critters are pretty low... Hi! Wild pufferfish spend much of their time exploring by hovering over solid surfaces rather than cruising about in midwater. In an aquarium, dwarf puffers generally enjoy live fish foods like blackworms, cyclops, and pest snails, and frozen fish foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms.

I had many fish and other aquatic creatures, and it gave me great joy watching them live in this fascinating underwater world I created. Females are much like female C. irrubesco, except that instead of brown squiggles on the belly they have longitudinal stripes. The Bornean red-eye puffer (C. borneensis) is not traded that much, probably because it has temperament issues.

As for distinguishing between male Carinotetraodon travancoricus and male C. imitator, there seem no consistent methods.

It’s the good stuff. So long as both have enough room and places to explore, hide, and scavenge for food, conflict should be rare. Dwarf puffers are best kept in groups of their own kind, but that’s not really a problem because they’re such entertaining animals. Spawning occurs readily if dwarf puffers are given the right conditions, namely lots of live food, slightly soft and acidic water conditions (pH 6.5-7, 5-10ËšdH) and suitable spawning sites. Mature males of both have the keel, revealed by a dark band running along the belly of the fish. The dwarf Suckermouth catfish of the genus Otocinclus have been widely recommended as good companions. Bloodworms, glassworms, black mosquito larvae and krill all make good staples.Occasional morsels of chopped seafood such as squid and mussel can augment the diet which should be varied to avoid problems with vitamin deficiency. However, Otocinclus aren’t especially easy fish to keep. The Red-eye puffer, C. lorteti (above), has been around for decades but, because both sexes tend to be snappy towards one another as well as other fish, it’s never been that popular.

There’s no need to add salt to the water, despite being occasionally suggested in the past.

Fast-growing floating plants such as Limnobium laevigatum are also useful to provide shade and cover while helping to remove nitrate. A stressed dwarf puffer is likely going to take out its frustration on the shrimp tank-mates. Keep the stress level in the tank down. With dwarf puffers, it’s very much a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ when it comes to territorial aggression. Many owners are quick to bring up how their beloved puffers seem to beg for food or follow them around in the tank. Ideal conditions would be around pH 7.5, 10ËšdH for general maintenance, though somewhat softer conditions may be required for spawning. So despite the risks, dwarf puffers can live side-by-side with some of the larger shrimp species. While dwarf puffers are smart and curious fish, who are well aware of their surroundings but are still fish at the end of the day, they still get hungry and are always drawn to feed on small animals. So we’ve discussed dwarf puffers eating shrimp, but let’s look at the big question of whether dwarf puffers can live with shrimp.

The blotches on the flanks are generally bigger and arranged in longitudinal bands. He then quickly chases the female away and assumes total responsibility for broodcare. In terms of stocking density, a good rule of thumb is to allow about 10 l/2.5 gal per puffer. We use cookies to improve your experience of this website by remembering your usage preferences, collecting statistics, and targeting relevant content. In the wild, dwarf puffer fish food includes small animals such as crustaceans, insects and near microscopic organisms. In the wild, they primarily feed on molluscs (snails), small invertebrate and insects. link to Are Ghost Shrimp Fish Poop Eaters Or Not? Dwarf puffers are small, so will they get along with small animals like shrimps? Even if a shrimp can fend for itself, which they will do, a dwarf puffer won’t resist the urge to take a nip at one.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'shrimptips_com-box-4','ezslot_1',108,'0','0'])); Of course, smaller shrimp species, like bee shrimp, are a no-go as your dwarf puffer will eat them. If you continue to use this site we’ll assume you’re happy to receive all cookies. All rights reserved. Baby Cherry shrimps, for example, will be eaten by dwarf puffers without any hesitation and, even when fully grown, the smaller species like Bumblebee shrimps will continue to be at risk.

particularly well favoured. Males defend territories and look after the young, so they tend to be the most aggressive. The tail fin is metallic blue-green with white around the edges.

Maximum length is about 5cm/2”. Almost any small, meaty frozen food will be accepted.

Complicating matters further is the variety of C. travancoricus traded as the Blue-spotted dwarf puffer. Provide your puffers with such opportunities. Otocinclus feed almost entirely on green algae and aufwuchs in the wild, so it’s important they have an adequate diet. Pufferfish diets comprise of algae and invertebrates, and large specimens can also crack and eat clams, shellfish, and mussels with their hard beaks. You might have a few survive, but if you don’t want to take the risk, remove the young as soon as possible.

Depending on stocking density, water changes of 25-50% per week are recommended. Dwarf puffers are endemic to the Kerala region of India and found in lakes and slow-moving rivers with plenty of submerged vegetation, leaf litter and sunken wood. Algae wafers are a good staple food, augmented with extras like squashed tinned peas and thinly sliced cucumber.

Clean your tank regularly, change the water and filter, and ensure the temperature and oxygen are in the safe zone.

Dwarf pea pufferfish are carnivorous and despite their cute appearance, they have quite a fierce appetite! When first introduced to their new home, dwarf puffers tend to be rather shy.

Some dwarf puffers will avoid shrimp if they’re well-fed, and others will still go after them. But if you want to make a nano or small tank with both dwarf puffers and shrimp, here are some easy steps that might give you success in keeping them together. The beautiful Striped red-eye puffer (C. salivator) is only rarely traded.