# Fluval Spec V tank reset...would it work for a dwarf puffer?



## simplisticgreen (Oct 20, 2015)

I tore down my Fluval Spec V as my Betta is now swimming in the big pond in the sky. I've got it cycling and have been doing research on what critters I'd like to stick in there next. I'm sort of torn, as my plants are all tie downs with rhizomes...I just love anubias and java ferns. I never got heavy into actually planting plants, it was a frustrating endeavor that I gave up on and am sticking with the heartier ones.

As I do my research (we're planning on moving here soon so I don't want to pick up any fish at the moment, just letting the tank re-cycle itself as I did a full complete hard tear down of everything), I am finding that people are suggesting a full planted tank for a Dwarf Puffer. I'm going to be honest, the DP is the top choice right now for the next fish I want to keep. I know 5gal is a little on the smaller side but it's what I got. Does this mean I should be planting the rooted sort of plants or will the various Anubias and javas I have work? This is what the tank looks like right now:





There's two pieces of driftwood, the larger one and a smaller piece with a swim through hole. Both pieces have various greenery tied to them. Would this be enough 'stuff' in the tank to keep a DP occupied? I've heard that they can get bored easily and need things to do and places to explore. 

My other options are another Betta, but with how the tank is currently set up it might be harder for a long fin Betta to navigate. Shorter finned fish are a little harder to find where I am, all the Bettas I have seen in stores are the large fins and showy ones. I really sort of designed things with a smaller fish in mind. Or I could get an african dwarf frog. I have been looking at the AqaAdvisor stock calculator and those are the three options I have for a larger critter to stick in my tank along with a few shrimp that I plan on adding too. Yes I know a DP could eat the shrimp and I am ok with that. 

Would this work for a DP or should I go the frog/hunt for a short finned Betta route? I really like the DPs, they are so cute and my LFS carries them. Sorry for the long winded post, my thoughts escape me sometimes. Thanks! :smile:


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

I personally would skip them in a 5 gallon tank. They do well in groups (more than 3) and are very inquisitive. They require high protein foods (either live blackworms, frozen bloodworms, raw shrimp) and in general are little pigs. The food they require, unless feeding live, will cause a mess in the water and require more frequent water changes.


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## Julie7778 (Apr 21, 2015)

I would have to disagree, Dwarf puffers are super fun and interesting little creatures. I think one would do great in there. 

As long as you don't mind doing water changes and spending a bit more on live food I think they're honestly not too hard. Mine were picky eaters. The one only eats snails and the other eats snails and brine shrimp. They won't touch bloodworms. Weird huh? 

Lovely little fishy! I definitely recommend them.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

*Julie7778*, as a former breeder of DP's I have to say that you don't have justifiable reasoning to cramming a high bioload fish into a small aquarium. High water changes will solve the bioload issue, but without others to quarrel with and explore the tank you don't see their dynamics. Plus, if they decide to dose ferts twice weekly water changes on such a small tank will throw off dosing.


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## Julie7778 (Apr 21, 2015)

*Tihsho,*

I am not underestimating your knowledge on DP, I'm simply saying I disagree, and I think a dwarf puffer would be great in a 5g, as long as the tank is clean. My tank with my two DP has two filters on it right now. Also, a nice rescape can always give them more places to explore!


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

I don't mean to derail the subject or come off as argumentative, but the point I just want to make clear is that it's like putting a 'dwarf goldfish' in a 5 gallon tank. Does it fit? Yes. Can it swim? Yes. Can you do water changes to keep up with the water conditions? Yes. But is it the right volume of water to be housing this theoretical species? No. 

One thing people don't get about puffers are their social dynamics. Put them in a larger tank in a group and then you will understand whole heartedly what I'm getting at. Adults that I kept got up to an inch and a half, which is fairly big for the species. These by far were snail destroyers as well as would inhale shrimp at the sight. 

By all means anyone can put what they want in their tanks, but it's not always the right thing to do is all I'm getting at.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Having kept dwarf puffers I have to strongly disagree about keeping them in groups. They are territorial and aggressive, even with plentifully stocked (live black worms and snails a-plenty in tank) well planted large tanks the male (worst hunter) harassed and killed the two females. They do fine as a solo dp, and solo can be kept in as small as a 3g(cycled an very well planted) tank. The reason for a heavily planted tank is they are messy eaters-they love snails but don't get all the meat, and don't always suck down every bit of worms or other tastiest. Having fast grower plants or a lot of plants helps deal with the nitrates from this (its good to remote empty snail shells as you find them. Having the tank densely planted also means the dp will explore more as it searches for food keeping it from getting bored. Also provides plenty of hiding places so it can feel secure.

If you want to lok at short finned aka plakat bettas try out fle*ebay *or aquabid.com


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## simplisticgreen (Oct 20, 2015)

I have no interest in keeping more than one DP, I don't want to endanger the lives of multiples as they grow older. Every place I have looked for information says that they are aggressive towards their species and many other types of fish that people try to house them with. I am completely fine with having one tiny fish in the tank with a few shrimp that it can munch on if it feels it must. Not sure why one would feel the need to stick more than one in a given tank, unless you are breeding; it seems like you are asking for future problems? I don't mind frequent water changes or if I have to swap out from only using the Fluval internal filter to adding HOB if extra filtration is needed. 

This is planned to be a species only tank with one DP in it with the addition of the shrimp for clean up/mobile snacks. My LFS carries live worms that I fed to my Betta on a daily basis for years. I have no problems with live feeding. Feeder type snails are relatively easy to get my hands on. 

AquaAurora - Thanks for the plakat Betta tip. I am a bit leery about buying fish online. I prefer to see them in person but I'll take a look at a few of the plakats. I cannot believe it's so hard to find the more 'natural' Bettas...all I see are these huge crowntails or rosetail Bettas at the local shops.


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## Jeff B (Oct 16, 2010)

I generally prefer female bettas over the males for look and personality. If you take a long look at a store tank full of female bettas there will usually be a few that are really quite nice to look at but are overlooked because everyone is looking at the flashy males in the tiny tanks above.

I found the same thing with cherry barbs. The red males get all the attention but the dominant females are bronze and brass with red fins that on closer look are actually nicer.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

On a tangent i agree with jeff on liking both genders of cherry barbs: got 12: 2f:1m ratio. They're plump and active and colorful.


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## Jeff B (Oct 16, 2010)

Here is an article in Practical Fishkeeping about keeping dwarf puffers:How to keep Dwarf puffer fish | Features | Practical Fishkeeping


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

This article was actually a big debate on the Puffer Forum. I would recommend users checking that site out before assuming what's posting on the internet being fact.


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## Mumford (Nov 12, 2012)

It's been a couple years, but last time I dealt with them I followed advice very similar to @Tihsho and never had issues. Mine did better in groups and made messes that would not go over well in 4 gallons of water (essentially what you have after everything is added). I was able to reduce the messes by having them pull worms from tweezers but that didn't solve the issues.

I'd skip and go for something else if it were me, even though they are cool


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## Jeff B (Oct 16, 2010)

Tihsho said:


> This article was actually a big debate on the Puffer Forum. I would recommend users checking that site out before assuming what's posting on the internet being fact.


I have no experience with puffers, so if others who know better disagree with the linked article then it would be worth reading that thread on the puffer forum.

Bump: Least killifish might be a better alternative to puffers if you want a little fish with personality. http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/heterandria-formosa/


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## smug vic (Apr 3, 2015)

I have the same exact tank, with a little more plants that I have my DP in with a couple of otto's and I think maybe snails they all get along fine. The DP is really fun to watch and neat, they have weird little facial features and will eat blood worms straight from the tweezers. Also another small fish would be a bumble bee goby.


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

Ugh, I hate to be Negative Nancy in this thread, but well... so be it...

I would not recommend bumble bee gobies in any nano unless it's a brackish water tank. There are a few species that are freshwater, but you rarely find them in stores. They die prematurely in freshwater.


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## smug vic (Apr 3, 2015)

Tihsho said:


> Ugh, I hate to be Negative Nancy in this thread, but well... so be it...
> 
> I would not recommend bumble bee gobies in any nano unless it's a brackish water tank. There are a few species that are freshwater, but you rarely find them in stores. They die prematurely in freshwater.


mine seem to be doing fine in non-brackish water and its been about 6 months. so I guess i'm still waiting for them to prematurely die.

thanks nancy.


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## Jeff B (Oct 16, 2010)

Tihsho said:


> Ugh, I hate to be Negative Nancy in this thread, but well... so be it...
> 
> I would not recommend bumble bee gobies in any nano unless it's a brackish water tank. There are a few species that are freshwater, but you rarely find them in stores. They die prematurely in freshwater.


When someone starts a thread asking for people's stocking suggestions and opinions you're supposed to point out problems of you think you see them. So hopefully some potential stocking mistakes that "the guy at the pet store said was ok" can be avoided.

I was at a party once and looked at the bookshelf to see one of those one gallon hex tanks with the Christmas bulb light fixture that had 10 small guppies and a baby tiger barb. I believe the name of that aquascape was "Trouble a'Brewing".


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## Soxfandowd (Aug 1, 2014)

I have 3 DP in my community 40B. I don't have problems because everyone else is so much bigger and faster than they are, fortunately. I went from feeding 1 cube of frozen blood worms daily out of a turkey baster to 2 cubes daily because the other inhabitants have developed an addiction for them. Even the dwarf panda cories love the blood worms. DP are messy eaters and I would not want to have to deal with the amount of water changes in a small tank. I'd actually love more of them but feel I got the only 3 in the world that don't pick on anyone else or each other.


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## ohheywhatsuphello (Sep 22, 2015)

I have DP in my spec V heavily planted...they're awesome


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## WaterLife (Jul 1, 2015)

It is true what Tihsho is saying (by the way is your name supposed to say "tissue"? haha).

Dying prematurely is simply them dying sooner than their normal life expectancy. Keeping brackish water fish in freshwater can shorten their lifespan (there has been talk that a bit of salt in the freshwater improves the health and longevity of freshwater fish, but that is not 100% confirmed and most likely dependent on species), and vice versa. Same can be said with keeping fish in undesirable water parameters (temp, TDS, pH, etc.). How much the lifespan is shortened depends on many factors.

As mentioned there are many species of bumble bee gobies, some which really do need brackish water. It is possible you got a freshwater species, research how to ID your species. Fish can be tolerant (some more than others, some even completely adaptable) of salinity, so it is tough to say how much the lifespan is shortened, but if there are many reports of brackish gobies dying quick in freshwater that is something to take note of (many factors, such as severity of water param differences, overall fish health, etc play a role).

And I also do agree with what Tihsho has said about the puffers as he is mentioning what he finds is best for the well being of the fish. That is his advice and experience with dwarf puffers and I agree. Not entirely sure about the group thing, the are social fish, but in groups they can quarrel, but I suppose that is natural behavior and the fish themselves are used to and fine with it and actually prefer those interactions (even if they may not look pleasant) rather than kept singly. Now if one is being overstressed/harassed, then actions should be taken before the stressed fish dies (either more hiding/retreat spots or more females, or maybe another male so the males can spread out the aggression. But my experience on dwarf puffers is limited, but what knowledge I have gained, most if not all of what Tihsho has said seems true.

But alas, all we can do is offer advice and suggestions on more ideal/preferred set ups.


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## AquaAurora (Jul 10, 2013)

Why do people cling to the myth that dwarf puffers are brackish fish? They're fresh water species. I trust this site for all info on fish, great resource:
Carinotetraodon travancoricus (Dwarf Puffer) ? Seriously Fish


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## Tihsho (Oct 10, 2007)

@WaterLife, thanks for the support  
@AquaAurora, I believe what Waterlife was mentioning in regards to brackish were the Bumblebee Gobies. He in no way mentioned that the DP's were brackish...


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