All about Dwarf Puffers

About Dwarf Puffers

Originating from the inland waters of India (Kerala), Dwarf Puffers (a.k.a. "Malabar Puffers", "Dwarf Indian Puffers", "BB Puffer", "Pygmy Puffers", "Sea Frogs", "Blue-Eyed Puffers", "Bumblebee Puffers", "Pea Puffers", or "Abeni Puffers") were first seen around the mid 1990s in Europe. It wasn't until the late 1990s that they were seen more often and were available in the United States. Recently they have gained enormous popularity due to local fish stores and large chain stores like Petsmart keeping them in stock (though it seems that most Petsmart locations have stopped carrying them).

Their relatively low pricing ($2.00-$5.00 U.S.) and the fact that they can be kept in smaller aquariums have definitely contributed to their popularity, with Dwarf Puffers now accounting for the majority of new pufferfish purchased by hobbyists.

Scientific Names

This subject is one of great confusion! If you search for the scientific names of Dwarf Puffers, you will come up with names like: Tetraodon travancoricus, Monotreta travancoricus and Carinotetraodon imitator.

I eventually learned that there are only two species (or variants): Carinotetraodon travancoricus and Carinotetraodon imitator. This information was provided to me at the Pufferfish Yahoo Group in two particular posts:

LinearChaos writes - "Ebert's book has all three of the dwarf puffers under Carinotetraodon...Carinotetraodon travancoricus (for the usually seen dwarf and the blue green) and Carinotetraodon imitator.

I've never heard of the others and I would stick with Carinotetraodon as a constant for the dwarf."

RTR writes - "To my understanding, the dwarf puffers (both species or both variants, whichever they turn out to be) should be called Carinotetraodon, as they have the keel/crest which is a determining characteristic for Carinotetraodon versus Tetraodon. Most taxonomists consider Monotreta a junior synonym for Tetraodon."

Below are photos of the male and female of each type. We are not quite sure if they are actually two different species:

C. travancoricus (male)	C. travancoricus (female)
C. imitator (male)	C. imitator (female)

Size and Appearance

Dwarf Puffers reach an adult size of about 1inch (2.5 cm), making them the smallest of all puffers. They have black eyes that turn blue whenever they are in the light, and the eyes can also move independently of each other (like a chameleon). They can open or close their tail fin depending on if they're stopping or going. They will also "curl" their tail sometimes, which has a variety of meanings; from showing discomfort or sickness to being a form of easing maneuverability. Every now and then you will see them open their mouths up wide as if they're "yawning". Their spots/patches are different colors and shades, from bluish green to black, from light to dark. Depending on their mood, they can change how dark or faded their spots are. I also think that each Dwarf Puffer may have its own individual pattern of markings... kind of a "fingerprint".... no two are the same it seems.

Sexing

Determining the sex of Dwarf Puffers when they're young is very difficult since most of their secondary sexual characteristics do not show up until they reach adulthood. Most of the Dwarf Puffers sold in stores are juveniles, so picking out how many males and females you're getting can be next to impossible. Most owners won't know until their dwarves are grown. When they are old enough, however, it is easy to tell the males from the females: The males have a dark line that runs down their belly (their bellies have more yellow coloring as well). The vertical line on the males darkens with sexual maturity and during spawning. The males also have lines or "wrinkles" behind their eyes that the females do not have. The C. imitator male is identifiable by a "keel" and "comb" created with the ability to erect their dorsal and ventral ridges. Finally, another way to determine the sex of a Dwarf Puffer is to look at its body shape. The female's body will be much rounder than the male's.

Male	Male's Lines	Male's "wrinkles"
Female	Female (left) and Male (right)

Breeding

We have several members here on the Dwarf Puffer Site who have successfully bred their fish and are currently raising fry. To learn more about breeding Dwarf Puffers, please visit the "Breeding" section of the Dwarf Puffer Forum.

One of the best accounts of Dwarf Puffer breeding that exists on the internet is Ren's Dwarf Puffer page. I can't thank him enough for providing such a valuable resource! Also be sure to check out the archive of Ren's Posts.

Personality

Dwarf Puffers are very interesting, intelligent and active fish. They learn to recognize their owner and will come to the glass to see what you're up to whenever you're in the room. They also will beg for food (they even learn what the container looks like) or follow your finger around the glass. If you put your hand in the tank, they will have to be right by it at all times. It's as if they have to know exactly what you're doing! You also have to be careful when siphoning water from the tank, because their curiosity will sometimes lead them a little too close to the siphon tube! I've sucked one up a time or two and had to rescue them from the bucket! These little guys have tons of personality and are by far one of the most fun fish to own :)

Tank Size

The great thing about Dwarf Puffers is that their small size allows them to be kept in smaller fish tanks. You can have all the fun of owning puffers without having to setup the larger tanks that most other puffer species require. The majority of dwarf owners keep theirs in small setups of 5 to 20 gallons (19L to 75L).

Even though they are small in size, dwarves need roughly 2 to 3 gallons per fish to have adequate space. They will become aggressive to one another if cramped too tightly together. They also become more aggressive as they age, particularly with sexual maturity. Make sure to keep this in mind when choosing your tank size as well as stocking it.

If you are able to tell the gender of your Dwarf Puffers, then arranging them based on their sex would be beneficial. Most people will keep 2-3 females to every 1 male since the males will be less aggressive this way. Male Dwarf Puffers have been known to fight each other to the death, especially during mating season.

Dwarf Puffer Tank

Equipment

Dwarf Puffers do not need any kind of special equipment for the most part. There should be a heater to keep their water around 80F and enough wattage in the hood lamp to nicely illuminate their tank (and grow your plants if you're using live ones).

The only area that you do not want to skimp on is the filter. Dwarves, just like all other puffers, are messy eaters and produce a lot of waste, therefore a good filtration system is essential. Power filters such as Hagen's Aquaclear series or Marineland's Bio-Wheel series are excellent for Dwarf Puffer tanks. If your puffers are very small, make sure to cover the filter intake with some type of foam to protect them from getting sucked into the filter.

AquaClear

Bio-Wheel

Filters come with various types of media which usually consists of a pad or bag full of activated carbon, and sometimes a foam block. The carbon is useful in cleaning up the water but also makes it more difficult to treat the water with medications, supplements, etc. It is advised to remove the carbon altogether and just use good maintenance habits to have clean water (it's really up to the hobbyist, though). Pufferpunk uses a stacking method on the filter media in her puffer tanks that works very well:

"As far as the stacking method: Aquaclear filters come with a foam rectangle. That goes on the bottom of the box. It is used for mechanical filtration & is rinsed every week. Next, is a 1" layer of filter floss. This "polishes" the water & leaves it crystal clear. I rinse it every week & toss it every month. On top goes a bag (I use an old fishnet stocking) of Bio-Max. This is for biological filtration & is lightly rinsed every month."

Plants/Decorations

Some people use fake, plastic plants and decorations. Some people use some fake decorations and some real decorations. Still, there are others who will only use live plants and real decorations. This is really up to the hobbyist since the puffers don't care either way. The one thing that is very important with a Dwarf Puffer tank is that no matter what kind of plants you use, you want to use a LOT of them!

Dwarf Puffers need places to establish territories and will do best in heavily planted tanks. The plants also break their lines of sight and will cut down on their aggression towards one another. The other purpose that the plants serve is to add complexity to their environment. In a more interesting habitat, the puffers' curious and explorative nature can really be seen. They won't spend so much time swimming up and down the glass out of boredom.

It's also a good idea to add multiple caves/hiding spots throughout the tank. This will give the puffers a place to escape if they feel threatened.

Live Plants

Dwarf Puffer In Plant

Tankmates

Dwarf Puffers are definitely not community fish and are best kept in a small species setup. Some people do keep them in larger community tanks with success, but it is not recommended. Dwarves are vicious little critters and will nip the fins off just about any other fish. They are capable of killing tank mates much larger than themselves with their relentless picking and nipping. Also, their small size can cause them to be eaten by larger fish. If you're going to keep dwarves, plan to provide them with their very own tank. There are a few tank mates that can be successfully kept with dwarves, though, and are worth mentioning:

• Otocinclus - Known as "otos" in the aquarium trade, these little guys are an excellent addition to a dwarf puffer tank. Almost everyone who has tried them has successfully kept them in a dwarf tank with little to no problems. They remain small and do not attract much attention to themselves. They are also algae-eating machines! Learn all about them here.

Otocinclus

• Shrimp - It's basically a gamble with shrimp. Some dwarves don't even notice them, while others will rip them to shreds within minutes! I have had a great deal of success keeping Amano Shrimp with my Dwarf Puffers so far, but I know that as soon as the puffers find out the shrimp are tasty, that will be the end of their peaceful coexistence! I would suggest buying some ghost shrimp from the local fish store and giving it a shot. Ghost shrimp are a very inexpensive feeder food, so if your puffers eat them, you're not out much money and the dwarves have gotten a great meal out of it. If they don't eat them, then the shrimp will make an excellent "cleanup crew" for your puffer tank.... scavenging the bottom and cleaning up any leftover food.

Cycling

Whatever you do, make sure that your tank is cycled before adding Dwarf Puffers to it! They will not survive the cycling process and you need to have everything balanced out before adding them. There are a few methods for cycling your tank:

• Bio-Spira - This is by far the fastest and easiest way to cycle an aquarium. This stuff is just incredible! Check around your area for it.

Bio-Spira

• Fishless Cycling - This is also an effective method, it just takes much longer. Two great articles on fishless cycling can be found here and here.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance and upkeep is very important in a Dwarf Puffer tank due to their messy nature. Weekly vacuuming of the substrate and removal of all uneaten food should be done, as well as inspecting/cleaning the filter and other equipment. Water changes of 50% per week should be done to maintain a healthy puffer tank.

I know what you're thinking... "50% water changes?!?!?!?" Yes, 50%! I was rather shocked the first time I heard about this also, but I found that most veteran puffer owners follow the 50% rule. Due to the high pollution generated by puffers, changing 50% of their water each week will ensure that their tank stays clean and healthy. 50% water changes also keep water parameters consistent and eliminate stress and immune system deficiencies. This gives the Dwarf Puffers a stronger resistance to bacterial and parasitic infection.

Feeding

Dwarf puffers can be easy to feed as well as difficult. Some of them are still collected from the wild (though most aren't), so getting them to accept prepared foods can be a chore. Others, however, will eat just about anything you put in front of them. The best way is to try various foods and see what works. Please note that it is common for them to not want to eat for the first few days you have them in your tank. They will eventually come out of their shyness and begin to eat, though.

• Frozen Foods - Bloodworms (midge fly larva - probably 90% of Dwarf Puffer owners use these as the main meal for their pets), Brine Shrimp, Mysis Shrimp, Daphnia, Tubifex Worms, Glass Worms (mosquito larva), and Krill. Remember that when feeding frozen food to your puffers, you should always thaw it before putting it into the tank. A great way to do this is to put the food, along with some water from the tank, in a small cup or shot glass. Then you can pour the food into the tank when it's thawed. Also, pouring the food through a brine shrimp net or other fine-meshed net will remove a lot of the extra "junk", causing less unnecessary pollution in the tank (thanks to RTR for that tip).

Eating Frozen Bloodworms

• Live Foods - Blackworms (commonly available, will stay alive in the refrigerator for a few weeks), Brine Shrimp and Snails. (Note: Brine shrimp are lacking in nutritional value and should not be a staple food source, but instead a treat)

Eating Live Worms

• Snails - Dwarf Puffers are molluscivores just like many of their relatives and should have snails in their diet. Not only are they a natural food for the puffers, but they also help them practice their hunting skills. Most snails are too large for them to "crunch" in the manner that other puffers do, but they will definitely take on a snail of any size. Regular pond snails are best because they have thinner shells and they are easier for the puffs to get to. As far as Dwarf Puffers needing snails in their diet to "wear down" their teeth, it has been agreed upon by most in the forum that they are not necessary for this. Dwarf Puffers seem to have no problems at all with overgrown teeth (unlike almost all other puffer species).
  
  As for feeding the snails to them, all you have to do is drop them in the tank.... the puffers will hunt them on their own (quite fun to watch). They stick their head into the shell and start thrashing around. It looks like a dog with its head stuck in a cardboard box!
  
  Make sure to give them snails every now and then as a treat. Your local fish store will usually give snails to you for free, or you can raise your own. Two great articles on raising snails for puffers can be found here and here.

Hunting A Snail

• Flakes, Pellets and Freeze-Dried Foods - While some people have had limited success with these types of foods, the majority have not. The dwarves will usually completely ignore these. If flakes are taken, they should not be a staple food source as they are lacking in nutritional value.

Water Parameters

Dwarf puffers are quite hardy and can tolerate a variety of water conditions. For them to be healthy and happy, though, you should try to give them the best conditions possible. Keep in mind that Dwarf Puffers are 100% freshwater fish! They can tolerate small increases in salinity but are at optimum health in pure freshwater.

• Temperature - While they can tolerate a broad range of temperatures, dwarf puffers seem to do best with a temperature of at least 80F (26C).

• PH - A PH of at least 7.0 is best.

• Nitrites and Ammonia - As with any fish, you want to keep these down to 0 at all times.

Diseases and Treatment

Most pufferfish are prone to diseases and infections and being that they are scale-less fish, they are very sensitive to what medicines/treatments you administer to them. It is best to be prepared ahead of time to properly handle any problems you may encounter.

• Ich - Aquarium salt should be used for ich treatments as well as a healing aid. Please note that this is the freshwater "aquarium salt" not "marine salt". Please refer to Pufferpunk's article: Puffers with Ich for information on diagnosis and treatment.

Aquarium Salt

• Fungal Infections - PimaFix is an effective, all natural anti-fungal remedy that is safe for puffers.

PimaFix

• Bacterial Infections - MelaFix is an effective, all natural anti-bacterial remedy that is safe for puffers. It is is also good for scrapes, wounds and torn fins (great for fin regeneration and less scarring of wounds). Improvements can be seen within a few days of treatment.

MelaFix

• Internal Parasites - There are a variety of medicines effective in treating internal parasites in pufferfish. If a puffer's belly looks "sunken in", then it most-likely has internal parasites. Make sure to avoid these puffers when selecting one to purchase at your local fish store.

Please note that NO COPPER-BASED MEDICINES should ever be used with puffers! They are too sensitive to handle these or any of the other more harsh chemicals.

Native Plants/Biotope

The following is a list of aquarium plants that are native to the India/Sri Lanka region, which is the homeland of Dwarf Puffers. The purpose of this list is to help someone design a Dwarf Puffer habitat using vegetation that would be found in their native areas. This list is not by any means complete, but it may provide helpful guidelines for planting your Dwarf Puffer tank. Please note that the light requirements listed are only the optimum lighting levels for the plants.... most of them will do just fine at lower intensities, they just may not reach their full potential. The light requirement is shown as "Watts Per Gallon" or "wpg". Click on the Scientific Name of each plant to see a photo:

Scientific Name	Common Name	Light Requirement	Difficulty
Aponogeton crispus	Crinkled or Ruffled Aponogeton	3.0 wpg	Easy/Medium
Aponogeton ulvaceus	Compact Aponogeton	2.0 - 3.0 wpg	Medium/Challenging
Aponogeton undulatus		2.0 - 3.0 wpg	Easy/Moderate
Cryptocoryne beckettii	Beckett's Cryptocoryne	2.0 - 3.0 wpg	Easy/Medium
Cryptocoryne walkeri var. lutea		1.0+ wpg	Easy
Cryptocoryne parva	Tiny Cryptocoryne	4.0 wpg	Challenging
Cryptocoryne undulata	Undulate Cryptocoryne	3.0+ wpg	Medium/Challenging
Cryptocoryne wendtii	Crypt Wendtii	2.0 - 3.0 wpg	Easy/Medium
Cryptocoryne willisii		3.0 wpg	Easy/Medium
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides		3.0+ wpg	Easy/Medium
Hygrophila corymbosa	Giant Hygrophila	2.0 - 3.0 wpg	Easy
Hygrophila difformis	Water Wysteria	3.0+ wpg	Medium
Hygrophila polysperma	Dwarf Hygrophila	3.0 wpg	Easy
Limnophila aquatica	Giant Ambulia	3.0+ wpg	Medium/Challenging
Limnophila sessiliflora	Dwarf Ambulia	3.0+ wpg	Easy
Microsorium pteropus	Java Fern	1.0+ wpg	Easy
Nymphaea lotus	Tiger Lotus	3.0 wpg	Medium/Challenging
Nymphaea stellata	Red and Blue Water Lily	3.0+ wpg	Medium
Rotala indica		3.0 wpg	Medium
Rotala macrandra	Giant Red Rotala	3.0+ wpg	Challenging/Difficult
Rotala rotundifolia	Dwarf rotala	3.0 wpg	Medium
Salvinia natans	Salvinia	3.0 wpg	Medium
Vallisneria tortifolia	Twisted Vallisneria/Dwarf Vallisneria	3.0 wpg	Easy
Vesicularia dubyana	Java Moss	1.0+ wpg	Easy

Biotope

For those of you who would like to take it one step further and create an actual Dwarf Puffer Biotope, the following article may be helpful to you:

Southeast Asia Back-Water
By: Robert Paul H.

Southeast Asia is home to many of the fish which are in most demand by hobbyists today. The backwaters of southeast Asia are both slow moving and thick with vegetation. Both above and below the waterline live many ferns and bamboo. The streams are packed with organic matter and stained brown by the iron rich red rocks that cover the bottom. You can recreate this environment with the following guidelines:

PH: 6.0 to 6.5
Hardness: 100mg/liter CaCO3
Temp: 75 to 79 degrees

Plants:

• Bamboo Plant, Blyxa japonica
• Giant Hygrophia, Nomaphila stricta

Recommended lighting:
3 watts per gallon of water

Substrate:

• laterite
• sand
• red gravel
• multi colored stones
• pebbles

Suitable Fish:

• Tiger Barb, Barbus tetrazona
• Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens
• Clown Loach, Botia macracantha
• Zebra Danio, Brachydanio rerio
• Honey Gourami, Colisa chuna
• Dwarf Gourami, Colisa lalia
• Pearl Gourami, Trichogaster leeri
• Paradise Fish, Macropodus opercularis
• Red Tailed Black Shark, Labeo bicolor
• (Dwarf Puffers!!)

The bottom layer of the substrate should contain iron rich laterite for the plant growth, topped with a mixture of sand and red gravel accented with larger stones and pebbles. Seachem's Flourite is a red clay gravel very suitable for this. To make things more interesting you can alternate to have some exposed areas of sand as well as gravel or rock, however the overall look of the substrate surface should be dark with a lot of red color. Broken pieces of red clay flower pots also make a nice accent. The over all look you are striving for is tall, bushy plants in the background and sides, and a rocky foreground. This simulates the plants growing close to shore while the outer areas are littered with rocks.