Dwarf Puffer Fish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) pea pufferfish or pygmy pufferfish
Dwarf Puffer Fish natural habitat is in Southwest India. This fish is an ideal choice for small fish tank. There are several types of puffer fish, which lives in salt water or in semi-salt. However, these small and cute freshwater fishes only from their relatives living in the freshwater water and is often called Dwarf Puffer Fish.
Although adult dwarf puffer fish is not big (about 1 inch), in theory, one individual should go to 5 gallon water, because sometimes it can become territorial and fight for their territory. Therefore, the production of 1-2 females and 1 male minimal care should be taken about 10 gallon aquarium, unlike most other puffers which require much larger aquariums. Remember the rule – the larger the aquarium, the more stable its ecosystem so your fish tank becomes more balanced and it does not undergo any unstable jumps.
Dwarf Puffer Fish water conditions
These fish require good quality water so pay attention to nitrate, nitrite and ammonia the closer to zero. Needed more frequent partial water changes (about 30% per week). So you must to have a stable and healthy fish tank filter. These freshwater puffer fish popular as aquarium snail’s destroyers as they feed on small snails. If you have a small planted tank which is fully of snails these fish can handle this very quickly. Growing in aquarium the food usually be snails, bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia.
The dwarf puffer fish are more sensitive to the parameters of the water so be sure to carry out acclimatization (slowly put a little bit aquarium water into the container of fish which came) before adding them into the prepared your aquarium.
To determine a sex these fish it’s not too complicated but if you want to do it the fish have to be an adult or sub-adult. Generally, females are rounder behind males and have more assembled by writing, unlike the males. Males are usually elongated and written merged with one another. Also, males have “wrinkles” to the eye and a dark-colored vertical stripe through the abdomen.
When choosing other fish should be remembered that the dwarf puffer fish are quite aggressive in their size or smaller fish, so they are best grown in isolation. There are people who grow these fish with big shrimps but it should not forget that you always run the risk of losing them.
Why dwarf puffer fish?
- They are active swimmers and constantly looking for snails or other food after wandering about a variety of aquarium corners
- Small, so perfectly fit into a small planted aquariums or nano planted tanks
- Not so expensive
- Living in fresh water tank (Life span around 5 years)
- Effectively reduce unnecessary snails and minimize their population
In conclusion
This is perfect small, very interesting fish that can grow in small planted tanks. You can watch how they are eating and how they are looking for food. This is to liven up any aquariums with few fish and a lot of plants.