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Somehow walmart ended up with a tiny little yellow puffer with black spots. It's hiding in the bottom of the tank full of swordtails. I would like to rescue the little guy but I don't really know where I can put him. Is there any way at all he could go in a 90g community tank with fish like sparkling gouramis, threadfins, blue gouramis, congo tetras, cories, and small plecos? Otherwise there's a 20g long with guppies and a 5g that I was going to breed my sparkling gouramis in but I don't really want to use up my 5g. I know it's suggested to set up a species tank but if he gets sold to someone else who knows what other fish or conditions he'll be in. I just don't want to end up with him hurting all my other fish.

Check out the puffer pictures at http://www.pufferlist.com. It's most likely a young green spotted puffer, gets to around 6", requires brackish water (up to full marine when adult), and would probably try to eat most of your fish at some point even if it seemed peaceful at first. They require 30 gallons each because of their size and messy eating habits.

Eric

It doesn't really look like any of the brackish puffers but it's less than an inch so hard to tell. The back is covered in black spots/blotches that run together and the belly is lighter somewhat yellow.

It maybe a leopard puffer. Sounds like it. I had one and it was nice when fed but LOVES to sneak up on fish and nip fins. Anything faster it tends to leave alone. But needs to be fed or it gets board and sneaks up on fish. Do not leave with anything that has big flowing fins.

Well I couldn't resist I bought the little one for $1.50 as a spotted molly fry. The lady said he was the cutest baby molly she's seen. He's in the 5g by himself at least until I identify the species. Then I'll try to keep him or take him to a more knowledgeable fish store. At least they won't sell him off as a molly for someone's 10g community tank.

The puffer is changing colors a little. Some of his spots got darker and more defined and his belly got lighter. He looks almost exactly like this [link=http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/dwarf-puffer2.jpg]http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/dwarf-puffer2.jpg" style="COLOR: #004040[/link]. Except maybe more yellow but he has that streak/blotch marking that starts behind his eye and goes over his back then he has smaller spots down his side. His belly is alot more sunken in than that picture too I tried a few bloodworms but he doesn't seem at all interested in food.

You've got a dwarf puffer. They are freshwater. 2.5-3gal per puff. He may have internal parasites. Discomed seems to be the only thing that works, but the company doesn't exist anymore. Try to feed him frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp and pond snails If you keep him, you'll need to breed them. The puffs use them to keep their beaks trimmed)
You could also try a garlic supplement to soak his food as an appetite stimulant. Good luck with him!!

Kim

Yep, there are DPs exactly as you describe them. That 5 gallon will work for life for the little fellow. Look for discomed (lots of LFS still have some - at least in my area). Also try crushing small snails (with pliers - they can cause a nasty cut if you use your fingers)because DPs tend to go nuts for crushed snails.

Also, there is Jungle tank buddy FIZZING parasite clear which contains an antiparasitic (praziquantel). I used it to get a DP with shrunken stomach to eat. Then I found discomed at a LFS and treated further - but he wouldn't eat until I used the parasite clear (make sure it's the fizzing one with the correct medicine and not the crystals). It's one tablet per 10 gallons so you can just cut it in half for easy dosing.

Try the snails first, though. If you can get him eating it may not be parasites but just he's not been fed properly for weeks.

Eric

The puffer is happier but still not eating. At least he isn't sitting in the corner with his tail curved in a u shape. He actually swims around and looks at me. Do the jungle tablets hurt plants or shrimp? It's a planted tank and there's a couple ghost shrimp in there to clean up what the puffer is not eating.

Probably will harm the shrimp, but the DP may well nibble legs off the shrimp anyway. Any shrimp, crab, snail is possible puffer food, but with DPs the bigger ones are safe.

Still, you've got to get him eating, and if he won't eat he won't eat discomed soaked foods, either so the tablets are your only bet.

Eric

I'd be happy if he nibbled on the shrimp but I don't want to just kill them off. The lfs gave me 2 more shrimp of the smallest the guy could net and some free pest snails. Then I bought some frozen brine shrimp. He ate the snails, has been following the shrimp around eyeing them, and completely ignores the frozen food. I'll get more snails today hopefully.

If he's eating the snails it may not be internal parasites at all - seems like lots of DPs are really hungry because the LFS only feed flakes.

Snails are best for them, but maybe with time he recognize other things as food.

Be sure and get the uneaten food out to keep your water quality good.

Eric

Fish with IPs still eat, they just keep gewtting skinnier anyway.