Top 3 Places to Find Sand for a Freshwater Pufferfish Tank
If you’re interested in keeping freshwater pufferfish, then you’ve probably already read through few sources of information that recommend using sand as your aquarium substrate. The primary reason puffer keepers prefer sand over other substrates, like aquarium gravel, is because it is less abrasive on the belly of fish – this is especially important when you are keeping a species of puffer that likes to bury itself under the sand. Fortunately, there are plenty of places that you can find sand suitable for aquarium use, and some of them are very cost effective as well. 1. Hardware store. You can usually find really cheap bags of playground sand at hardware stores – under $10 at most locations in my area. Although, it’s important to [...]
How to Feed a Stubborn Freshwater Pufferfish Snails
Sometimes, it can be very difficult to feed snails to a new freshwater pufferfish. In fact, many will not eat for a week or so because they are still recovering from the stress of transport, and the completely foreign environment – this also includes normally enticing fare, like frozen blood worms and shrimp as well. However, if you have already given your puffer adequate time to settle in to his new home, then here are a few tips to help you jumpstart your puffer’s appetite for snails again. 1. Smash the snails. This has worked for me quite a few times – for snails with a weaker shell, like pond snails, this is really easy to do with your fingers. However, if you don’t [...]
Don’t Feed Goldfish to Freshwater Pufferfish
While some puffers are truly piscivorous (fish eaters), the majority of freshwater pufferfish are not. Most of the commonly purchased puffers eat a diet rich in crustaceans, like crabs, mollusks and snails. All puffers require hard foods so that their beaks don’t overgrow – similar to the teeth of a pet hamster. Unfortunately, the soft flesh of a feeder fish is not going to do anything when it comes to filing down such a hard surface. However, the softness of the common feeder goldfish is not where the harm really lies. Live Feeder Fish Transmit Disease to Freshwater Pufferfish The live feeders that you see at your local pet store are not ordered or kept so that they can be sold as pets. While some [...]
