Care Guide for Puffer Fish in a Saltwater Tank

There are over 100 types of varieties of puffer fish, which are also called blowfish. They are kept in saltwater and freshwater fish tanks. Blowfish are intelligent with perky personalities, large eyes and prominent teeth. Aquarium owners often become attached to these cute and interesting fish, which are amusing and entertaining. In captivity, they live for about 5 to 10 years depending upon food and fish tank conditions. Puffer fish can reach anywhere from 1 to about 18 inches in length. However, most may only attain 10 or 12 inches in captivity.

The formula for figuring tank requirements is 5 gallons for each inch of body length of a puffer fish. Always allow extra tank space for future growth of the fish. Most puffer fish show a preference for saltwater aquariums; however, there are some that can be kept in freshwater fish tanks. An ideal pH level for puffer fish is 8.0 to 8.5. Preferred temperature ranges are 74°F to 78°F. Clean the fish tank monthly to maintain healthy living conditions. Any fish tank used to house a puffer fish should include a cover to prevent jumping. Puffer fish should also be supplied with rocks, plants or wood to be used as a hiding and resting place.

Keep only one blowfish in each fish tank, because housing more than one generally erupts in fighting or death. Most blowfish can share a fish tank with wrass or tang fish as tank companions. Generally, keeping blowfish with invertebrates such as clams, crabs and snails does not work well since these are all part of their natural diet.

Raise puffer fish with a diet of live algae, flaked food, algae wafers, freeze dried foods, krill, worms or prawns. Some of their favorite foods are invertebrates, crustaceans and fresh or frozen shrimp or clams. The meatier and freshest food keeps them in optimum health. Puffer fish should be fed hard-shelled cockle and live algae on a daily basis. It is important to feed puffer fish hard-shelled food to dull long teeth, which may become overgrown and prevent food consumption.

Blowfish are susceptible to parasite fish diseases such as ich, which is a common disease found on fish in both freshwater and saltwater tanks. The parasite attaches itself to the skin of a fish and looks like tiny white dots. These parasites are itchy and can cause a puffer fish to jerk and scratch about the fish tank to relieve himself of the itch. Liquid ich treatments are commonly available at any aquarium fish store for treating this disease.

Puffer fish are named puffers, because when frightened they naturally puff up into the shape of a small balloon. It is not recommended to transfer them from a fish tank during cleaning, because of this unusual condition. Each time a puffer fish puffs up it causes a potentially harmful situation and raises their stress level. They are also poisonous to eat if not properly prepared.

You can purchase blowfish from local fish stores, which is preferable to purchasing online. Buying locally gives you an opportunity to view a blowfish in its natural surroundings, inspect its physical condition and check for signs of disease.

Sources

http://www.pluspets.com/fish/saltwater-fish/puffer-fish.aspx
http://hubpages.com/hub/Puffer-Fish