Some General Puffer Keeping Practices Pufferfish are unique fish that have become increasingly popular throughout the aquarium hobby world. Their comical way of swimming and independently moving eyes make many people fall in love with them instantly. Unfortunately they suffer from a wealth of incorrect information on the internet and in books. It is possible that pufferfish have the largest volume contradictory information on how to provide proper care. This article and site hopes to help provide a source of accurate information on the care of freshwater and brackish water puffers, and to more clearly distinguish between the two. Unlike many of the common fish in the business today, these fish have some very specific needs when they are kept in captivity, several of which are explained here. When bringing a puffer home for the first time, it is important to know that puffers are especially sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. Small amounts can wreak havoc on them and extended periods in these conditions will often result in a very sickly puffer, often leading to an early death if nothing is done to correct the situation. For this reason, all puffers should only be introduced to a fully cycled and established tank. Introducing puffers into a brand new set up is more often than not a death sentence for them. When feeding puffers, the keeper must realize that they do not need to be fed often, especially the larger puffers. They are very good at begging for food and the owner must learn to resist the puffer’s charm. All puffers should have a well balanced and varied diet in order to mimic their natural diet as close as possible. This diet needs to include hard crunchy foods, such as snails, to curb the growth rate of their teeth. Puffer teeth, much like rodents, never stop growing and if crunchy food is not provided, the puffer will eventually be unable to eat and will starve to death. When you feed snails, be sure to avoid Malaysian Trumpet Snails, as their shells are