GSP concern

Poe

Poe

Chlorophyll junkie
Mar 6, 2007
8
0
0
Massachusetts
Recently cycled a 10 gallon brackish hex (AC 30, crushed coral substrate) for the F8 my gf wanted. Problem is, she came home with a 2.5" GSP (ugh). But I figured I'd have at it until we can get another 55 and cycle that in about 1 1/2 months. I've been doing 50% changes twice weekly. Anyway, the fish ate VERY well (crushed snails, cocktail shrimp and brine) and seemed extremely happy for the first week. Now it refuses to eat. It will take a small nibble, spit out most, and swim away. It buzzes up and down the glass frantically all day (which I chalk up to boredom), and doesn't respond at feeding time by approaching the surface. Started adding 2 tsp/ gallon salt during changes and bumping that up by 1 tsp every change (10 tsp, 11tsp, etc..) because it came out of a fresh tank at the lfs and my tank was started fairly low end brackish to begin with. My hydrometer's lowest mark is 1.012- and it hasn't even registered at that yet. Otherwise, the fish arrived fat and is still fairly chubby, has better color than it came in with, and is active with no outward sign of ilness. Teeth look ok as far as I can tell. Any suggestions? Is it stressed due to space or improper salinity? Might I be screwing up the bacteria with my routine and causing him undue stress? I'm a fw vet, and brackish is causing ME undue stress, even after I thought I'd done my homework ;)
 
How was the tank cycled? Iven if cycled properly, a 10g tank probably can't handle the bioload of that sized puffer. Please post ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH.
 
Try feeding mysis, bloodworms, and live snails.

tank is small but with that many 50% WC's, bioload shouldn't be a problem, but you do have crused coral in the tank. (tisk tisk)

also, a tSP really aint gonna do much for your SG, id try a quarter cup, of (like littlepuff said,) marine salt each WC.

P.Punk's right you should still check your levels.... specifically lookin at amonia and NO3

also, you have a considerable nitrate factory in yer tank. crushed coral absorbes nitrates and prevents them from exiting your system
 
You can't just willy-nilly add salt to a tank. You need a hydrometer. Don't raise the SG more than .002/week. 50% WC weekly is good for a healthy, properly-stocked tank.
 
.002 a week? i think he has a hydrometer. but if you are worried about .002 SG fluctuation, a hydrometer is worthless. you need a REFRACTOMETER.

hydrometers are never that reliable. they are acceptable in brckish because brackish species are estuarian, and would never experience a consistant SG in the wild, so plus or minus .003 up or down aint gonna hurt nobody

my brackish tank fluctuates between 1.012 and 1.018 on a weekly basis. i do this intentionally because its a brackish system.

my reef fluctuates between 1.025 and 1.027 consistantly due to evaporation.

.002 a week is pretty extreme. bumping SG up a quarter cup of salt in a ten gallon tank nce or twice a week would be nothing to worry about.

if the SG jumped .002 in like a half hour, that might be something to worry about.

anyways.....

you got the little guy to eat yet? keep us posted!
 
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just to reiterate. i used a hydrometer for years.

then when i got into reefs i spent 65 bucks on a refractometer, and 5 bucks on the calibration fluid.

this $70 was byfar one of the best things i have ever done for my tanks.

When my hydrometer reads 1.025, my refractometer reads 1.031.

so if you use a hydrometer, you're still some what guessing.

considering i had a $35 glass hydrometer, $55 + shipping for an instruemnet that is actually accurate was a steal...:dance2:
 
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Hey everyone.

He's eating a little...but not anywhere near like he should. After a little thought I have come to accept what I kind of didn't want to- that this isn't going to work and was unfair to the poor little GSP. Too much fish, too little tank. I think I could still pull it off, but bottom line is he's unhappy. SG has gradually been adjusted now to 1.012 -yes, with marine salt ;). Water parameters are **** near perfect. Also, for the record, I misspoke- the substrate is CaribSea Aragonite sand, not crushed coral.

I am taking him to the most reputable aquarium center in the state tonight and exchanging for the F8 we had initially planned to house. He will be well cared for there, and the new puffer should be much happier, I hope. If not, I'll be back! I appreciate the help though.
 
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