?'s about Green Spotted Puffers

E

edmlfc

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Sep 17, 2007
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I am new to keeping the Green Spotted Puffers and totally confused. I have been reading about them for about a month and I have two Green Spotted Puffers that I purchased about two weeks ago. I am currently keeping them in a 10 gal. I have just set up a 160 gallon to move my cichlids. The puffers will be moving to the 44 gallon hex once the cichlids are moved. I do have a divider in the 10 gallon. The lfs kept them in freshwater and this is what they are in now. One is about 3 in. the other about 2.5 in. long. I am currently using aquarium salt. The ph is 8.0 nitrite 0 ammonia 0 nitrate 20. Trying to get the nitrate down. Doing 30% water changes twice a week and feeding only on even days. (every other day) I have purchased instant ocean salt to start the change. I have read post after post after post and article after article after article, many times over, etc..... Still confused............
My questions are:
1) Should I transfer the freshwater to brackish water or saltwater and recycle the tank before I move them so that I don't cause any unneeded stress to the puffers. Or do you really need to keep them in a saltwater tank.
2)If I need to make them saltwater, what equipment do I need and how soon should I get them transferred to saltwater? I don't have any predrilled holes for a sump. And I don't know anywhere that could drill a hole in my aquarium. I would rather not have any holes drilled if possible. Do I really need a sump & protein skimmer?
3) I am currently using a digital theometer, 36" bubble wand with whisper 40 air pump, whisperer 60 water pump HOB, Hydor theo heater 200w, will soon be changing heater to a jager 150 w. The hydor is very unstable.
4) Will the two puffers be able to live together peacefully in a 44 gallon hex? If not how long can I leave them in the 44 gallon before upgrading (wallet needs to recover somewhat) I will be using coral, lots of fake plants, crush coral substrate (may change to sand soon or just mix the two together).
As you all know each forum, website and book have different information. I would like to hear from someone that has kept the puffers for several years. No offense to anyone. I just would like true accurate information. I love my little puffers and would like them to have a long and healthy life. Their names are Cheech and Chong. We named them that because they look a little green in the face. (just a little humor)

One more question, when feeding my puffers today I noticed that Chong's belly got really lumpy and fat (normal) but Cheech's belly did not. Could this be that Cheech may have a parasite? If so how would I treat it? His belly did get a little round but you had to look really hard to notice it. He does not look skinny by any means when not feeding. Or is it that he just didn't eat as much as Chong?

P.S. I plan on moving my cichlids (hopefully, fingers crossed) in the next week.

Thanks for all your help in advance.
 
Providing both puffers get on with each other and it’s just those two in the tank, a 44 gallon should be fine.
GSP can be kept in freshwater when young but do need to moved gradually to brackish waters as they get older.
It’s proven that the health / lifespan is better when kept in salty water. (Instant ocean salt is perfect)
If you are changing tanks, make sure it well cycled before moving these fish as they are messy eaters and will cause
Havoc with the cycle.
You don’t need any special equipment to keep GSP, sump is not necessary and a protein skimmer is pretty useless
As these only work in very high brackish / marine conditions. Just make sure you have OTT filters to cope with the waste.
For substrate, crushed coral is fine but I like a good mixture of sand and fine gravel, more my preference really as I do worry
That when they rest they might catch themselves on any sharp coral but that’s your choice or see what others say.
I feed mine 5 times a week and try to get there belly nice and round, proving they eating well and provided with a good varied
Diet i would not worry if ones belly is not as big as the other, just keep an eye on it for the near future,
Hope this helps.
 
Yes it does help very much. The two puffers will be the only fish in this tank. I don't plan to add anything else to it (excpetion: a few feeder snails every now and then). I will keep a close eye on them for any signs of aggression and if I see they are getting aggressive towards each other then I will gladly purchase a new tank to move them into. Thanks so much for clearing up a few things. I am really leaning toward the sand.

Thanks again

More comments are always welcome.
 
Best article to help you out: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum...cus/an-introduction-to-green-spotted-puffers/
Your upgrade may be ok for a while but I do not believe a 44g is large enough for 2 adult GSPs. I had 2 in a 55 & they were crowded--especially with the ton of decor necessary to keep these puffers interested in their surroundings. The recomended minimum is 30g ea. That tank would be great for 1 & maybe you could add a couple of damselfish after they are in marine conditions. At the size they are at now, they should be at a SG of around 1.015. I suggest aragonite sand substrate, to keep the SG around a steady 8.

In the 10g, you may have to be doing daily WC to keep the bioload down. That tank is grossly overstocked with the puffers.
 
The 10 gallon is a very temporary home. Hopefully by Sunday I will be moving them to the 44 gallon. In about 6 months I will get a larger tank for my puffers or another 30-50 gallon if I have to seperate them. I want to put them in the 44 gallon before purchasing another tank to see if there will be any agression before buying a larger tank. Either way the 44 gallon will also be a temporary home for both or one (depending on aggression). Also depending on if I would need to set up a saltwater tank for the puffers or if I could keep them in brackish water. Thank you for your advise, I have read your post over and over about the puffers. Very helpful. Thanks again.
 
Sounds like a plan! High-end BW is good enough for adults but I recommend going a little higher to SW, to save on water changes. At that point, you can change your filtration from FW filters to live rock, live sand & a good skimmer. Much smaller water changes & lots of $$$ saved on salt.
 
Pufferpunk said:
Sounds like a plan! High-end BW is good enough for adults but I recommend going a little higher to SW, to save on water changes. At that point, you can change your filtration from FW filters to live rock, live sand & a good skimmer. Much smaller water changes & lots of $$$ saved on salt.
Click to expand...


I've been having my 4 puffers for about a year now this month. My salinity always stays around 1.008. What I want to ask you is, would it be better for me to take out the gravel and replace it with live sand? Also, are you saying that I could take off my two filters and just replace them with live rock and buy a skimmer? Right now, my tank looks like a freshwater tank and I'd like to make it look more like a brackish water tank, so this sounds like a good project for me.

What would be the best process to use in order to remove all of the pebbles and replace it with live sand? Would I have to take my puffers out? What is the best skimmer for a good price?


By the way, in reference to the original posters questions.. I've been having 4 puffers in a 55 gallon for a year now and they seem fine. They never fight, and usually lay next to each other on the bottom when sleeping. I know I'll have to get rid of a couple soon and all, but I'm just saying that you should be fine for a while. I want to get rid of a couple, I just don't have anywhere to give them to. The LFS here has a brackish tank, but their puffers always look horrible. I'm thinking it's because they get them in while they were in freshwater, and just chuck them in to the BW.

If anyone wants a couple healthy puffers, I could send them to you for free, just pay the shipping. But, I know it would be easier just to go buy them locally for 3 bucks.
 
If you really want them to go to a good home, you pay the shipping. Yu will have to make the transition to SWQ graduly. Replace the substrate with aragonite sand. It will eventually become live sand, after you add live rock but that can't be done until you raise the SG to at least 1.020 & that must be done very gradually (no more than .002/week or longer)
 
Pufferpunk said:
If you really want them to go to a good home, you pay the shipping. Yu will have to make the transition to SWQ graduly. Replace the substrate with aragonite sand. It will eventually become live sand, after you add live rock but that can't be done until you raise the SG to at least 1.020 & that must be done very gradually (no more than .002/week or longer)
Click to expand...

Thanks.:headbang2:
 
OMG, just read my last post. It must have been really late, I don't usually make that many typos!
 
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