Thoughts about shy GSP

[PufferMe!]

Hi All,

I bit of background. I've had my GSP about 5 weeks now. He's in the avatar picture, and is young and about 1-1.5 inches. He has grown since I got him and eats well. I feed a big variety. Raw talipia, clams, mussels, snails, plankton and mysis shrimp. He was one of two gsp's in the tank at the lfs. He had the brighest color on his head, and did come to the glass. He is currently by himself in a 27-28 gallon tank, and the salinity is now 1.009. I hear how much they beg, but he is very shy. He will hesitantly come and eat from my finger, but I typically just drop the food for him, so he doesn't have to do that. I'm not overfeeding him. He eats once a day, to a round belly. He never "begs" or tries to greet me at the glass. He will often hide behind something and peek out. If he sees I have food he'll eat.
Did I just get a little guy who will be forever reserved and/or shy? Does this change? My water parameters are all fine. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and I do a wc weekly, and at the end of the week, my nitrates are at 10ppm

Love to hear what others have seen in these little guys.

Gwen

[porkypuffer1]

hey there how do you measure your water i used to use a hydrometer till i figured out they could be .4 off. I used to own a gsp good luck

[puffykid]

Are you spending a lot of time around the tank? If your not hanging out around him then he will be shy and not use to you. My other thought is to cut down to 6x a week and skip 1 day, he may just be getting a little to much food.

[PufferMe!]

To Porky - I do use a refractometer, so I'm pretty sure my salinity is at that level. @ Puffy, I do have one, no food day. The same day I change the water. He does not like that, and hides while I'm doing wc's. I was rearranging the tank in the beginning, trying to make it more interesting, but I'm not doing that now, as I think that is somewhat what he "hates" about me. LOL! I can see him now as I type. He's out, swimming around, and if I go up, he retreats just a bit, than hesitantly will look at me. He's just not a beggar, like I expect to see. So, are you thinking I should pull up a chair and sit by the tank once in awhile. I do walk by a lot, and stop and look in. I don't think I spend lots of time in front of it, but probably more than some.

Gwen

[porkypuffer1]

Gwen , i was just making sure i love gsp and wanted to do anything to help what do feed him. also i would pull up a chair it just gets him used to you there really special fish and they love to see there owners

[PufferMe!]

I feel the same He's a cute guy and I want him to have a good life. I just walked over to the tank, and he's all nestled down near a rock. He sees me, has his little fins going, watches me, but stays cuddled down where he is. It's interesting to think what these little fish have been through. Scooped up from their environment, probably very terrified with being shipped here and there, in small bags. I hope he one day feels more comfortable.

Gwen

[Pufferpunk]

Can you post a pic of his tank? Lots of fish will hide, if there is sparse decor.

[PufferMe!]

I'll post a pic when I get home later today. I want to say upfront, I stuck an ugly fake sea amemone (sp?) in, but don't want to move it now. Also attempted making my own "plant" with wood, that is not great

I've used this type of wood in my freshwater, planted tank for a long time, it's boiled and very safe. I know it may not last forever in this tank - just an experiment in making my own plant with silicone (100%) and silk leaves. I'd love suggestions, because I'm not thrilled with the set up,but I'm leaving it alone for now, for reasons I said above. I'm thinking about fake coral at some point.

Gwen

[Pufferpunk]

The idea is to decorate your tanks heavily, so the puffer feels it has lots of safe places to retreat to, which makes it come out more.

Here's my 55g GSP tank:

[porkypuffer1]

i used to have fake stuff and my gsp hated it so i put driftwood in and he was happyier and more active

[PufferMe!]

Here's a picture of my tank. Please, give me thoughts/feedback. When I fed him today, he did eagerly come to my hand and ate (progress) but when I just come by to look at him, and he isn't expecting to eat and/or isn't hungry, he does stay to the back of the tank, for the most part. And, for the record, I'm not weird, strange looking or scary looking

Gwen

[bertie 83]

As he is still quite new I would give him a little longer to settle in, he is coming eagerly to eat so he is not directly scared of you. His experiences with humans previously won't be great so keep doing what you are doing, avoid moving too fast past his tank and no sudden or jerky movements whilst he is looking at you.

[Pufferpunk]

More tall items & broken lines of sight.

[RTR]

+1 to PP's comments.

[PufferMe!]

Okay, all. Thanks. I'll be buying some fake silk plants.

Gwen