GSP has become shy

[bighex]

We have a young GSP named Floyd in a 27 gallon brackish tank. The tank is over a month old, cycled and the water is testing within acceptable limits. (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, less than 10 nitrate). We're doing 25% water changes ever 4 days or so. We've had Floyd for about 2 weeks. He adapted to his home quickly and was eating right away. We have a good crop of snails in a breeder and started a routine of feeding him 2 eye-sized snails a day. We mixed in a little clam and raw shrimp. Everything was great, he was very interested in his tank and would come up to greet us. He was even eating his snails out of a small net.

Then we re-arranged his tank a little bit during a water change. We added a ceramic dinosaur that periodically blows large bubbles and removed a bubble wall. We also moved a few objects around. He has been shy ever since. He will still eat, but almost never comes to the front of the tank unless we are not around. He is skittish and surfs up and down the rear of the tank most of the time. I need to drop the food in and let him find it and his appetite is not nearly as good. We had a few extra kids in our house recently too which caused increased activity around his tank too. He still looks healthy, white belly and happy bright green spot on his head.

I'm hoping it will just take some time to return to normal. Has anyone had a similar experience? I think we should just leave it alone, but should we put his bubble wall back in? Will he return to the trusting happy little guy we knew? He's been this way for a week or so.

Thanks!

[bertie 83]

Give him some time he should relax. The dinosaur may be keeping him on edge because of the irregular bubbling, puffers can be a bit odd because of their intelligence level.

[RTR]

+1 to bertie's comments.

If time does not do it within a week or so, add more decor, but not more bubbles. Bobbles are a nuisance in BW and SW. What is the specific gravity in the tank?

[bighex]

I did stop the dinosaur bubbling, i was thinking the same thing. The specific gravity of the tank is 1.010. I like your idea on adding more decor, but we do have quite a bit already. I guess we'll just wait and see. Thanks for your replies!

[bertie 83]

Try removing the dinosaur completely if he does not calm down, your puffer already knows what it does and this can be enough to make him uncomfortable.

[jus85411]

+1 all above. i had my air stone hidden under some decor and every few minutes it would release a larger bubble that built up. even though it was happening regularly, the puffer never liked it so i moved the air stone a bit more away so it didnt get trapped. after that the puffer was fine.

air stones are definitely a pain in brackish/saltwater because you get salt creep but i always was weary about gas/air exchange even with a lot of surface agitation so i always kept the bubbles in my tank and cleaned up the salt creep fairly often

[bighex]

Thanks for all of your replies! My wife and I just worry about the little guy. I've never kept such a smart, sensitive fish. We will take the dinosaur out the next water change (tomorrow). This little guy is so cool, and totally worth all of the effort.

[RTR]

There is no, repeat no, requirement for bubbles in any fish tank with sufficient current to have no dead spots and to have a surface current. Gas exchange (O2 in, CO2 out) will be fine with water which is not stagnant. Still water could be a problem, but is only rarely so if the tank is well filtered and not overcrowded and/or overfed.

[Pufferpunk]

Not a single bubbler in any tank for close to 40 years.

[RTR]

Thanks, PP. I wish I could say the same, but I do use air-driven sponge filtration in several of my early tiny-fry grow-tanks - the sponges give excellent infusoria-grazing areas for such fry, and are totally safe for them as well.

[atress]

Can I ask why bubbles are a nuisance in BW/SW? Curious as I didn't know that. I have a bubble wand in the back of my GSP's tank, and he seems to hover over it as though he likes it. But, if they are not a good idea I will certainly remove it. Is it only because of the salt creep mentioned? Thanks!

[bertie 83]

Yes salt creep is a pain, that's the reason.

[bighex]

We are making progress! The dinosaur is gone and Floyd is already showing signs of improvement. He's still shy, but not as bad as he was. He seems to be eating better and exploring his tank more. Hopefully he'll come up front to eat again too. For now we're still dropping his food near his favorite hangout in the back corner and making sure he's eating it.

I agree about the bubbles, but we have an air-powered sponge filter that we used to help cycle the tank. I want to wait another month or so before I remove it to make sure the HOB filter has become extablished. Eventually, all air will be removed.

It's great to have this forum as a resource! I'm sure we'll be back with more questions and hopefully some pictures.

[bertie 83]

Its great to hear he is improving in confidence. It's amazing how high the intelligence level is in puffers, my fahaka got hacked off when I rearranged my front room, none of the tanks moved just sofas and tv etc, he was grumpy for about 5 days and refused to eat etc

[RTR]

PP's calling them puppies is apt. They do train their keeper quite well. My wife is not a big fan of fish, but she fell for the T. mbu big time. The only other fish she liked particularly was an albino Clarias catfish (back when we allowed to have them) in a largish tank alone - and she otherwise hates albino/amelanictic fish.