New Puffer...old one doesn't like him...yet!

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:14 pm

Well as some of you know, I have been looking for some tankmates for my GSP who is in a marine 65G FOWLR. I tried a Valentini but that didn't work because the Valentini picked on my GSP, so he went back. Next idea was a dwarf lion, which is currently in QT. BUT, the more I watch the dwarf lion, the less I think he will work with the GSP, so for now, he is getting my other 65G to himself. He just seems very aggressive!

Two days ago, a friend of mine called and was desperate to find a home for his Valentini Puffer because he was moving and had to tear down his tanks. He really wanted me to take the puffer because it was his favorite fish and didn't trust anyone else.At first I said no because I explained how the last Valentini was and that my GSP is too important to me, ect. Well he convinced me to come see it anyways, so I did and just fell in love with it! It was in a 75G reef tank with tangs, clown fish, gobys, ect. and has never picked on a single coral or nipped a single fin, so I gave in and decided to give it another try! Unfortunately I had nowhere to QT him and since this guys tanks have never had ich and are amazingly clean, I acclimated him straight to my 65G. He has been very happy, active, peaceful, curious ect...BUT my GSP will now barely come out of hiding! They did meet and say hi, no aggression but the GSP just seems to want nothing to do with him! I have never had this problem with fish before, so not sure waht I can do but I am looking for people who have had this happen and some advice. I think they just need time but I hate that my GSP is hiding all day. He comes out for food and at night. He was up well after the Valentini had gone to sleep. The Valentini seems to want to be near him and will kind of follow him around when he does come out but the GSP just tries to hide! Im wondering if this is because of his prior bad experience? At least there is no aggression but Im not really sure what to do now??? Anyone had this kind of thing happen before?

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:29 pm

He's obviously afraid of Valentini puffers right now, which is understandable. It will probably take more than a couple days for him to chill out (assuming the Valentini stays nice).

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:31 pm

Yea, he was chased around quite a bit, I think he will be cautions for some time, until he sees the new puffer will not shadow and harass him.

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 8:35 pm

I actually just fed them and the GSP is way more aggressive when feeding. The Valentini just kind of sits back and leaves him to eat. So I think your right, that he is pretty scared right now of the new puffer. Hopefully they stay peaceful towards each other though, long term! I have been told by a few people that they should get along much better if they have other tankmates as well (not more puffers of course). Im guessing that takes some of the attention away from each other.

bonnie3188 · Post by **bonnie3188** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:44 am

ohh they sound cute! when i put my new coronata puffer into the tank with the valentini they sort of ignored each other, and when they would swim past each other they would do the slight puffing thing. now they are fine together, they dont really spend much time together but neither show any aggression.

my valentini is really slow and stand off-ish at feeding time aswell, he waits for food to fall in the parts of the tank with less flow. maybe it is something to do with the species?

id love to see some pics of them, although i know that my valentini hates photos being taken of him, as soon as he sees the camera he swims to behind the rocks!

hope everything works out this time for you

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:01 am

Thanks, that kind of makes me feel better! I think they will be fine but I just worry at first because my GSP means so much to me! They seemed much better tonight and actually were swimming together for a bit. I have noticed that the GSP still is hiding a lot more than he used to though and I hope he will be back to normal soon. Does your Valentini sleep inbetween rocks??? I have noticed that every night he finds a few rocks that he can fit inbetween and wedges himself in. He stays there all night! I wake up and he is in the same place as where he went to sleep! So different from my GSP who sleeps on the ground and moves around all night.

I think you may be right about the Valentini waiting until the food is in low flow areas. He seems to just wait for the food to come to him. The problem is, he is not getting much because the GSP darts all around the tank and eats everything! Today after feeding, the GSP was very fat and the Valentini was quite thin. Another thing Im worried about!

Im sure it will all work out though!

manutius · Post by **manutius** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:02 am

I do think that adding more fish would help diffuse any unwanted attention. I hope that you manage to keepthem both happy and wish you all the success

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:03 am

Oh by the way, I wanted to ask how your yellow tang is doing in a 75G? I was really wanting to keep one in my 65G eventually but it seems kind of small for one...Really seem to get a mixed opinion on keeping one in a 65G. Usually the min. size is said to be 50G but that really seems small. What are your thoughts???

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:04 am

manutius-yes I have been told by quite a few people that some more small fish may help a lot!

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:37 am

This is actually taken at night with a flash when the Valentini is sleeping! This is how he sleeps every night but never on the same rock. I was surprised by the way he stays there all night and never moves. He also gets very dull and camouflaged in with the rocks! Really cool.

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:39 am

I have no background on the tank yet, hence all the ugly wires!!!

manutius · Post by **manutius** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:39 am

Nice picture, he looks securely perched there

JustinPSmith · Post by **JustinPSmith** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:41 am

Yeah, he just wedges himself right in! Once he looked like he had actually puffed up his belly a bit to stay inbetween two rocks. I have noticed that the Valentini seems to like to puff slightly every now and then for no reason...well none I can see or figure out!

manutius · Post by **manutius** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:47 am

OOh er how strange, though judging by how some of the other members puffers behave to certain things like stripey shirts and beards who can tell why they puff?

Boxermom · Post by **Boxermom** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 12:18 pm

Ok, that's just scary. The patterning on his back looks like his eyes and mouth are wide open and his mouth is full of teeth. I had to look several times to see him right.

I definitely wouldn't mess with him looking like that if I was a fish! Looks way too much like a shark coming out of the rock.

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New Puffer...old one doesn't like him...yet!

New Puffer...old one doesn't like him...yet!