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Can I get pufferfish?

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:53 pm
by PufferDorrit
Hello Puffer People,

The aquarium is quite a new hobby to me yet. I just got started and now own an 14g tank with shrimps and zebrafish.
My LPS sells green spotted pufferfish, and they are adorable!
In time, I would like to have one or more, but I am not sure whether/when I should get them.

The GSP's in the store are really tiny, how much will they grow? Will my 14g be to small to house one?
Can I keep one in freshwater and if not, how much investment would it take to go brackish?
I am willing to learn everything about puffers before I get one so my newbe-ness won't be a problem!

Re: Can I get pufferfish?

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 1:07 pm
by Nuclear_Glitter
You need AT LEAST 30 gallons, however, 55 gallon is better because of all the displacement that happens with substrate and decor, and any tank doesn't hold what it says it does.

Also, they are brackish fish, to marine. Freshwater will not work. If you rehome the other fish you could get 2-3 dwarf puffers though. They are freshwater.

Re: Can I get pufferfish?

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:43 pm
by PufferDorrit
Any chance that those puffer fish in my LFS are dwarf puffers? I think they're quite small. In the store they are kept with 10 fish in not even 10 gallon, thus I thought one or two in my 14g would be ok.. But now I reckon it isn't?
And why do al stores sell them as FW if they are actually BW fish?

Re: Can I get pufferfish?

Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:34 pm
by bertie 83
People in stores are often not particularly fish savvi. They don't know much which is why we are here lol. Please bare in mind puffers should not be mixed with other fish full stop. Can you get us a pic? We will then be able to I'd them. Or google both puffers and look at the images and descriptions

Re: Can I get pufferfish?

Posted: Fri Jun 22, 2012 12:45 pm
by sgtmyers88
I almost rehomed my GSP's when I was moving because I was not sure if I was gonna be able to keep them. I almost dropped them off at a LFS when the owner discovered they were in saltwater and wanted to convert them back to freshwater. I walked out of the store and kept him away from MY puffers!