The Puffer Forum

I know I have a pic of her tank somewhere...

i guess i'm lucky - i've got a pea puffer, so i can plant the crap out of my tank!

of course, right now i am losing a battle with hair algae, so it's not the happiest looking tank. just pulled a bunch of stuff today and replaced it with cuttings from my other tank. I had an amano shrimp that was doing a good job of keeping it in check, but after nearly a year in the tank he has passed into the great beyond. i think i accidentally smooshed him when i was re-arranging some driftwood. i'm not sure if puff tolerated him because he was bigger and/or there first or not, so i'm on the fence about getting another - might try a couple grass shrimp and see if they survive.

Is there anything other than artificial plants and caves that we can do for our puffers? I worry about Hobart (GSP) being bored. (I put up a background as suggested, but is there anything else I can do?)

Stand back and look at the tank, if it looks bare it will feel bare for a puffer. Fake plants, caves and other rock work creates a visually complex environment for the puffer to explore.

My 55g GSP tank (ALL fake )

Rocks and plastic plants work wonders!

These pics are just impressive!

Pufferpunk wrote:My 55g GSP tank (ALL fake )

THAT is gorgeous!!! That is what I am hoping to do with Hobart's tank, but finding good, realistic coral is so hard!
I love your silk plants, by the way............... I need to work a bit more overtime so I can upgrade.

Beware--I had to take everything out & bleach it monthly. Live rock & a good skimmer, goes a loooooong way for filtration!

Pufferpunk wrote:Beware--I had to take everything out & bleach it monthly. Live rock & a good skimmer, goes a loooooong way for filtration!

Do you have two GSP's in there?

My puffs love their tanks...But recently I had my 3 tube light die on my 75g community so I took the light of my 55g F8 tank and put it there. I then put two smaller strip lights on his tank and he lost a bit of activity and interest in food(snails). The other day I decided to catch some pale cherry shrimp and drop them in his tank. He was in hog heaven hunting them down.

Tonight I droped some crushed snails in and he was back to enjoying them. I dropped another 5 cherry shrimp in again and he was all over them.


Decor stimulation is key and occasional live food makes it even better.

There is plenty of excellent advise in this thread. There is a lot of planning and some upkeep effort in a show tank such as Pufferpunk, bertie, and JRc3 discuss, but no tank is ever labor-free. In the long run, for me live plants are easier but there is a learning curve there as well.

Some minor rearrangement periodically helps stimulate the fish's activity as well. For the SW fish - including the GSPs, FOWLR +skimmer + marcoalfae refugium is likely optimum and money and time-saving in the long run...

Is there a thread somewhere that people have posted their tank setup? That's be ideal to see how puffer-focued owners are decorating their tanks.

PP - That pic you posted looks awesome.

Im sure there's a "show off your tank" thread somewhere

Cinder wrote:

Pufferpunk wrote:Beware--I had to take everything out & bleach it monthly. Live rock & a good skimmer, goes a loooooong way for filtration!

Do you have two GSP's in there?

Yes, but eventually had to rehome--not enough swimming room for 2 adults.