New Puffer added to tank - few questions

[growitnow]

Howdy:
I've benefitted many times from this site and finally got my puffer, GSP. Acclimated from fresh to 1.005 in my tank. I was pretty happy he ate the day after being put in the tank. Presently feeding live brine, because that was used as LFS. Will move to frozen bloodworms, etc., soon.

1) How soon should I begin attempting snails? No pic of puff yet to reveal size, but he seems a young juvenile, maybe 1inch total.

2) Should I dose melfix as a prophylactic against fin/skin damage?

3) Same question about pimafix for internal parasites. No evidence yet of anything wrong - and for the record I am against the shotgun approach to meds. But reading here and elsewhere puffers are notorious for internal parasites and I would hate to lose him later on because I waited too long or failed to do something now. So two questions here (a) should I treat this new puffer for internal parasites (b) how can I do so with such a tiny puffer - freeze dried krill, etc would be too big. Freeze dried bloodworms soaked in melafix? Could I soak the live or frozen brine in melfix?

4) I would really invite any recommendations for a better, more diverse, tank layout. I found it challenging to arrange things in the tank. Pics below.

Tank = 37gal (30x12x23high). Filtered with two Eheim 2128s (marine grade), plus RUGF driven with one of the Eheims through aragonite. Harscape = lacerock. SG currently 1.005. One of the Ehiems serves as biofilter, the other (the one driving RUGF) is strictly mechanical w/ sponges, floss.

Thanks for any feedback. Now that I actually have a GSP, I hope I can stay clued in so I need not write any subject headers that begin with "EMERGENCY!.."

Cheers,
growitnow

[Hilly]

Tank looks great, you dont need to change anything.
Try some snails roughly the size of his eye, if he takes that with ease try a few bigger ones.
You dont really need to use Melafix unless there is some damage already there. Same for Pimafix if you see fungus etc... then use. For internal parasites you would need to use something else as the fixes are external meds.

Nice filtration setup.

[growitnow]

Many thanks.

I mispoke re: med for internalparasites. I have Gel-Tek. But remain uncertain whether I should treat new puffer on the assumption infestation is likely, and if so, how to do so with small puff who will take small food.

Thanks,

[xxSarahxx]

So good to see someone who filters the tank as necessary for puffers... so many people do not understand the need for this!!
As for the IPs.... is he showing any symptoms at all? I like yourself am very anti-meds if advisable but IPs can be a serious issue. Do you know how long the store you got him from had him?

[bigmoose]

i really like ur tank good job i wish mine look that good ur filters da bomb!!

[manutius]

Yeah I have to agree with the advice given here, that tank looks great

[crazedpuffer]

Your tank looks very nice.

[growitnow]

Thanks for the generosity of your comments. I have learned much in this site.

No, I do not know how long he was in store though I did ask. The seller thought a week or two. There was one other GSP in the same tank, almost totally black and near dead. I know not a great choice, but since my tank tank had become ready and well cycled, I chose to get the puffer that was there. My choices tend to be very few and far between where I live so it was now or who knows when.

xxSarahxx also asked if the puffer is showing signs of internal paraites. Not that I can see, but since this is my first GSP my ability to detect signs are not likely that great. He does eat frozen brine and bloodworms. His belly does not seem particularly sunken. I have not seen any stringy poo; but I have also not seen him poo at all to see stringy, or otherwise.

Do I treat (if so, how, with puffer this size currenly accepting frozen brine/bloodworms), do I wait?

thanks

[edmlfc1]

Wow now that's filtertration! The tank looks awesome. Now I don't know if you got enough info about snails but what I do for my dwarf puffers is crush the snail so that they can eat it. It's really hard to find a snail the size of their eyes. My GSP puffers have no problems eating snails that are large. If you stand next to the tank you can hear "crunch, crunch, crunch" Good luck with your new puffer!

[pufferfreak]

im going to be getting to figure eights and i was wondering if i sould have to filters. a hang on filter and a internal filter. there going to be in a 6 gallon until they get a little bit bigger by which time the 30 gallon will be cycled for them.

[Agnate]

Good lord, those Eheims are worth more than my entire tank setup. I wish I could afford nice filters like that.

Also, tank looks awesome!

[pufferfreak]

cancel the figure eights. not getting them. got a valentini instead.