My puffer and I need help

[mamakooz]

I'm going to get right to the point. I went to the pet shop today to replace my beloved goldfish with another goldfish and walked out with a green puffer instead. The woman at the pet store gave me nothing but wrong information. It wasn't until I went online and found out that keeping a puffer fish was not as easy as keeping a goldfish. She let me think that my 5 gallon fish tank that I recently set up was just fine for my new little puffer. Here is the real problem...I DON"T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FISH! I have no clue what a cycled or established tank means, I have no clue how to check the levels on anything and to add insult to injury, the pet store is going to be closed until Monday because of the holiday, so I can't bring the poor thing back in order to save it. I don't know what to do for the poor thing, I don't want it to die but from everything that I read, I think I have given it a death sentance. Please can someone help me and give me advice on how to keep it healthy?

[crazedpuffer]

Just so you know, goldfish can't live in a 5 gallon either.
Back on topic, I'm sorry your pet store gave you the wrong info but it's very good that you are trying to correct your mistakes.
Have a look through our puffer library to find out more about these fish, here are 2 links you'll find useful.
This is about cycling tanks
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... iltration/
This is about general care of GSPs.
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... d-puffers/

I wouldn't bring it back to your LPS thehy would just give it to someone else who doesn't know what these fish need, try finding a real local fish store who would sell this to someone and give them the right info.

[Pufferpunk]

In the meantime--do you have any dechlorinato?r You're going to need a lot of it, as you will be doing 80% water changes 3x/day on that tank, until you can either find another home for him or buy a much larger tank. Then if you do the proper large water changes (as stated above) & add some substrate or filter material from another established tank, you might be able to keep him. They do require specialized feeding & you're going to have to get a good liquid test kit to keep on top of the cycling. Be sure to read the articles linked above.

[mamakooz]

I really appreciate your help and suggestions. I found a pet store about an hour away that will take it. I live in rural (very, very, rural) North Western Wisconsin, so the pet stores are few and far between up here, but there is a larger city 45 miles south of me and a pet store there that has been completely understanding. I would like to make it known that I had no intention on bringing any harm to this darling fish that I bought and that I was upset when I found out that I was in no way, shape, or form, ready to care for it. I will bring it back so that it can be cared for correctly but I am going to do my research and in the near future, hopefully, I will be able to get another one. After reading up on them and reading all about them on the forum, I think I've found the fish that I would love to add to our family. Thanks for all of your advice and in the future I will be back on the forum with a properly cared for and happy puffer.(by the way I'm going to get rid of the 5 gallon tank because appearantly it isn't good for keeping much if anything in it...thanks)

[Jase]

glad you found a place to take him. they are wonderful fish and I'm glad you came here. good luck, unfortunately though, you may have caught the puffer bug

[mamakooz]

I believe that I have been bitten hard by the puffer bug. By all means I was never a fish person but then I bought a goldfish (we named her Sushi) for myself and my toddler to enjoy and I fell in love with her immediatley. Unfortunatly, I was given poor advise on a tank mate for her and the other fish eventually caused her untimely death. When I went to the pet store yesterday with my 2 boys we came across these cute little fish with there noses pressed against the tanks like puppies in a cage, I never saw anything that cute before with fish. We all fell in love immediatley! Now I had to explain to my 13 year old that we have to get rid of our little puffer because we can't care for her properly but I reassured him that we would indeed start getting what we need so that we can in the near future get another one. So to make this story short (I know too late!). We all have been bitten by the puffer bug in this house and we can't wait until we can get a new one to love and take care of.

[Myaj]

Don't feel too bad, I think 90% of the people on here are only here because they loved these cute little fish and couldn't figure out why they kept dying.

Thank goodness we know more about them now, but its still a shock to learn that this little tiny helicopter of a fish will grow into a small football sized and shaped beast!

[Pufferpunk]

What a wonderful, responaible fishkeeper you are! I look forward to when you get your new puffer in it's proper home!

[Nas]

I'm going to get right to the point. I went to the pet shop today to replace my beloved goldfish with another goldfish and walked out with a green puffer instead. The woman at the pet store gave me nothing but wrong information. It wasn't until I went online and found out that keeping a puffer fish was not as easy as keeping a goldfish. She let me think that my 5 gallon fish tank that I recently set up was just fine for my new little puffer. Here is the real problem...I DON"T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FISH! I have no clue what a cycled or established tank means, I have no clue how to check the levels on anything and to add insult to injury, the pet store is going to be closed until Monday because of the holiday, so I can't bring the poor thing back in order to save it. I don't know what to do for the poor thing, I don't want it to die but from everything that I read, I think I have given it a death sentance. Please can someone help me and give me advice on how to keep it healthy?

Don't worry puffers can survive in a freshwater environment for quite some time, especially if they are still little so you will have enough time to research and get supplies like salt, test kits and a hydrometer.. As for the tank size, it will do for now. When i first got my gsp i had no idea either, i bought it to replace a swordtail i had been keeping in a 2.5gallon tank. It was in that tank for four months, it cycled it and it even survived a nitrite and nitrate spike... I now have mine in a 5gallon tank (another temporary step before i get a bigger one) with a sponge filter and as long as the water parameters are kept stable you puffer will be fine but i do seggest going out and getting a bigger tank sometime on the near future as i also intend to do..


ANother tip, don't bother going back to that store if you can. If you must, i suggest doing your own research before you go out and get anything..

[mamakooz]

Well, I brought that sweet little puffer to the pet store and although it was hard I know it is for the best. The worker at the pet store I brought it to said that when I was ready to start up an aquarium for a puffer that they would be more than willing to help. That was very nice of them but I think that I will now stick to the internet to get the help that I need. I really do appreicate all the advice that I have received from everyone and I will see you all in the near future with my puffer at my side. Thanks.

[pufferfreak]

Glad that your puffer found a home.

[Nas]

Well, I brought that sweet little puffer to the pet store and although it was hard I know it is for the best. The worker at the pet store I brought it to said that when I was ready to start up an aquarium for a puffer that they would be more than willing to help. That was very nice of them but I think that I will now stick to the internet to get the help that I need. I really do appreicate all the advice that I have received from everyone and I will see you all in the near future with my puffer at my side. Thanks.

Getting to this forum is certainly a step in the right direction. There are also some very helpful people at Y! answers... Put up some pics on the pic section once you're done.