GSP's

[Pandora]

Hi,

we have just brought home 4 1inch baby green spotties and a 10gallon tank that the man in the shop assures us will be 'perfectly ok' for now. The salt levels etc in the water are fine, they are all lovely and green and eating like little pigs, but they are all swimming up and down from top to bottom of the tank constantly. They have been doing it for 2 days now and we are starting to worry, there are plants and a cave in there but they just swim up and down all the time, the inside if the tank seems to be like a mirror and i am wondering if they are chasing their reflections and can't see out, any advice?

[kaylas]

The tank is too small. GSP's need 30 gallons EACH. I know they are tiny now, but they will grow! There are two things that may be causing them to swim up and down the sides- new tank syndrome or the tank does not have enough plants. I would wait a day or two and if they are still doing it, you need more decorations. Puffers (especially GSP) are very territorial. They have to have places to hide and there needs to be enough plants that they will break the line of sight. Once, you get an established tank, you can also move around the plants when you do a water change to mix things up for them. First and foremost- get them a bigger tank. If this isn't possible, take them back! If you have ever seen an adult GSP you will understand! Maybe you could trade them for ONE Figure 8 Puffer or 3 Dwarf puffers. Also, take note that the older the GSP's get the more salt they will need in their water, eventually at adulthood they become full saltwater fish. Please do some research to help out the fish. But GoodLuck!!!

[julianchan]

You might want to read this first.

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/

Also, you might want to invest in a set of liquid test kits to check levels in your aquarium....and cycle the tank too. They are over crowded in there, and in adulthood, they will need at least 30 gallons per puffer. Water quality, or environment might be whats causing them to swim up and down. Act fast, or the little guys might die. The guy at the shop either lied, or does not know, but they are not perfectly ok in a 10g.

Keep reading posts on this site about GSP's, but unless you are willing to get a 120 gal tank in the future, some of them little guys will have to go to new homes.

BTW, welcome, and thanks for trying to find out what to do with your new friends. They deserve a good life too, and you can give it to them with just a little more knowledge. I have learnt a lot here, and am still learning much.

[Pandora]

Thanx for the quick reply, i told the man in the shop what i had read about the tank size and he insisted it would be fine for them for years as they don't grow very quickly, i also said that 4 was too many and he said that was fine too. I realise it is way too small for them to stay in forever. What is new tank syndrome?
Checked the water, the hydrometer says 0.004 which is a bit higher than they came from, the PH is 8 and all other levels are fine according to the kit, i used a biological cycling suppliment to cycle the tank.
The tank is a corner one tha has 'flattened' off corners, thats where they are swimming up and down, should i put the plants there?

[Pufferpunk]

Please don't listen to folks working at shops! 1 GSP in a 10g tank <2". No ifs, ands or buts! Unless you want to wind up with 4 deas GSPs, I suggest returning 3 of them & don't say anything to that "man at the shop", unless you want to print out my article & hand it to him.

[Pandora]

Thanks for the advice, I am so angry with the idiot at the shop, he obviously doesn't give a damn what happens to these little guys as long as he gets rid, we are going to get a bigger home for them as soon as funds allow as I know they are a gonner if i take them back.
They seem real healthy, they are a lovely green with nice white bellies.
Would it help if I put more plants in there?

[sparks42]

if they don't grow quickly it's because they don't have room to grow!

this is called stunning and they will die prematurely if this happens. They do need that 30g each to grow. If they don't have the space, they will only grow on the inside, and not the outside - stunning.

[Pandora]

I understand

[cobra1713]

120g gsp tank with 4 GSP's would be awesome! lol idk if anyone has done that but if the 120g is a little to much for now you might look for a 30g or something in that range used cus usually you can pick them up for like 20-30$, and the stunting is a long term problem, im not saying keep them in there but IMO that wouldnt be the problem they would face in a 10g it would be aggresion and bioload, but at least you can do is get proper SG using marine salt! and then make sure your tank has no amonia and nitrites.

[Pufferpunk]

I wouldn't go smaller than a 40g for 4 of them <2". How did you cycle that tank?

[Pandora]

I used Nutrafin. They are all ok, but we have decided to take them back like you suggested and hopefully they have a couple of dwarfs we can have instead (i know i will have to get the tank to fresh water) but i am just so worried what will happed to the GSP's.....they are so lovely

[Drix]

I have a 125g tank but i wouldn't put Just 4 GSP's in there, as cute as they are i like some variety in fish. further more my GSP has lived with other fish, right now he has to live with my 2 F'8's. But they are very much happier alone. Shemp don't like other fish and he acts like he has New tank sydrome everytime he has to share space with other fish. if you keep all 4 your gonna end doing what did buying more tanks to house them all. Eventually the other 2 GSP's i had Died anyway. I couldnt get the other tank cycled fast enough. wanting more fish i eventually found a good deal on a 125g tank.


I had he same thing happen to me 10g tank LFS said i would be fine assured me i would be fine. came here read up bought a temp 30 gallon tank to get them spit up eventually 2 died and i was left with 1.