Any acceptable tankmates for my setup?

[Solace]

First off, I did try and search but all I could find was a two post thread called "tank mates with gsp's"

Ok, here is my tank.
55Gal long.
1 3xxgph canister filter
1 Marineland 150gph bio wheel
1 Midwater filter
Water is tested twice a week and has been perfect, I change the water and scoop poop.

I currently just have the fish in my signature in there. Are there any acceptable tank mates? It just seems so empty.

Two days ago, at my LFS the manager swore up and down that he kept tiger barbs with GSPs and that he would give me two with confidence (he knew I was running brackish) that I would be back for the rest of the school you have to keep them with. Well all was well, I drip acclimated them to the water over about a days time. Let them sit in one of my mini one gallons in that water for a bit. Then when I had free time to observe I added them to my tank. There was a bit of initial chase, but the puffers did not chase them with the intensity they did when I first got them and had to give them a feeder fish to start them getting used to eating in my tank.

Several hours later it was relatively calm, the barbs would even swim by the puffers. I went to bed, woke up in the morning and there is NOT A TRACE of the barbs other than some very chubby puffers and active hermit crabs.

I feel terrible, so should this be my lesson on species only tanks? or is there something else I could try?

[Pufferpunk]

What LFS is that? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind! Please don't torture those FW tiger barbs by forcing them into BW. As it is, your GSPs when adults are going to need a 90g tank, so I'd say forget about tank mates for now. Then you upgrade to a larger tank & get them into SW, you could try a few damselfish or a tomato clownfish.

[Solace]

Well, he actually did show me an article saying they do fine in brackish water. Not saying that is the truth but it is what convinced me.
That is probably the best, just hard for me to wait!, need to slow down a bit. At the current size of my fish with a diet of mostly bloodworms but supplemented by fresh shrimp and scallops weekly, what would your rough estimate be on how long till they reach the size in which I should put them in the full marine 100 gallon? I just need to know if I am looking at a year or multiple years.

[Pufferpunk]

I think I got them in SW about 1 year after I got them & they were 2" at time of purchase. I'd still like to know the name of that LFS, since I'm in Chgo.

[Solace]

Of course, Jims pet world.
Oh ok, anything wrong with keeping mine in brackish water with rising s.g according to their size until they are 4 inches or would I benefit from going full marine sooner?

Any suggestions on where to go that has a large selection and knowledgeable staff? I live right by O'hare

[Pufferpunk]

Never heard of Jim's. Although I don't know about all the smaller ma & pop shops. I don't know of a single store in the Chicagoland area that is knowledgeable about puffers. I usually go to Coral Reef for most of my stuff though & try to educate them the best I can.

There is a thread stickied here about keeping juvies in SW.

[Solace]

Hmm, anyone that you would recommend for just having a large number of fish and accessories? That is more than what I meant as I know this is the place to come for puffer questions.

Yup, I saw that, I will have to finish reading that. Thank you for all the help.

[Pufferpunk]

I think Coral Reef is the cheapest place to go for dry goods, fish, corals & food (I get a lb of live blackworms for $19).

[Solace]

Well its ten minutes away so why not. I think I will check it out in an hour or so Thank you very much.

[Pufferpunk]

What are you looking for there?

[Solace]

I am at the point where I still like to look because these community aquariums fascinate me. But I would like to find a small freshwater puffer or some dwarf puffers.

[Pufferpunk]

They had DPs there last week but were out by the end of the week. They said they'll be getting in more next week. They had GSPs & F8s there too.

[Solace]

Excellent, didnt get to check it out today unfortunately but I will soon!
I have fallen in love with puffers, they are so much different than my seemingly mindless guppies, love it.