New GSPs Going Brackish

[busybones]

Ok. I currently have a large Fahaka and am getting some GSP's in about a week. Their new tank has been allowed to cycle for quite some time and seems to be very healthy. I'm almost positive that when my puffers come in that they will have been kept in full freshwater. When would you suggest starting to convert them over to brackish? A part of me thinks I should give them a week or so to get adjusted to their new environment before starting the change over. Any help is much apprecitated!

[Pufferpunk]

A week is good, to be sure the tank is cycled properly & the fish have adjusted.

[busybones]

When I started the new tank (about a month ago) I used half new water and half tank water from a healthy tank that's been up and running for about two years. Also used a "dirty" filter from one of my other tanks along with a clean one. sometime after I added some small Rock Bass and some yummy snails.I cycled a couple of times and Everything is looking great, my water tests look very good. I ordered two GSP's from my LFS and they are to arrive early next Wensday. I've instructed the LFS to call me as soon as my puffers arrive and to NOT put them into their central filtrated tanks. I live within 5-10 minutes from the store and will be picking them up as soon as they hit the door. I plan on removing the rock bass' from the tank that morning and doing a final water test. I think I will wait a week, make sure the GSP are healthy and eating properly before I start to introduce the brackish water. If this sounds good to you let me know...I rarely buy new fish and can't stomach losing one...You should have seen the hoops I jumped through when I got my Fahaka!

[Pufferpunk]

Sounds pretty good. How big is the tank?

[busybones]

55 gallon, I'm only going to house two GSP's, the snails, small crayfish, and maybe some ghost shrimp for now. And i'll be giving them krill ect. I've heard that minnows and other feeder fish can be harmful if fed too much. Should I put a small amount of guppies in the tank for them or just leave them out? I never feed my fahaka minnows or feeder fish. He lives mostly on crayfish, snails, and shrimp...

[busybones]

Got them in today! Very small of course but they seem healthy. Some fin nipping has taken place but other than that they seem fine. I have them in a 10 gal quarantine tank. Just so I can keep a better eye on them for a day then they'll be going to a 55 gal. I know I should have already picked up some dewormer but wasn't sure which to get....What do you recommend?

[LilGreenPuffer]

I've used Jungle successfully. PrazoPro gets good reviews. They've stopped making Gel-Tek dewormer (boo!). Anything with praziquantel or flubewhatsemahoozie... can't spell that... should be good.

[busybones]

I picked up the Jungle with praziquantel. I checked 3 pet shops before finding it at pet smart. Most of them didn't even have any dewormer. I offered it to the C. Loreti's and they didn't seem interested, however the GSP's nibbled it a bit. I soaked it with some bloodworms before giving it to them. Thought that may help. I'm not sure how to get them to eat enough to rid them of any IP's they may have. If I can find some small crawdad's i'm going to try to feed it to them and then them to the puffers (if that makes any sence)


Do you ever go to the shops in Lexington? The Incredipet on southland has a bunch of puffers! They have a stars and stripes, two sharpnoses, valitini, Porkies, dogfaces, avocados, GSP's, DP's, Fig 8s, and the red bellies. The tanks were pretty clean. I pointed out that the Figure 8's had ick. But everything else seemed healthy.

[LilGreenPuffer]

I've been to PetsMart, but that's it. We're not normally in that part of town, and Mom doesn't really care to go out of the way so that I can go ogle fish stuff... for which I don't blame her.

There are invert-safe IP meds out there...

[Pufferpunk]

As long as they eat some of it.