Fighting GSP
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seashells1521
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 4:05 am
- Location (country): Washington
Fighting GSP
i have 2 GSP -harold and kumar- in a 5 gallon tank. Harold seems to think he is the alpha and eats kumar daily. Kumar is pettrified of Harold and wont swim anywhere near him. And Harold eats all the food so Kumar cant. Today i noticed that Kumar's tail is terribly eaten...to the point where he has no fin left. Is there anyway i can grow it back or prevent it from furthering. I will get another tank tomorrow but i wanna be able to save Kumar before i spend money just to have him die.
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Dadof4
- Tech Team
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- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
- Location (country): United States
- Location: North Wisconsin
Re: Fighting GSP
First things first, I have no clue how much experience you have with aquariums so please bear with me if this is too much info or too basic.
Well, GSP's generally are aggressive fish and should be kept as singletons in the aquarium. They have a high degree of aggression between conspecifics and other fish, if left alone one will kill the other.
Please read the article I pointed you to in your Meet and Greet post. library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
And for more info ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
As for Kumar's tail, there are a few things you need to do. The first step is to separate them.
Second is to make sure the water parameters are perfect. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 5-20 nitrates. How did you cycle this aquarium? Do you have the equipment to test these levels (API liquid test kits are the best)?
Third, you will need to get them in to larger tanks and fairly soon. A single GSP requires a minimum 30 gallon aquarium. This sounds like a huge tank for such a small fish but puffers create a huge amount of waste, both physical (from messy eating) and biological (natural body waste production). Puffers are extremely sensitive to their water conditions and having the high water volume is essential to their well being. Also a full grown GSP get to about 6 inches and the size around equal to a small Nerf football so they will need the space too.
Last thing on your GSP, they are not fresh water fish. GSP's are found in brackish estuaries, in brackish ponds, in brackish rivers and in near marine to full marine conditions. To keep yours healthy you will need to start adding marine salt to bring the SG of your aquarium up. There is a great, wonderful, beautifully well written sticky (written by me
) in this section if the forum on how to raise your SG and what is needed.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348
And another great article:
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html
This is a lot of info to have thrown at you and to digest. Read the articles and feel free to ask questions. This forum is here to help and we love to talk about our puffers and teach about puffer care. I'm sorry I had to dump all this on you but this is important info and I can tell you care about the little guys because you are asking questions. Most local fish stores do not have, aren't educated enough, or do not care enough to give out this information on the puffers they sell so the buyer that falls in love with the cute faces and ET like eyes has no idea what they are getting in to. You won't be the first and you won't be the last (unfortunately).
Well, GSP's generally are aggressive fish and should be kept as singletons in the aquarium. They have a high degree of aggression between conspecifics and other fish, if left alone one will kill the other.
Please read the article I pointed you to in your Meet and Greet post. library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
And for more info ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
As for Kumar's tail, there are a few things you need to do. The first step is to separate them.
Second is to make sure the water parameters are perfect. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 5-20 nitrates. How did you cycle this aquarium? Do you have the equipment to test these levels (API liquid test kits are the best)?
Third, you will need to get them in to larger tanks and fairly soon. A single GSP requires a minimum 30 gallon aquarium. This sounds like a huge tank for such a small fish but puffers create a huge amount of waste, both physical (from messy eating) and biological (natural body waste production). Puffers are extremely sensitive to their water conditions and having the high water volume is essential to their well being. Also a full grown GSP get to about 6 inches and the size around equal to a small Nerf football so they will need the space too.
Last thing on your GSP, they are not fresh water fish. GSP's are found in brackish estuaries, in brackish ponds, in brackish rivers and in near marine to full marine conditions. To keep yours healthy you will need to start adding marine salt to bring the SG of your aquarium up. There is a great, wonderful, beautifully well written sticky (written by me
) in this section if the forum on how to raise your SG and what is needed.viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348
And another great article:
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/brackish/brackish.html
This is a lot of info to have thrown at you and to digest. Read the articles and feel free to ask questions. This forum is here to help and we love to talk about our puffers and teach about puffer care. I'm sorry I had to dump all this on you but this is important info and I can tell you care about the little guys because you are asking questions. Most local fish stores do not have, aren't educated enough, or do not care enough to give out this information on the puffers they sell so the buyer that falls in love with the cute faces and ET like eyes has no idea what they are getting in to. You won't be the first and you won't be the last (unfortunately).
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
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pufferpuggirl
- Mbu Puffer
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Rainbow crab
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Re: Fighting GSP
They are too much in each other's territory ..... 5-gallons is much too small for even one GSP! The good news is that the tail should grow back if he's kept in a tank with good quality water (follow Dadof4's advice).
I hope you get a bigger tank soon and get those puffers sorted. GSP's can be very rewarding puffers to keep, but you must give them space, and ALWAYS good water quality (definitely brackish water too).
Best of luck with your puffers!
I hope you get a bigger tank soon and get those puffers sorted. GSP's can be very rewarding puffers to keep, but you must give them space, and ALWAYS good water quality (definitely brackish water too).
Best of luck with your puffers!
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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OCgatergal
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 259
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- My Puffers: 4 Green Spotted Puffers- Puck, Laika, Hubble ( the biter), Sputnik
- Location (country): CA, USA
Re: Fighting GSP
melafix helps regrow fins gradually.
Because of their size potential, they need a much much much bigger tank. I know I'm not the model GSP carer, but just trying to help.
Because of their size potential, they need a much much much bigger tank. I know I'm not the model GSP carer, but just trying to help.
I believe you have small mud puddles mixed up with acres of rice paddies.
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PolishPuff
- Mbu Puffer
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Also cared for;
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Auriglobus modestus-----Traded
Auriglobus silus ---------Died during transport.
Figure Eight Puffers -----Sold and or traded
Dwarf Puffers ------------Traded
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- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Fighting GSP
OC and you are doing greatOCgatergal wrote:melafix helps regrow fins gradually.
Because of their size potential, they need a much much much bigger tank. I know I'm not the model GSP carer, but just trying to help.
"Lost time is never found again" Benjamin Franklin
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seashells1521
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 4:05 am
- Location (country): Washington
Re: Fighting GSP
thank you all.
i just dont have the room for a 30 gal for them.....
i just dont have the room for a 30 gal for them.....
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pufferpuggirl
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 3979
- Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:04 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffs & Stuff:
1 x M Abei
1 x M Turgidus
1 x T Palembangensis
1 x M Baileyii
1 x T Schoutedeni
1 x T Leiurus
1 x T Miurus
Rainbow crab
crayfish - Location (country): Yorkshire, GB
- Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Re: Fighting GSP
Well thing is .... 5-gallons isn't even enough for ONE GSP, let alone two. Maybe you can find homes for them, and get a dwarf puffer for your tank instead. 
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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Re: Fighting GSP
^^^^^^^^^^
Good idea! Please don't keep those puffers in a 5g.
Good idea! Please don't keep those puffers in a 5g.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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PolishPuff
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 1212
- Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2009 1:20 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: ________
Also cared for;
Fahaka------------------- Had to give it away
Auriglobus modestus-----Traded
Auriglobus silus ---------Died during transport.
Figure Eight Puffers -----Sold and or traded
Dwarf Puffers ------------Traded
Congo Puffer ------------Traded
South American Puffers -Traded
Carinotetraodon lorteti --Died under my supervision :( - Location (country): USA-Chicago, IL
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Fighting GSP
Always research be for you buy, this refers to everything not only fish.
"Lost time is never found again" Benjamin Franklin