Help! I inherited a GSP today, no cycled tank.

[smithmeagan]

Hey there,
I inherited a 1 ½ - 2” GSP today from a coworker whose tank busted a leak last night and who has no interest in fixing it. She brought all her fish to work today in bowls and cups to give away and this little guy really caught my eye. I've been researching this unusual fish, which I knew absolutely nothing about 6 hours ago. I'm realizing they can be kind of finicky. Since I inherited this fish unexpectedly, I have no tank set up waiting for him. Currently I have him in a 2 gallon tank with filtered, de-chlorinated freshwater (the only tank I had). Tomorrow I plan on going to get a 20-30 gallon tank and some supplies. After spending the last several hours researching, I am worried that he will not survive because (optimistically) it will take at least 2-4 weeks to properly cycle a tank, and even with accelerator products such as Bio-spira and others I’ve been reading about, a tank won’t be ready for at least 24-72 hours. My worry is that with all the stress he’s been through lately, he won’t make it that long.

If you can help, I would like help with the following:
-- Any suggestions for what I can do to improve his chances of survival in this temporary living arrangement (2 gal freshwater tank) (I.E. changing water, aquarium salt, plants, etc.)
-- How I can get a tank cycled ASAP (P.S. I don’t have access to a mature, cycled tank)
-- Any must-have supplies to get started with this fish

Thanks so much!

P.S. My experience level with aquatic animals is limited to gold-fish, bettas, frogs, and crabs. I’ve never had something quite as exotic as a puffer fish but I’m willing to give it my best.

[busybones]

Welcome to the Forum and the world of puffers

As far as making him comfortable you need to do several huge water changes daily. I suggest using Prime de-chlorinater, it's IMO the best.
Please read this article on emergency cycling a tank (library/category/water-filtration/)

[LilGreenPuffer]

Okay, here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna change 90% of his water in the 2g twice a day, and any time he looks distressed.

Here's a possible plan of action: When you get the tank and supplies, you're going to mix up some brackish water, say, about 1.012-1.015, whatever you want. Then add that to the tank along with Bio-Spira. You'll drip-acclimate your fish to the salted water. Bam, cycled tank, at a great SG for a GSP!

Supplies needed:
-30+g tank
-Filter
-Heater
-Prime, best dechlorinator on the planet
-Food! See the reading list below.
-Marine salt
-Hydrometer or refractometer
-Powerhead and extra heater and bucket for mixing salt water
-Test kits - LIQUID, not paper strips, for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate
-Some kind of substrate - gravel, sand, etc.
-Decorations
-Bio-Spira or Dr. Tim's One and Only - NO OTHER BRANDS!!!

Required reading:
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/category/feeding/
library/category/puffer-care/
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=19348
Heck, read the entire Puffer Library!

You should also do some background research on the nitrogen cycle.




Having just laid all this out there for you, I can see why you might take one look and run away screaming. If that's the case, you could ask if the store will accept the fish. Just never return a fish to Wal-Mart - they automatically flush all returns.

[busybones]

Ok the first article was to get you started on the cycling process. You will defiantly need to get that bigger tank ASAP. Shoot for the 30 gallon which will house him for life if you don't add any tank mates ( which he will prefer). Do you have a LFS that would give you some used media/decor? If not what about putting an ad on craigslist or something of that nature?

Here are some articles that will help you care for your GSP...

Feeding
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

GSPs
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/

As far as supplies go you will need a good water testing kit ( I use the API brand) do not get the strips because they are inaccurate IMO. Pick up some good foods that were mentioned in the feeding article. Prime De-chlorinator is what I use and comes highly recommended by most.

[smithmeagan]

You guys are awesome. I'm a middle school teacher so I understand the nitrogen cycle and the need to cycle a tank....I'm just in a time crunch so I'm looking for shortucts so my new little guy makes it . He's so cute and he makes this funny little "zipping" that sounds like he's talking to me (or griping at me for being in such a small tank ) .

As far as a LFS that can supply some used stuff for my permanent tank, I'm going to do some asking around about that as soon as I get off of work tomorrow and start running around to get materials. I will follow your advice about water changes and will do that daily.

I'll do some more homework and reading and let ya'll know how it goes. Keep the suggestions coming if ya got 'em!

[kilofey]

hi, welcome to the fourm.... i joined for the same reason almost.... so i can tell you, these guys know what theyre talking about i had an 8" puffer in an uncycled tank EEEKKK talk about ammonia spike!..... anyway, they pretty much held my hand the whole time and told me what to do step by step.... now my puff is in perfect condition, is alive and happy....
i was doing daily water changes and doses of pimafix and melafix and aquarium salt (which was needed in my case)..... also, i was finally convinced to switch from test strips to a liquid water testing kit which i now see the liquid ones are far more accurate.... i also had to test the water like a mad woman.... i was testing the water between one and 2 times a day....

so, my best advice is: listen to them! theyll save your fish GSP are very interactive and fun to have (i had one for a short time before i got my 8" puffer) itll be ALOT of work until your water begins to cycle, but it will be worth it

good luck!

[Pufferpunk]

Please don't let them sell you any other product than the ones we mention in our emergency cycling article (there are 2 of them)!!!

[busybones]

If something happens and you cannot find a bigger tank..do more than two water changes on the two gallon a day. I do at least two on my cycled QT tank a day but I'm a nut I guess. Now with a 30 gallon once a day or every other day would be fine until you get the tank cycled (while keeping a close eye on the water parameters) . Once it's cycled you can relax a bit and only do one 25% + a week.

LGP provided you with a very detailed list of items you'll need. You may not have to buy all of that right now, you really should focus on getting the tank healthy and keeping your puffer alive before starting to switch him over to brackish water. I'd say the most important things for you to get tomorrow would be the tank 30 gallons +, filter, heater, thermometer, Prime, food, Liquid testing kit, substrate (this can wait if you plan on treating the tank like a quarantine), either bio-spira/Dr.Tims or some good healthy media from an established tank.

I know it's overwhelming but you'll do fine. We'll be glad to help you when you convert over to BW let's get out of the woods first lol

[LilGreenPuffer]

Yeah, like I said, it's just a *possible* plan of action. It would be equally possible to skip all the salt stuff until later, and probably easier.

[julianchan]

Craigslist can be your friend.

[DarkStorm]

ask your co worker for the gravel and filter media that was in tank, and hopefully its still wet / usable should help with cycling your new tank if that's an option at this point.

[Dadof4]

Craigslist can be your friend.

So can Freecycle. http://www.freecycle.org/ Sign up with a yahoo mail address that you don't care about and then post what you are looking for. The items have to be 100% free. It's basically a "I got this item, you need" one and a "Hey, I need this you got one to give away" site. I get loads of stuff from there!

[Pufferpunk]

If something happens and you cannot find a bigger tank..do more than two water changes on the 2 gallon a day. I do at least two on my cycled QT tank a day but I'm a nut I guess. Now with a 30 gallon once a day or every other day would be fine until you get the tank cycled (while keeping a close eye on the water parameters) . Once it's cycled you can relax a bit and only do one 25% + a week.

There's no relaxing with 2 GSPs in a 2g tank.

[smithmeagan]

Okay. I'm exhausted, but here's an update. I was able to get some of the gravel from my coworker's established tank. I set up a 30 gal tank last night (filter, heater, etc.) and added the dechorinator, let the filter run all night, then added the used gravel this morning along with another bag of gravel that is supposedly infused with this good bacteria I need. Currently, I've been keeping the GSP in the 2 gal temporary tank and have been doing twice daily water tests, and 100% water changes every afternoon to be safe. Things seem to be going okay as nothing too crazy with the chemical levels has happened. The 30 gal tank's ammonia level is elevated, but from what I've read, that's normal in the beginning of the cycling process. I've been feeding him freeze dried krill, which he is eating with gusto (yay!). I will widen his diet choices soon.

Funny story though....For the past few days as soon as I walk in the door from work, I run over to check on him. He gave me a scare today because when I walked up he was kind of scrunched up in a "C" shape at the bottom of the tank, not moving a whole lot. He kind of made a half-hearted attempt to swim but wasn't using one of his fins. I thought "Great! I just went and blew $150 on tank stuff and now he's going to die on me." I got upset, huffed around the apartment for a bit, then went back to check on him again. To my surprise he was up, swimming around like nothing was the matter. But there was a new addition to the tank.....a poop. It seems I caught him in the middle of his constitutional.

However, I did notice something worrisome. Tonight when I did his water change, I noticed that one of the little frilly things he has on his nose (right above his eye) has become a little more whitish and larger than the other one. I'm scared this might be the beginning of something like Ick. I've done some reading in the library here about Ick and puffers and I'm just not sure about it. I will continue to monitor the situation and will be doing testing and water changes diligently.

So, a few questions:
- Any suggestions/advice about this whitish thing on his nose? (I'm thinking of moving the heater to the small tank to raise the temperature, which is supposed to shorten the life-cycle time of this Ick stuff)
- Provided the chemical levels in the 30 gal stabilize in the next couple of days, do you recommend moving him into the larger tank in the next couple of days, or should I wait longer?
- To cycle the larger tank faster, should I get some other fish to start pooping and give the good bacteria stuff to feed on? (even though the ammonia is a bit high in there right now)

[Pufferpunk]

Look around for Dr Tim's, add that to the filter & you'll have a cycled tank for your fish. Nothing else works like this. For his nostril, you can add 1 drop/gallon of Melafix to his tank, after you transfer him. I'm afraid you'll cook him in the smaller tank. What you should do is move him right now to the larger tank. Anything is better than the 2g he's in right now. Just read my sig: