I too got GSP's from WalMart!!HELP please!!?

[greenpuffer]

My husband and i are in college and thought we needed some kind of a pet.So last night we went to WalMart and bought 2 GSP's, one of them is about an inch and the other is just a tiny tiny little guy.they were in the same tank already!the little one stays really close to the bottom unless you come over to the tank and then he'll come up and greet you, but the larger one stays closer to the top and often at times is determined to knock the lid of the tank off.they both have their tail bent most of the time.The lady that helped us buy them said that a 1 gallon tank would be fine for now b/c they are small still but we should get a bigger tank as soon as we can.the tank we have does have a filter system and it makes bubbles on the surface of the water and gives it some movement.she told us to buy tropical fish flakes and snails so we got a couple of snails and the food but the larger seems more interested in the plastic plants and bubbles as the little one will nibble on the food from time to time.i have not seen them go over to the snails yet..im watching the big guy right now and he stays close to the surface just skimming it.the lady also told us we need to use distilled water b/c we do live on college campus and the water is chlorinated so we warmed that water up before we put the fish in it but the temp has dropped to room temp..she too said that this would be fine where it is a small tank..?they have plenty of rocks and plants to hide in but from what i've read on other posts my fish are going to die within a week if im lucky they even last that long!!?is this true..what do i need to do for my fish!!where we come from is 9 hours away and we will have our spring break in just a couple of weeks we have a larger tank there, we believe it is 13gal. and it has a filter system.we also have a heat rock for fish!but it too is 9 hrs.away /: we will be gone for a week do we need to take them home with us and bring them back in the larger tank!?if we do that we have an adapter so we can keep the filter going too!please help someone!

[puffermichigan]

I was in a very similar situation to yours last October. The people on this forum helped me set up a larger tank for my puffers and worked me through the emergency cycling process for the new tank I bought off Craigslist. I'm sure you will get much helpful advice soon from very experienced puffer keepers. This is a link to the advice that they gave me. Hopefully this will help you get some ideas to start with

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=24703

[puffermichigan]

Also, here is a great article on Green Spotted Puffers from the library.

library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

[Flutter]

Oh boy, is there another store you can return them to? Those fish really don't stand a chance and they'll need at minimum a 60gal tank. I'm sorry but their best chance at survival is in another store. Some people are willing to do what it takes to get success and if you're up for that then here are some pages for you to read:
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/
library/water-filtration/youchlorinechloramines/
library/puffer-care/the-story-of-puffy- ... ed-puffer/
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

[sevenyearnight]

Don't take them back to walmart! They'll flush them down the toilet, but it would be great if another store could adopt them they would be the best thing. That is if they are a *good* store. If you cannot rehome them, forget about the 13 gallon, because that is still way too small even for one. It is risky to house 2 together, even in larger tanks, lots of people have had them turn on each other and one will end up seriously injuring the other (missing fins, lips) I had to separate mine, one is on a 30 g and one is in a 40 g. I will still need to get one in a larger tank because I feel that 30 g is really only ok if they are still young/small; a round 6" fish isn't going to be happy in a 30 g.
Do you have room for a 55 - 65 g tank, or two 30 -40 g?
As far as right now, puffermichigan did suggest craigslist. If there is nothing suitable, I have before kept fish temporarily in large plastic containers in emergencies. You can get like an 18 gallon bucket at walmart for about 5-6 bucks. This I only suggest because they are right now in a 1 gallon and that is super scary.
Get like an aquaclear filter, and an aquarium heater (I've never heard of a fish rock heater, I thought those were for terrariums) and the water conditioner "Prime", by seachem, to treat your tap water with. Don't get another kind of water conditioner because this one does more, and works better than anything.
You need to get those little ones into something bigger asap

[Pufferpunk]

I'm so glad you found us! 90% of the folks here have come because of terrible advice given them by Walmart on their purchase of a GSP at that store. All the above advice is great. What are your immediate plans for these fish? What's the largest possible tank you can get them right now? Are you guys in an apartment? I believe that most GSPs, if brought up together from juveniles, can get along, if the tank is large enough & the decor is complicated, breaking up lines of sight.

[greenpuffer]

first off i'm not going to give my fish away sevenyearnight all i needed was to know what i needed to do not someone to tell me i'm not capable of giving my fish what it needs!and to the person that said my 1 fish needs a 30 gal tank..your crazy!the minimum a puffer can live in is a 5 due to the amount of ammonia they produce and how such a small space will thus lead to the fishes death due to the ammonia.we now have a 10 gal tank and it's working great..that is if you have drive to get your butt up off the couch to change the water every 2-3 weeks..and that i have but if you dont then i see how you need a 30 gal tank.just an FYI for the people mentioned in this section.

Now to the real question..
We tranferred our puffer into his new tank and he was very veryyy stressed he even puffed a little.when we put him into the new tank he was fine for a sec and then his belly turned black.it turned back to white for a couple minutes and then black again when we fed him.he has never turned this color before and i have read on many websites that it can be because of distress, which is very likely, and also because he is sick.at what point should i be worried if he does not turn back to normal?he's swimming around and acting like he always has.we treated the water with various things:chlorine eliminator drops, ammonia neutralizer, aquarium salt and we put a little fizzy thing shaped like a fish in there that is suppose to also neutralize nitrates/pH as well as improve color and help reduce stress..with all of things i'm pretty sure that he is fine.he devoured his shrimp as he usually does so there's nothing wrong with he appetite..so is his belly black just due to stress and the fact that he is in a new tank with new toys he is not familiar with or what?

[sevenyearnight]

I'm just trying to help you and your puffers, which seems to be just 1 now, I wasn't the one who initially suggested you rehome them, although I do agree, but your comment was unnecessarily rude. You have insulted the people trying to help you, you've blatantly ignored the advice, and then have the audacity to ask for more help. I was excited to see that you posted again and was really hoping that your puffers were doing alright. I don't understand attitude.

[bigfatfish]

Hey greenpuffer! Did you manage to read the links that Flutter gave you? Think they may answer your questions.

[Kyle D]

first off i'm not going to give my fish away sevenyearnight all i needed was to know what i needed to do not someone to tell me i'm not capable of giving my fish what it needs!and to the person that said my 1 fish needs a 30 gal tank..your crazy!the minimum a puffer can live in is a 5 due to the amount of ammonia they produce and how such a small space will thus lead to the fishes death due to the ammonia.we now have a 10 gal tank and it's working great..that is if you have drive to get your butt up off the couch to change the water every 2-3 weeks..and that i have but if you dont then i see how you need a 30 gal tank.just an FYI for the people mentioned in this section.

First of all, where are you getting this information from? Do you have any idea how large GSPs get? Are you even aware that they are brackish fish and require a mix of salt and freshwater? I seriously think you should do some research first before buying any fish and even more so before attacking one of the members on a forum where you are asking for help. I seriously think you need a lesson in manners.

[greenpuffer]

hey kyle d...you should have read further on in my post where it said i know they are saltwater fish and have treated them with the necessary things.i'm completely aware of the things i need.you're the one that needs to get your info straight and make sure you read all the facts before you open your trap.i seriously think you need a brain.oh and you act like 6 inches is 6 feet...he's barely even an inch..if that.and i get my info from 2 local pet stores (not walmart), 1 very high end very trusted friend owned pet store in LA (where they have a specialist in saltwater fish, also a lover of puffers he is, and knows his business)..btw he's the one who told me about the tanks and when i should get a bigger one and what is good for now.i don't trust websites because all it is based on is peoples opinions!this site just proves my point on the opinions of others and why i should go to the professionals first.

[J-P]

Well you do understand that he will need a larger tank at some point. You as the care giver have to make the ultimate decision as to when that will take place, if at all. A fish that gets to be the size of your fist will not do in a 10 gallon.

Also, as you mentioned about adding the aquarium salt. The salt needed is "marine salt", there is a difference.

The color will come back in time. once he gets used to his new home and has a chance to explore a bit. Can take days to weeks, but as a juvie it is usually shorter.

Playing with the water chem will also case stress on the fish. This will be noticeable on the belly if the swings are too much in one direction or another.

Regarding waterchanges every 2 - 3 weeks... wow!! I wish that was always the case. Weekly is the recommended norm.

[Pufferpunk]

I highly suggest reading all the links given to you in this thread. They have been written by experienced, long-term pufferkeepers, with practical experience in these matters.

[Srkoe]

Wow! I personally think the best place to go for advice is a dedicated forum. I haven't been here long but I can go waaaay back in posts and find many of the "regulars" posting long ago. Who better to go to than people who have personally kept these kinds of fish for years...these folks have a passion...their knowledge amazes me! I have learned almost everything from this forum and have never Bern steered wrong. In the end I feel like they do care because there really is so much false information out there, even in well established fish stores. There are 1000's of different fish kept in this hobby and there is no way any one person knows everything about every fish. Therefore it is hard to go into a fish store and expect to always get correct info from employees unless they have actually kept said fish...and for years for that matter. It's sad when someone buys that cute little fish (or any cute baby animal for that matter) just to realize years or even months later that it is huge and no longer a baby. All we can do is hope that you will do the right thing for your pet and keep it well for years to come...and meet all it's requirements no matter how big or small. Please just don't get so defensive when someone tells you something you don't "want" to hear. That is why we ask for advise or opinions. There is a way to be tactful and not come off as rude. Remember...you catch more flies with honey..more with a whisper than a shout. I truly wish you and your new baby all the luck!

[puffermichigan]

Hi Greenpuffer,

We are all just trying to provide some help that you asked for. There are extremely knowledgeable people on this forum who have given many people advice and saved the lives of their fish. My two (about 2 inch-long puffers) live in a 75 gallon tank and get a 40% water change every single week. The bioload of pufferfish is very high, and because I followed the advice of the well-meaning people on this forum my puffers are very healthy. I hope you do not dismiss the advice from this forum.