new member. looking for a congo puffer for my new tank

[killakyro]

Hi
My names willie and I am new to this site. I have 3 gsp's and I am looking for a red congo puffer for my new 55 gal tank. I was wonering if anyone knows of any fish dealers in minnesota that may have congos. Or is there a special website I can look at to have them shipped. If anyone can help I would be grateful.

Thanks

[Pufferpunk]

I got mine shipped from this guy: oluwatoyinojo@yahoo.com

[killakyro]

Thank you for the info. What are some other good FW puffer to have?

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

I think the Hairy puffer's are cool but never owned one YET. Arrowhead puffers are alot like congos by the means of waiting for the food to swim by and such. Wow, there are afew other I would look up on that I think are really cool and would like to own each of them one day.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Here is a 2nd choice of FW puffers.

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Baileyi/

[Pufferpunk]

The 55g would be a nice tank for 4 South American puffers, if you're prepared to do some regular dentistry on that species. Otherwise, it's kine of a weird size for FW puffers, since the rest are best kept as singletons. It's a bit if a waste of the smaller FW puffers, like the ambush predators or lurkers & too small for the larger puffers. Perfect size for a single GSP, if you're willing to try BW,

Since we've started these Qs in this thread, I'm going to lock your other one so it's not double posted. That can confuse responders.

[killakyro]

Thanks I already have 3 gsp and I have them living with my blood parrot and they seem to get along great no fin nipping or anything. I want more of an amush predator so what size tank would you recommend. For the 55 I have I will turn that into the gsp tank but I really would like a congo or a palembang or a hairy. But another question is why is a 55 gal a weird size for a FW puffer. I seen websites that say the min size is 30 gallon if you can answer these questions please help.

[Pufferpunk]

Ambush preds sit in one spot all day--usually buried under the sand with just their eyeballs peering out. That's a lot of tank for a fish you won't see much of & doesn't swim around a lot.

You really need to concern yourself with the situation of the GSPs. They don't belong with the parrot cichlid. They are high-end BW fish & the cichlid won't appreciate that. What size tank are they in now? You're going to need 90+g for the 3 of them.

[killakyro]

Well I have one of the gsp in a 30 with the blood parrot and I have the other 2 in a 37 gal bowfront looking to expand my fish tanks. The reason i have the blood parrot is that my daughter brought it home from school. If I put 1 or 2 gsp in the 55 is it better to put the congo or a ambush puffer in the 37 gal

[Pufferpunk]

That would be much better but you really need to have all 3 GSPs in BW. The 55 won't hold those 2 forever, either.

[killakyro]

I do have them in BW and the parrot seems to like it he is very bright and I haven't had a problem with him he's been in BW for about 8 months now and when I got him he was all skinny and looking to die. But I started feeding him shrimp and it seems the BW hasn't affected him at all it seems to me it made him stronger. The 55 is temporary for the 2 GSP if that's the case. Is a 37 gallons good for a ambush puffer

[Pufferpunk]

What is the SG of that BW tank? Are you using marine salt? The amounts of salt necessary for a healthy GSP, is way more than any FW fish could handle. We're talking about roughly, 3 cups of salt/5g for a SG of 1.015.

[killakyro]

Not nearly that brackish.1cup of salt to every 10 gal I got them from walmart in a freshwater tank but from all the research I've done says when their young they don't need that much salt because they are born in freshwater and move to the ocean as they get older. Other sites I have looked at say slowly start to change it to more brackish as they get older. I'm new to this and I don't want to put them it the brackish water you describe and wait for them to die because they are not used to that high end brackish water. Is this common misunderstanding or can they be put right into that high end brackish water after getting them from a freshwater tank. I just don't want them to die if I put them in that high brackish water for being so young

Please help thanks

[Pufferpunk]

You can even acclimate them directly to SW within about 10 hours. Either way, that cichlid doesn't belong in there. Before getting another fish, straighten this out.

[Flutter]

She's talking about the cichlid, it won't be able to tolerate the amount of salt that GSPs need and not as an adult but as juveniles too. She wants to know what the SG of your tank is currently. As for GSPs, yes, they can go into marine at a young age.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15647

It's also fine to bring them there slowly of course but regardless, they shouldn't be with the cichlid and it's unlikely that it could do well in brackish conditions long term. Like mentioned, especially in the brackish conditions that GSPs will require.

Does that help clear things up a bit?