Multiple GSP's

[Nautical_Newmans]

Hi,
Im new to Puffers and would like to ask all you experieced puffer owners for your opinions.

I have been advised by a guy in our local fish shop (that has advised me alot on my planted 55 gallon tank and is very experienced) that i should keep a pack of 5-8 GSP's in my 55 Gallon tank. He says if they are added at the same time they will behave as a pack and there will be no problems with them fighting.

I know the general rule is 1 per 30 gallons and 1 per tank but he said this has worked for him in the past.

Has anyone ever tried this?

Steve

[zombiefetus]

It's not just a matter of them getting along or not, the large tank requirement is due to their very large bio-load. And remember that the people in pet stores, no matter how helpful they may seem, are there to sell you things.

5-8 GSPs in such a small tank would never work out, you'd just have a large group of very sickly fish.

You could probably put 2 GSPs in there, but as adults that tank would be a bit small for them.
I had a group of 4 GSPs in a 120 gallon tank for a while, and even when very young the tank was still rather messy and required large weekly water changes.
I'm currently in the process of setting up a 250 gallon tank for 8 green spotted puffers, and I'm worried that might even be a bit small for them.

Is the tank you want to put the GSPs in planted? If so I would advise against it, GSPs are omnivores and will eat your plants (plus the plants would never survive in the high-end brackish water a GSP would need).

If you want to have several puffers in there why not do a large group of dwarf puffers? Or some South American Puffers (SAPs)? Both fully freshwater fish that stay fairly small and would do well in a group. Though even with SAPs I don't think you could fit more than 3 in there. (you could get quite a few Dwarf Puffers though, they're small, but very pretty and are very personable).

Or if you wanted a brackish tank you could get about 3 Figure Eight puffers and some bumblebee gobies. F8's look similar to GSPs but stay a bit smaller and don't need the high-end brackish water GSPs need.

[Pufferpunk]

I kept 2 adult GSPs (the size of a Nerf football) in a 55g tank & they were too crowded, so i re-homed them for a 75g. A singleton would be thrilled to be in a 55g alone! do yourself a favor & don't listen to the people just there to sell you fish. Read up on the species you want, plan out the tank carefully & cycle it. If you don't understand about cycling, please ask here!
viewtopic.php?f=68&t=28469

[Nautical_Newmans]

Thank you both for my your quick replies

We currently have Pea puffers in our 55 gallon community tank and they are what started me on my puffer fasination. I love thoses little guys.

I have looked at SAPs but the wife and I have never really fallen in love with them.

We love GSPs.......Period

It was always my plan to have 1 in a 55 gallon and call him George so i am happy to take your advice.

We are cycling the tank at the moment, eventually we will add our danios and some snails. When we come back from Mexico second week in dec we will go find George and bring him home. We will obviously be removing the danios first haha.

If either of you can give anymore advice it would be much appreciated.

Will George be ok in BW for his life span or will he HAVE to go SW eventually?

Are there any BW plants he wont eat?

Does he need a cave to hide in if he is the only one in the tank, all we have at the moment is wood that we are planning on putting some java moss on (if he eats its thats fine we have plenty in our planted tank).

So nice to have new puffer friends!

Steve

[zombiefetus]

I know what you mean about loving GSPs There's no other fish quite like them. I've had several species of puffers and GSPs will always be my favorite <3

Puffers need lots of decorations to keep them entertained. They're very smart little fish and when they get bored they tend to pace up and down the glass obsessively. So it's always a good idea to have lots of caves and places for them to explore.

I wouldn't put any plants in there. This is what happened when I tried that:

They're like little hole punchers, lol.

It's much easier to just bring them all the way up to full marine. Technically you could keep them at high-end brackish, but then you wouldn't get the benefits of a skimmer or liverock. If you've never had a SW tank before GSPs make for a great introduction to it because you can ease into it.

[bertie 83]

I am surprised your pea puffers haven't shredded the fins of your other fish, they should really be on their own

[Nautical_Newmans]

Our pea puffers have been really good. They havent harmed anyhting yet!

[zombiefetus]

Our pea puffers have been really good. They havent harmed anyhting yet!

I never had any problem keeping plants with my DPs (or my Brown Puffer), but my GSP always destroyed them, lol.

[DrKennethNoisewater]

my gsp's never touched my plants... and i also had DP's with danios and the danios are way too quick and just fly around the top of the tank, the DP's didnt even care about them. i think they are good tank mates. Mine was a 10g with 2 DP's and 3 danios and it seemed to do alright...i would advise a 20g for that fish load though...

[Nuclear_Glitter]

I have kept danios and mine were always mean. I have never paired them with a puffer, and I wouldn't for fear they'd be mean to the puffer instead of vice versa.