I've had him for about 2 years now. He's very fat and round but tiny, smaller than a golf ball. He was topical emaciated when I got him. He quickly filled out. But almost no growth other than becoming pleasingly plump.
He is in a 37 gallon aquarium. The temp is usually 76 to 78. I use a canister filter and rinse out the prefilter sponge dealio on the intake tube once a week when I do water changes. I usually clean one section of the canister filter every month or 3 and rotate which section I clean. Other than when I moved and tank had a bit of a small cycle the ammonia and nitrites are zero. Try to keep nitrates at zero. I do a5 gallon water change usually once a week.
I got him at walmart, he was in fresh water, of course. I slowly moved him to half strength marine using instant ocean. After 3 or 4 months I tried increasing salinity eventually to full marine. After a few months with zero growth I reduced it, eventually to about a quarter strength. This hasn't been rapid, this is over the course of two years. I've used a refractometer because I like the precision.
So that's the history of salinity.
He gets snails a few times a week. If I'm eating fish he gets a bit of raw fish. I'm allergic to shellfish but if room mates eat any I snag a small bit for puffer. Usually he gets frozen food twice a day. Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, carnivore marine cuisine, sometimes blood worms. Crickets occasionally when room mate feeds their tarantula, I've offered live ghost shrimp and he's curious and head bops them and nudges them but doesn't even bother to take a bite though they seem to entertainhim for a few months and scavenge a bit of food that he misses.
He seems happy, rarely does the glass surfing thing unless it's feeding time or he's watching something outside the tank. He mostly just chills, explores the rock and wood, watches the ghost shrimp, waits for meal time like a puppy. After lights out he does some more puffer patrolling then retires to the back off the tank behind some rocks and he's done for the night.
Sorry so long but wanted to give anything that might be pertinent. It just seems weird that after two years there is almost zero growth, still slightly smaller than a golf ball. Any suggestions appreciated
I'm open to whatever, if the 37 isn't big enough I could get a larger tank. Diet or salinity or why other suggestions are more than welcome. Thank you.
![[welcome]](./images/smilies/welcome.gif "welcome")