Young GSP's in full marine?

[studmaster]

I'm not sure what you consider FULL marine, but mines in a SG of 1.022 now. Here's a couple weird things, not sure if they are related or what happened.

Background

I bought one GSP(named Zephyr) locally, and 2 a few months later from a store a few hours away. They all started off roughly the same size, and looked identical. I had them in brackwish water, probably 1.010 or a bit lower. Zephyr grew and grew at very fast rate, and would eat anything he could fit in his mouth. The other two had normal appetites and would eat anything Zephyr would let them. Fast forward maybe 6-8 months and Zephyr is now about 8 times the volume of the other two. I would have to say the other two didn't grow at all. Almost like they were a stunted variety.

I wanted to bring them to marine for a couple reasons, so over the last couple months slowly raised the SG to 1.022. I had to go away last week and got my friend to come in and feed them twice, and I came home to find one of smaller two had past away and the other one not looking too healthy. Right before I left, I raised the SG from about 1.021-1.022. Side note, Zephyr is fine.

I did a water change and lowerd the SG back down to 1.021 and the surviving smaller puffer seems to be doing better. He's still not growing any, which gives me the idea that the smaller two puffers might come from a different area and doesn't like that much salt water or might be a stunted variety because they haven't grown at all since I've got them and like I said before Zephyr is 8x the size. Do all GSP's go to full saltwater to mate? It seemed to cause 2 out of my 3 a lot of harm once it got over 1.021.

[Myaj]

Can you show us photos of the ones that didn't like the water?

The growth rate thing is odd, I can't say I've ever heard of that. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[studmaster]

I can see if I can snap a couple photos of the one remaining one that didn't seem to like the water. I also opened a new bag of salt....that was the only other difference.

The growth rate/and appetite of this fish is insane. I wish I could get the two side by side, but I think the smaller one is afraid he might get eaten.

[Jase]

My Hootey is also small and I have wondered about possible different variety. he has grown very little in the year and a half I've had him (maybe half an inch) bringing him to almost 2 inches in length.
He does seem to like the higher sg though. mine is at 1.024.

[studmaster]

Can you show us photos of the ones that didn't like the water?

The growth rate thing is odd, I can't say I've ever heard of that. Thank you for sharing your experience!

Okay, the first one is the smaller puffer that seemed to not do well in the saltwater....but I guess it could have been something else I am not accounting for. He grew some sort of rash on the side that you can still see. He looked really bad a week ago, but better now.

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... allguy.jpg

This next one is of a similar place and was how big all 3 of my puffers were when I got them roughly a year ago now. This is the puffer I don't think likes the higher end saltwater, but it could be something else. He doesn't eat as much after I moved the SG above 1.014 or so.

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... eforeb.jpg

Here's Zephyr in the same location

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... afterb.jpg

And finally the only picture I could get with them both in the shot at the same time.

http://i480.photobucket.com/albums/rr16 ... risonb.jpg

You'll have to excuse the poor photography as I was in a BIG hurry!

[Myaj]

I would PM Corvus about these photos. I'm guessing your larger one is not actually a GSP and is more likely a Tetraodon Sabahensis, aka "Giant Puffer".

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Sabahensis/

Some of the things that tell these apart from GSP's are their longer noses, darker bellies, spots have a lighter center, and of course, the size.. Just an idea.

Either way, there's something definately wrong with the smaller one, it looks miserable, good luck getting that sorted out.

[studmaster]

hmmm, from those photos he doesn't look like a "Giant Puffer"....but it's hard to tell because I know he's over fed. If I don't, he eats his tank mates. I think he's growing at a normal pace, maybe a bit fast, but the other two weren't growing at all....maybe stunted or a different variety. Could explain them not liking the saltier water.

Although he does have a dark belly 95% of the time.

[LilGreenPuffer]

I agree with Myaj that the big one looks like a giant spotted.

[Myaj]

Don't look so much at the spots (the photos in the Pedia are of ones that happen to have very squiggly spots) but more at the body shape, length of the nose, etc...

[studmaster]

well I guess it could be one, especially after reading:

"There seems to be several variants of this species with different body markings that are not typically associated with T. Nirgroviridis or T. Fluviatilis."

I wouldn't say he's as long looking as the ones in the photos, but maybe he isn't as old and he's rounder....but that's because I feed him a lot otherwise he will eat his tankmates. These ones are called "Giants"....but they only get to 6".....I thought most of the regular GSP's grew to around that size?

[studmaster]

Taking a look through the Brackish gallery, his body type, fins etc are almost identical to the Ceylon Puffer, he looks a lot like this one:

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Fluviat ... _.jpg.html

The only difference is that he has spots on top, not bands.

[LilGreenPuffer]

They're about the same size, which amuses me. Common names are kinda weird sometimes.

[sarina23]

What size was it when you moved it into full marine?
Puffy (GSP) was about 2.5" and Valentine (Ceylon) was about 1.5"
How long was it/is it in full marine?
It has been close to a year
How large did it grow, and how fast?
They both got about an inch bigger
Did you notice any stress, lack of eating, poor coloration, weight loss, etc?
No, everything has been GREAT, even my knight goby is loving the higher salinity
Did you return it to brackish levels at any point?
Nope never
If it died, how long was it alive?
n/a

I have a question though, Is there any salt fish that I can put in the tank with my puffers? Say like clown fish or marine gobys, or even other salt puffers that don't get too big?? Has anyone ever done this and had success?? I would love to add them, but I don't want anything that would be bad for my precious puffs!

[LilGreenPuffer]

I'd worry more about the tankmates. Some types of clownfish are aggressive and large enough to hold their own, I would think. A maroon would scare the bejeezus out of a GSP.

[Brent]

Is it possible that Zephyr was bred from two different species of puffer?

GSP+ Ceylon / GSP + Giant Puffer


Just a thought...