The Puffer Forum

I'm thinking about getting a new GSP from the LFS, however they've had him in a marine tank for about a week rather than a brackish. He's a bigger GSP (basically not a baby), probably about 2" long or so, maybe a little bit longer. Would I have any problems moving him from the marine tank at the store to a brackish tank at home? I know the SG is supposed to match where they're coming from to where they're going, but I'm guessing they don't have him in a brackish because they don't have any other brackish fish. I'm really hesitant to get him because I don't think the LFS is keeping him like they should, but I'm not sure.

Thanks

GSPs eventually prefer higher salinities as they get older, and often do perfectly well in full marine environments. A few of our puffer keepers here have GSPs/Ceylons that are only 1.5-2 inches in full marine setups and they are doing fantastic!

Now, to address your question about transferring them into a brackish environment at home. Although it's technically fine to do so, it all really depends on the puffer. Do you eventually plan on bringing the tank back up to full marine in the future? The main problem I would see you facing is that the GSP enjoys the salinity level of the marine environment, and s/he might not be so happy with you for a bit if you put them back into a light brackish environment. I don't think it would actually hurt him, but we've all had grumpy puffers, hehe.

If you do decide to get him, you must ensure that your brackish tank is fully cycled, or the change of salinity AND toxins might cause him some serious stress or damage. I would wait for a few more opinions, though.

Also, is your brackish tank already established with other fish/inverts, or did you just start up the tank? If you just started the tank up (or haven't even started it up), I'd really consider making the tank into a marine tank with live rock and such. It's less overall work in the end once you get everything settled in and you won't have to worry about switching it to marine in the future.

well if you do have a cycled brackish tank set up with no other animals in it then you could just raise the salinity up to like 1.018 or so befor you get the GSP then it would be less of a difference. maybe someone can give me an exact number but isnt 1.021 where saltwater "critters" can live? like the bacteria and such? in wich case you could just keep your salinity below that and the puffer would still be fine and be happy with the salinity. and it wouldnt be a very big change to go to full marine in the future, just protein skimmer and live rock basically. but i agree if you dont have it set up then just go for the marine first.

1.017 is the lowest a skimmer will do much at, and I had LR in there at that and it didn't suffer any dieoff. 1.020 seems to be the lowest skimmers really get efficient at though.

I just wanted to give an update that I didn't get the GSP that was in marine, but I got a baby GSP at my LFS that I got my F8 at. He's doing great in his new tank.. here's a video of him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKfsew795pw

Heehee! You better slow down on the food or he's going to POP! ^_^

Yeah, that was the first time he ate, after about 4 bites of krill! I fished the rest out after he got a little belly.