The Puffer Forum

I need to move my GSP. right now he is in a SG of 1.022. I have a FW tank that is well matured but uninhabited. I could raise the SG up a tad to BW conditions but I couldn't raise it up to SW because it wouldn't be cycled anymore. If I dip acclimated my GSP for about two hours to a SG of about 1.004 or so, would he get shock and die? If he did my wife would make sure I would do the same...... So it's important he has no ill effects.

What's the story behind having to move him like this? How large is the puffer?

He is about 2 1/2 inches. Story is this.. He has be incredibly happy living with all the other marine creatures for a while now... And I mean a good while. I always knew however there would be a day that he would figure out that he could eat better than me and my wife. Well Friday was that day. He finally realized that $60 or so worth of cleaner shrimp would taste great. It appears that they did and now I think it's time we make the move to his own apartment. There is a perfectly sized 36g tank that is just craving a new occupant. I would want to eventually get it up to full marine conditions also but for now it has to stay very low end BW if anything...... I don't HAVE to move him but I would feel a lot better with cleaners again....

I wouldn't do it. You can instantly cycle a marine tank with cured live rock.

Make the FW tank SW and add LR and filter media from the preexisting SW tank and it'll be much much safer

I know nothing about this but what if he added the filter media and water from the SW tank to the new tank? Would that work. Then he could bring down the salt in the new tank a little at a time.

He doesn't need to bring the SG down, really.

definitely sounds like a plan..

just make the freshwater tank salt.. leave 24 hours so all the salt in dissolved and your SG reading is stable..

then transfer some of your live rock across... and puff too..


then just watch your parameters for a bit, and begin building your second marine tank... my marine puffers seem find with hermit crabs, but will take apart any other cleaners...

they are good with leathers and mushrooms, but my latest attempt at green star polyps ended miserably... £39 coral... eaten overnight.... sob.

You guys will be happy to know that I took the advice and made the tank the same SG as his original home..... Scored a bunch of LR for dirt cheap and made him a sweet home! I think he is a bit stressed from the move though. Check out his belly in this pic. He hasn't eaten in two day, thats the time hes been in this tank. Anyway he goes from dark belly like he is hunting to bright colors and back again. He has never done that. You guys think it's stress? Here is a pic of his belly and home....

Where did you get the LR? Are you sure it's totally cured? Keep a close eye on the ammonia/nitrite, if you didn't get if directly from a fellow reefer's tank.

Got it from a fellow reefer. A friend of mine wanted to get rid of a few HUGE pieces so I took them off her hands and broke them up... It is totally cured her tank is a few years old.... reef tank

Yeah, I'd keep an eye on the parameters just in case; if the rock is in transport for even a short time you will likely have some die-off which may cause a mini-cycle. Nothing a few water changes couldn't take care of though.
I wouldn't be too worried about him not eating... as I'm sure you know, fish can go quite a long time without eating (I've left my puffers for 10 days before with no food and they were completely fine).

Perfect!