new to puffers, need any help you can give

[jdm42989]

I have never owned anything more than a simple goldfish. I would love to buy a GPS from walmart, but I have no idea where to get started. I live in a college dorm so I cannot have more than a 10g tank, but I have read that they only need 1 gallon per 1" . At walmart they are listed as tropical, but are they in 100% freshwater or is there salt in the water? If anyone can give me a very simple step by step procedure to setting up a tank and raising a gps that would be awesome.

Also, is there a newbie section in the forums? If not, why isn't there one?

[Idontknow]

Hello! Welcome to the forum! I am sure you will learn a lot here. I am still learning, too!

I think the general concensus is that a GSP will need 30 gallons per fish.

To get started please read these articles from the library

library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/

If you have more questions after reading, start asking away! The people here are all very, very helpful.

[Idontknow]

At walmart they are listed as tropical, but are they in 100% freshwater or is there salt in the water?

A lot of places seem to mistakenly have these puffers in fresh water. If you decide to buy one, you should check with a hydrometer what specific gravity (SG), they have them in. You can either ask them, or check the water that is in the bag.

[riggers]

Is there no other lfs around where you live cause wal-mart are usually useless and you might end up with an ill fish. Plus they know nothing about fish and will probably mis-inform you.

[mala]

If you're dead set on getting a puffer, go with Dwarf Puffers. I had those while I was living in a dorm...

You only want to put 2 in a 10gal tank, or even just 1, they are very territorial. Entirely freshwater, so you don't have to worry about salinity.

dwarf puffer info: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/C_Travancoricus/

oh and I second the stear clear of walmart/petsmart/petco advice. Best bet is to get them from a dedicated aquarium store who actually knows and cares about their fish.

[jdm42989]

so a 1 gallon tank for a baby (less than 1 ") wouldn't be okay to start off with even if it were just for a half a year or so?

also, I'm confused about the whole idea with freshwater and saltwater, I've read around a lot that they start out as freshwater fish, as in no salt added right?

Also I read somewhere that there's a difference between salts, like aquarium salt, marine, etc. What exactly is each kind for?

How fast do these guys grow?

[ryverrat]

Definitely not going to make it in a 1gal. I started with a 10 gal tank and had a lot of problems with a fish that was only 1/2 in. when I got it. It is not the size of the fish but the water volume to dilute their waste and the decay of the left over food (you can't remove all of it- they are messy eaters). They are found in the wilds as babies in fresh water but it has been found that they do much better health wise in brackish water (a mix of salt and freshwater) in captivity. Read Pufferpunk's article in the library on green spotted- it is very good. As far as different salts- aquarium salts are minerals (not calcium chloride) meant to supplement water in a freshwater tank. Marine salts contain calcium chloride and usually some other trace elements as found in sea water. To make brackish water you would use marine salt. Saltwater and brackish tanks must have marine salt. Freshwater tanks don't necessarily need aquarium salt- depends on fish being keep. For a first puffer try getting a dwarf. You can order fish online - better than Walmart. Only drawback is the shipping. If you add a general location you live some of us may know of other stores that carry puffers near you .

[Pufferpunk]

The 1"/g rule is only for a small, slight-bodied fish, like a neon tetra or zebra danio, not a heavy-boddied, large waste-producing fish like a GSP. A 1" GSP can go into a 10g tank but not for long. Once it's 2", it should be moved to a 30g tank & at 6", would prefer a larger tank, like a 55g. It doesn't make much sense to buy a fish you may not be able to upgrade when necessary, while you're in college. It is also quite stressful to be moving a larger fish back & forth during breaks. What is the longest period your fish will have to be left unattended in the dorm?