The Puffer Forum

I've decided to get a GSP for my 100 gallon tank as a pet. I'm getting him/her tomorrow but what food should I stock up on? I know about the snail thing and not feeding flake but are there any other types of food I can feed other than snails?

Funny you ask, in the Puffer Library there is a big section on feeding, let me get you the link library/category/feeding/. Personally, my GSP loves little bits of shrimp and mussel left on the shell. Goes absolutely nuts when he sees it through the glass.

Thanks for that it was a great article....still haven't quite worked out where i'm going to get half of this food from but they sell ghost feeder shrimps in the shop where i'm buying him/her from so i'll pick up a few of them at the same time and go from there. I'll find out first what they're being fed on in the shop obviously!!!

Snail are easy to get, usually your lfs will give you (or sell them cheap) their snails from their planted tanks. Clams, mussels, shrimp can all be found at a grocery store. Check the LFS for black worms and blood worms and bait shops for earthworms. Make sure all the seafood you get is fresh uncooked, take it home and freeze it to kill parasites. Thaw in tank water when your ready to use. I go through about a shrimp and two mussels/clams a month, the shrimp freeze whole and then slice off thin pieces to feed. The mussels and clams I scrape the meat out, cut it up in to smaller pieces and freeze it on a plate. Make sure you leave some meat on the shell and give him the shell so he has to scrape the meat off. Lots of fun to watch.

Here's a link to my puffer's eating a meal:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16307

Awwwwwwwww I love my little one more than I did in the shop now!! I got him about 10 hrs ago, put him in and off he went, like a little hoover gobbling the herds of snails that were in there. In fact I was a bit concerned that maybe he/she had eaten a bit TOO much because his belly had more of an after-dinner bulge than any fish I've seen!! Poor little thing must have been starving in the shop! About 20 minutes ago I put a tiny bit of bloodworm in to get him used to it in case he runs out of snails and he munched that too. Obviously I won't feed him anymore tonight but I'm really pleased with the way he's taken to his new home!! <3 my puffer!!

You only have 1 GSP in a 100g tank? He must be really happy to have that big tank all to himseof! Be sure to read our article on them in the library here.

I think it's 100 gallons ...it's 4 ft x 2 ft x 2 ft so I can't be far out!! I only got the one because from what I've read, they prefer solitary confinement as opposed to sharing a tank. Can I get more in there then? If I can, I wouldn't mind getting him a friend and one or 2 mono's, although if the latter are likely to cause problems, I'd be just as happy with 2 puffers. He does look as happy as a pig in a trough mind. How big do they grow? On one site I've read that gsp's grow to 8" but another says 4". I know there were a lot of snails in the tank but I'm a bit concerned about his belly being so full!!

I'd forget about the monos--they are a schooling species & will probably get nipped by the puffer/s. That tank is considered a 120g, although I'd figure on a totall of 100g of water in there. You could add a couple more GSPs or Ceylon puffers. All should get along if they grow up together from juveniles. Of course, you can always get that "bad seed puffer".

Hee hee....of all the fish I've ever bought, I've always had 'the naughty one'. I had a lunatic guppy who killed half his relatives....I've got 2 evil clownfish (Disney have told HUGE porkies making them out to be sweet and cuddly) AND I bought a lovely shoal of cardinal tetra's only to notice one with a fellow fish tail in his mouth!!! I'll definitely get another gsp then and leave it at that....only because if one does go crabby with the other, there's plenty of room to 'leg it'!!