The Puffer Forum

Yikes. I picked up what I thought were Figure 8 Puffers from WalMart and they are in fact green spotted puffers. All yellow, white bellies, black spots on their backs! What would you suggest. I had first made the mistake of adding aquarium salt to a 14 gallon for 2 juvies. When I make water changes, what do I do about the salt? Do I start to add Marine instead? Thanks for your help with this. They are quite active and are eating extremely well. Thanks!

I would return them but unfortunately they would flush them down the toilet. Unless you really want a 60 gallon tank i would give them to someone and hold out on what you want.

Don't add marine salt to fast do it gradually or use the drip method.

at the top of the page go to Learn, and then Pufferpedia, and then when that page pops up, click on Brackish Puffers and then click on Green Spotted Puffer to find info on them.

but yea, i would even say see if anyone near you could take them, or maybe even someone on this forum.

then clean out the tank, put lots of plants and decor in ther and then get 4 dwarf puffers

or even just one figure 8

Post in the classified area that you've got GSPs for a good home. Someone in your area may respond.

As for the salt, you'll need to raise the levels gradually, so as not to kill off your bacteria, so you need to get a hydrometer/refractometer.

I don't get it--F8s require marine salt too.

i know... i meant
Option A: Clean out the tank and get DPs Option 2: Just get a Figure 8

You're gonna have to find a LFS that will take the puffers. Maybe you can trade them for a test kit or something. Don't bring them back to Walmart. That's why I haven't stepped foot in one over 12 years.

Would the 2 together be alright n a 38 gallon tank?

sharonm wrote:Would the 2 together be alright n a 38 gallon tank?

No.
60 gallons or larger. That is it. Final.

What about the Indian Dwarf Puffer? He is a freshwater, would 2 of these be alright in a 38? Can anyone suggest a place to purchase dwarfs?

sharonm wrote:What about the Indian Dwarf Puffer? He is a freshwater, would 2 of these be alright in a 38? Can anyone suggest a place to purchase dwarfs?

They need three gallons a piece. And they'd be lost in that large of a tank (IMO).
Check online for different places to get them, and most local fishstores (NOT WALMART) carry them.

sharonm wrote:Would the 2 together be alright n a 38 gallon tank?

That partially depends how big they are right now. They wouldn't be fine for life in there, but if they're still small right now (1" to 2"), you could get away with a 38 gallon for between 6 - 12 months, as GSPs are somewhat slow growers (which again depends). 38 gallons sure beats 20 gallons if you plan on keeping them!

Christemo wrote:

sharonm wrote:What about the Indian Dwarf Puffer? He is a freshwater, would 2 of these be alright in a 38? Can anyone suggest a place to purchase dwarfs?

They need three gallons a piece. And they'd be lost in that large of a tank (IMO).

You could get more than two! The more, the merrier, and I've heard that a large group of them is adorable. Plus, they're very cheap (about $2 each). If you do that, just be sure that there's a ratio of one male to two females. If you get two, get either two females or one male and one female. You could put six of them in your 20g.

For sexing DPs, please refer to the article on them in our Library.