The Puffer Forum

I got him a nice new piece of rock with lots of holes in it. And I got 3 black mollies for him to chase around. Well, turns out, they are happy as larks and mr green HATES the whole deal! He hides in the holes in the rock! What the heck? I was told he'd chase the mollies!

All the F8s, I tried to keep, never killed any fish and they never hid in a hole in the decor! Each puffer is unique!!!

My experience exactly. I tried adding mollies to my first GSP's tank, and they bullied him to no end and he ended up just staying out of their way for most of the day. He'd try to come out at feeding time but the mollies would always make it to the food first, and chase him away when he tried to get a bite to eat. (Needless to say, the mollies got the boot.) I'm starting to think that GSPs turn into little wimps when any fish they share the tank with shows a little spunk and stands up to them.

He's not good. I think he has ick. He barely does anything- even out of the hiding spots. I'm taking him to the fish doctors- place I got him.

marksrush wrote:I'm starting to think that GSPs turn into little wimps when any fish they share the tank with shows a little spunk and stands up to them.

Sure...

The perp:



Victims:

Just be glad its fins at the moment, if they move onto the body thats when it turns serious.

Bogwoodbruce wrote:Just be glad its fins at the moment, if they move onto the body thats when it turns serious.

I saw it as my duty to put the mollies out of their obvious misery...

I also received a PM from Jennie (the owner of Mr. Green) in where she asked me to convey that her GSP; Mr. Green, died earlier today.
R.I.P.

Sorry to hear that.

Thanks, Woland, for relaying the message.

Since I posted, he got dark gray, skinny, was breathing quickly, and the ich spread to his whole body. Sadly, this morning, he was dead. I am bummed. I so thought I was doing okay - but he didn't seem right and the mollies pushed him over the edge.

I'll be back- But not until I can start a gsp out with a BIG tank. I'll lurk, I'm sure. There is a beautiful gsp at the shop- a bigger one. I'd love to have him in a nice big tank, but oh well. At the moment, I'll do a couple more mollies, or some brackish schooling fish, or something. The mollies are sucking all the algie off things and generally swimming around oblivious.

Its only a $6 fish, but I'm just plain sad I let him down.

Stick around and learn everything you can until that day comes.

Update:

I've done some investigating yesterday and here's what I've surmised re: mr. green's demise. Let me know your thoughts, please.

He started going downhill after the first of the 3 big snails I'd added died. I removed it. Then, last weekend, one died while I was away. I removed it, along with the one I thought was still alive but - I wasn't taking any chances on another death. (Both stank to high heaven!!) I did a big water change immediately. (I think the snails were too big for him to eat. He just kept biting holes into the rims of their shells until they either were literally pestered to death, or starved to death because they were afraid to come out of their shells.)

He was acting a little less active and "himself". I got a nice piece of rock with lots of holes for him- more places to hide and play in and I added 3 black mollies. I thought he'd chase them- give him something to not get bored. That same day, the mollies swarmed the food and mr. green didn't seem interested in fighting. In fact, he just went and hid. He tucked himself into a hole or two. He was breathing really quickly, and he went from white and full on his bottom and sides to gray and skinny. That was right at bedtime- but he was still breathing and looking around. He looked extremely stressed. In the morning, he was dead. I found him twirling this way and that with the current. I took him out in a plastic bag, but nope- no eye movement at all.

Yesterday, I took a syringe of tank water to petco- not the best for fish, I think, but the place I got mr green had *just* closed when I got there. The guy there tested the water. The ammonia was "off the charts". Nitrates and nitrites galore. Mr. Green was ammonia'd to death. So, my theory is that I may have not noticed when one or two snails were dead until they were *really* dead and by then the ammonia levels shot through the roof. Even my big water change couldn't undo the cascade of events.

I did a 50% WC last night and removed everything and did a good syphoning of the rocks for the mollies last night. The temp was a bit high, too - so I turned the heater setting down. (Seems to run a bit above the setting.)

I think a combo of the higher temp, the snails dying and probably the fact that I then gave him new decore and roomies all contributed to his death.

No more snails. And a 5-gallon simply can't support a puffer- if any one parameter goes off, the tank goes down very quickly. My next puffer will gave a 55 at least.

Mr Green

A 5g is great for a dwarf puffer! When I had a similar problem with my GSPs (long story, sad ending), I switched to DPs. I love them.

And, yeah, test kits are so important to have at home.

So sorry about Mr. Green. That's just rotten.

Thanks, littlegreenpuffer.

Yes it was the ammonia and the nitrite and the nitrate. Add to the fact that they were all in a way overstocked 5 gallon.
GSP's need 30 gallon with no other fish.

Sorry that Mr.Green died.