A little rant, but also some good news.

[Stephjls]

So, my fathers 55gallon fish tank is outside on the huge wrap around wood porch. We have a industrial heater in it, and the temperature was also the same.
Well, the other night, I guess the heater quit, on the coldest night of the year thus far, and by the time my father got downstairs his GSP was dead.
Needless to say, he was extremely upset. This fishtank was something him and I did together, him taking interest in something I like.
Okay, well he thought if he went out and bought a new GSP, I wouldn't notice. (Really, cause I am five years old. Always daddys little girl, hahaha) He went EVERYWHERE. No one had them in stock, with the exception of Animal House, a local petstore.

Well, THEY SOLD HIM A F8! They told him all this false information about the fish (I come over and take care of the fish, he just gets to clean the tank and check the ph levels ect.), and even though he told them over and over it was a GSP, he said it looked different. So I come over, and he's trying to convince me its the same GSP, uhh... no. Lol, maybe if it wasn't 2 inches bigger then the original GSP and an entirely DIFFERENT species! ha, but he tried. I showed him pictures of the two, and their markings. I also called and screamed at Animal house. >:(

We took the F8 back. It was sickly, and its fins were tore up.


Okay, onto the exciting news!
WAL MART DISCONTINUED SELLING GSP!!! (my local one did.)
Thought that would make you happy. I complained and lectured them EVERY time I came in. I like to believe I made a difference, but even though it probably had nothing to do with me being a complete bother to them, still. The GSP will not be sold there anymore


Ugh, so long rant over. I shall share pictures soon, of my tank and my fathers.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Oh wow, you can really tell story and type extremely good for a 5 year old... . Well atleast you got another puffer. I have lost fishes over heaters not working right or just stop all together. Your dad kinda sounds like something I would do.

[Stephjls]

Hahaha, I am a little bit older then 5
I figured it was a freak accident! I was so upset!
He went out and bought two new industrial heaters, we have them both in the tank now.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Well glad you all got some new heaters. Playing it safe with 2 heaters now. One fails then the other can keep working. Now, I had a heater to overheat my 55 gal. here while back and had to buy another one. Marineland Stealth Pro heater is what I have in that tank now. They recalled a bunch of Stealth Pro's but what's being sold in most lfs's that keeps updated heaters are the newer ones. Mine has not failed me yet.

[TSI431]

Couple of things.

1. Having a fish tank outside is just asking for trouble, whether it is on a porch or not. What do you do in the summer when it reaches 90-100 + degrees all day? I live in central Florida, and I know it reaches those temps quite often. Temps here were in the 20's this past week, I don't think any heater can keep up with that much of a swing.

2. Your new F8 is 2 inches bigger then the GSP you had previously? Are you sure its an F8?

[Stephjls]

Tsi;
1. The summer had the tank around 75-80 degrees. It never got hotter, we haw fans and such on the porch keeping the air pretty cool. The tank is also never in direct sun light, we put up a blind for control. While it can be 90-100 out by the pool, on the porch it's usually 80-85. (there's a roof, with ceiling fans.)

2. Yep, the GSP was a still relatively tiny. I'm guessing it was a F8, since it had the pattern. Though, I could be wrong. Once I get off work I'll be able to post some pictures. Either way, it was not a GSP, so it was not what we wanted.

[Stephjls]

Here are two pictures.
I am sorry they are so crappy, it was taken with my phone.

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee14 ... 9-1832.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee14 ... 9-1831.jpg

Try both of those.
You can see the fish, and his markings. Is that not a F8?

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Yep, those are F8's

[Stephjls]

I thought so!
Man, would I have felt stupid yelling at the pet store if they weren't, haha!

How big are they full grown?
That F8 was huge compared to the GSP babies.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

GSP's get about 6 1/2 inches full grown and F8's get only 3 inches. Your F8's probley near their adult size and your GSP's where only still young so that's why there was a size difference. I seen some really nice sized F8's at Wal-Mart when they 1st got them in before they started looking bad. Btw, don't be so hard on your lfs because most don't know much about fish, just needing the money....lol. I let my lfs's think they know what they are sellin. Get good deals alot of times when they don't know what they are sellin..lol.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Oh yeah, here some really good info on F8's.


ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/

[Stephjls]

Thanks so much!!