The Puffer Forum

So tonight I finally had the pleasure/curse of watching one of my GSPs puffing up to an almost perfect ball with spikes and all after an altercation with one of its tank-mates. My puffers are at the 2 1/2 inch mark. After reading articles of feeding them, it states that at their current size you should feed them every other day. I will never do that again! I don't ever want them to have to feel like they have to fight for their food anymore. It started out as a feeding frenzy and my smaller puffer was fighting for food with the larger GSP. The larger one got a hold of its lower lip and would not let go...this was just for a split second. My smaller puffer (kid) puffed up and put out his tiny spikes. I swear he looked like a mini cactus . I have never seen my puffers, or any others in real life puffed up, so it was very disturbing to be. Kid has some minor damage to his lower lip. I put some melafix in the water and he doesnt seem to be greatly affected by his wound. I think he'll make a full recovery...I really hope so. He used to be the bully, even though he's the smallest, but now I think he's starting to know his role.

I just wanted to share...I really doubted the ability for GSPs to actually puff up and show their spikes, but they actually do puff up and they actually do have spikes. I was amazed and disturbed at the same time.

Lesson learned...If you have more than one puffer in a large aquarium provide enough food for each of them to eat and waste, just clean up the the remainder.

That's one of the reasons why most puffers should be kept as singletons

You can also try putting food in 2 places, that way they both eat separately.

I've only seen one of my puffers ever "puff up". It was my Fahaka... Came downstairs one morning and was like ! He was about the size of a softball/small soccer ball. Kinda freaked me out at first, until I realized what he was doing. Not sure why he was puffed....