The Puffer Forum

ive had my GSP for 2 years now
he started in freshwater, worked his way through brackish, up to full marine, and back down to fresh water =/
he seems healthy, but im not sure...

hes only like 1 3/4in.....

could that of stunted him at all??


SWITCHING TANKS:
-started in a 10gal for a month or 2
-then moved up to a 20 gal
-into a 72 gal
-back into the 20 gal
-and now permanently back in the 72 gal tank

*i was moving, and he was all over the place*

*and he's probably been in the 72gal tank for 1 year all together*


FEEDING:
i feed him the following 4 - 6 days a week
-shrimp (from the market)
- i cut a piece off of the whole shrimp
-bloodworms or brine shrimp
- frozen, i get them live occasionally
- flakes
-he'll pick at the flakes that i put in when i feed the other guys



so i just was curious,
because he seems like he's doing pretty good
but he's not getting any bigger

i know i probably screwed up somewhere by moving him so much, but what do you think?

Why is he back to freshwater?

i dont know haha
thats where he just ended up

should i start bringin it back up again?

Yep. They tend to live shorter, less healthy, and smaller in freshwater long term. Someone else could help with the best way to transition his 72 gallon to saltwater. I've had freshwater fish since I was a little kid, but marine is new to me.

I have a feeling he's easier for you to care for in the FW tank because he is in with lots of other fish & then you don't have to keep 2 tanks?

well, yeah, its definitely a little easier..
but i wouldnt say thats the reason hes in the fw
thats just how i had the tank and never brought the SG back up

so do you think its too late
or should i even bring it back up to full marine

and hes in there with only a few fish.. just some to add a little extra to the tank

Fish can and do grow throughout their lives, but after puberty they grow very slowly.

I would say that your fish is definitely stunted, but it can and should still grow. It may not grow much in FW. It also will be likely less healthy in FW. It may not now grow to full size even in SW, but it will grow slowly.T

I would suggest setting up a 30 or 40 gallon long tank and converting the fish slowlly to SW, by itself.

Brine shrimp is a good appetite stimulant, but is not very nutritious and pollutes the water pretty badly. Frozen, thawed, and rinsed bloodworms are more nutritious and less polluting, but are not a sufficient diet for a GSP. People shrimp, shell-on, are okay also, but the fish needs more crunch in his diet. There are articles in the Library here which will offer suggestions.

Flake and pelleted food are not suitable for puffers. They pollute the water without delivering much nutrition to the fish itself - puffer's eating techniques are not like other hobby fish.

Does the fish appear buck-toothed?

A little one... The beak definitoy cOuld be broken down a little tho

and hes in there with only a few fish.. just some to add a little extra to the tank

Are those BW fish?

the only fish that i know of that can go BW are the guppies i have
butthen ive got

a crayfish
a pleco
some preacox rainbows
and a geo jurupari

So, you can set up a separate tank for the puffer, or find new homes for the others & make the 75g a great SW tank for the puffer.

=)
thats what i was thinkin

I'm a little late here but for those who may have this issue in the future just tong feed blood worms and... I know puffer fanatics hate beef heart but tong fed beef heart is like steroids. Again not something you want to give them every feeding but definitely promotes rapid growth. The long term effect to their health is the question that's never gonna be agreed upon.