The Puffer Forum

hello. about a month ago I went the pet shop and saw the most sweetest little fish. I asked the person what kind and she said puffers. Well needless to say they are at home with me. The lady did fail to tell me that they are a lot of up keep. I have been at the pet store everyday since trying to do what I can to help them. I have them in a 6 gal tank that I now know is way to small. I am going to get them a bigger tank. Please tell me EVERYTHING I should get and what kind of salt. So many people told me so many different things. They are 2 green spotted puffers in a 6gal tank.

Welcome? There is an awesome article in the library on GSP's by Pufferpunk. It's here: http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/ ... togsp.html

Did you set up that tank new, just for them, or were there fish in there before?

First of all you said it yourself , you need a new tank. 50-60g will be good for 2. If you can go larger it would be much better obviously!

Buy some salt for marine tanks and a hydrometer. When you do your weekly water changes slowly bring up the salinity(gravity .002 per week or so). GSP's will eventually need full marine conditions to live a long happy healthy life. They are very "mean" to other fish and best kept alone.

I'm supposing since you are helping the LFS you know enough about fish and what to feed these dudes. Before putting them in the new tank make sure to do a fishless cycle(best for puffers imo since they are messy)or get biospira. In a 6g your likely to notice aggression unless they're still very small. Get that new tank going asap.

What are the params(nitrite, nitrate, ammonia) in the tank they are currently in? I'm supposing it's not a new tank otherwise your in for a real headache!

Good luck

Depending on what size tank you end up with I would recommend 2 filters. If you get a 55 gallon I think a canister filter such as the Rena XP-3 or Fluval 404 in conjunction with an Aquaclear 110 HOB filter would be good. If you get a 75/80 gallon tank or larger I would recommend 2 canister filters

Canisters on SW tanks can be a headache, as can hob's. When the tank reaches full sw, live rock and protien skimming is great.

I still run a rena on my gsp tank with a sg of 1.020. But I also have a skimmer running on it now. After I get my tax rebate I will be getting 50-60 pounds of LR for the tank(50 gallon). The tank has been SW since the end of November

Are cannisters really that much of a PITA. I am still not 100% sure weather to run one on my 80g since I will only have 20kg of LR when I shOuld have around 40kg. BTW congratulations on you 1000th post

Raphael wrote: BTW congratulations on you 1000th post

AWWW thanks Raphael!!!!!