The Puffer Forum

So every week during water changes I have been raising the SG of my water by .002..... the current SG is now at 1.022, and I had read that at 1.018 the addition of live rock would be nothing but beneficial to the tank.

A friend of mine has a very beautiful 20 year old SW tank that has kindly given me 3 lbs of live rock that I matched with 3 lb of base rock from the lfs. I know this is not enough LR for the 30 gallon tank..... problem being -- my puffer has horrible anxiety when I rearrange his tank or make any changes. By simply moving a decoration or adding/removing ANYTHING in his tank and he will spaz for about 3 days crashing into things and just looking panicked. So I have decided to make very little changes and bribe him with live Ghost Shrimp when making changes.

So the live rock and base rock was added at the end of June and he has become comfortable with his new surroundings. I have better water quality now with the live rock than I ever have had in the past! It is an amazing thing what the addition of "rock" can do for the tank. Will add more base and live rock as my GSP acclimates, thinking that once a month may work, and my friend is willing to donate strickly live rock after we get the bottom layer built from base rock so the final ratio will end up being 3 parts LR to 1 part Base Rock.

My question is though.... at one point after adding the LR I noticed some hitch-hikers (bristleworms, tubeworms, Limpets and some other things, friend told me the names but I cannot remember). So far my GSP doesn't seem to mind his new "tank mates" which includes two hermit crabs.

My question is.... will any hitch-hiker be "dangerous" to my GSP if he decides to take a taste? Are there any I should be concerned about??

Thanks guys!

Nope, they'll be perfectly fine to taste. You're doing a great job!

Thank you Puffer Punk!!

So this makes me have another question.... If my GSP never decides to eat any of these things will they over populate my tank??

Only enough to eat the food/detritus offered to them.

Thank you AGAIN!

I think I will stop at the LFS to see if they have any more base rock that I like so that I can add some more live rock this weekend. I think my GSP has become "twitterpated" with the hermit crabs. When I feed him scallops he will take a mouthful and spit it at one Hermit then another mouthful for the other Hermit. I don't suspect this is "normal" GSP behavior.... maybe HE is actually a SHE and this is her maternal instinct kicking in?? ...... or S/HE is just fattening them up to make a better snack of them later!! hahahaha

Need to get a video of him "sharing" his supper with his new friends!

Holy surlaW, that's the cutest thing ever. Please share a video!

yes you really really need a video asap.

Im thinking fattening up

I'm thinkin its saying " see what I'm gonna do to you"

Hahaha Thanks guys! I will try to get a video but it is hard when I am the one feeding... holding a camera is not the easiest thing.... my luck I will hold the food and drop the camera into the tank.

I will try to get pictures!!

I do have new Hitch Hikers ..... Don't know how I could have missed these things. They are HUGE snails... Will start a new thread for ID help.