The Puffer Forum

Chalk another person on the marine board!

Finally decided to give saltwater a try after being in the hobby for the last 6 years.

I have a few questions and would also like some inquiries.
4 days ago i picked up a GSP from prison (wal-mart)
I had a 10 gallon already setup and it's cycled so i tossed him in and he just loves it in there. He eats flake, mini blood worms and i tried ghost shrimp loaded up with flake, not a good idea!
I know the 10 is too small be he is only 5/16th's of an inch and will do FINE in there for now until i can have my 55 cleaned up and he will permanently live in there.
But that is another story for a later time.

So my question is since he is so small should i even start introducing salt? My excitement says yes but I'm hesitant.
The ghost shrimp i picked up as feeder food are bigger than him and could easily grab and kill him. (They are in a separate 10 gallon also with pond snails.)

IF it is okay to start the salt process i was going to do a drip system into the 10 gallon and have the 10 gallon drip out into a separate bucket so i will introduce the same in/out water effect.
My house has a soft water system in it so my hydrometer reads 1.004 i know this isn't the correct salt so how should i go about raising it correctly with instant ocean.

Also I've read A LOT of info about these little guys and to only raise the salt levels .002 over the course of a few weeks/months to the desired SG.

Here is also a list of what's running on the 10
Aqueon 10
Aqueon 50 watt heater set to 76
California Beach sand (cleaned, rinsed and been using it in this tank for 3 years)
Some Seashells to buff the pH
Fake plants and a hideout


Thanks for any and all help!

LOL, when I 1st read this, I was wondering why the shrimp was such a bad idea. I've gotta see pics of this lil squirt!
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15647

Hah yes! I will post up some pictures after i get back from dinner. It shocked me too and i quickly scooped all the shrimp out.

Hi and welcome to the forum. We state raisingsg at0.002 per week so the good bacteria in the tank can adjust, a gsp can adjust much quicker but a swing in sg like that would crash your tank

bertie 83 wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum. We state raisingsg at0.002 per week so the good bacteria in the tank can adjust, a gsp can adjust much quicker but a swing in sg like that would crash your tank

Yes this is correct and what i have also read and was going to do.

so would a drip system be the best idea for introducing salt since i already have "shim" in the tank?

Here are a few snap shots i could get, He is a quick little guy!

Are those the right pictures? That is NOT a GSP, instead it is a Dwarf Puffer (Pea Puffer) ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/C_Travancoricus/ These guys are totally freshwater.... and that 10 gallon is perfect for him.

However do clean up and cycle that 55 gallon as a marine tank and look for a real GSP.
I have both species with the DP's in a 10 gallon and the GSP's in a 55 gallon and I love them.

I never heard of Walmart selling DPs but I was wondering how they could be that small. Can you post closer views of him?

Ive seen DPS labeled as GSPS at walmarts before, very likely you got one by accident. walmart employees dont know whats what with fish...if you like him dont add salt and enjoy his dwarfness and look for a bright green puffer with black spots for your larger tank ...

You all may be very well correct. But i could did see some TRUE GSP's in the tank. So my guess is they are mixed with pea puffers. When i was picking him out i watched for activity and behavior.
He was attacking most of the other puffers and was swimming around a lot more than all the others. The largest one in there that had identical markings was almost 2 inches and had killed off most of everyone in the tank.

Well this kinda sucks... I like him but i really wanted to start a marine tank. Got my salt mixed and it's waiting to be dripped in.

I will try to get some better pictures of "shim".

That is a dwarf puffer for sure

Just leave him in the 10g and set up the 55g for your gsp

Arny wrote:Just leave him in the 10g and set up the 55g for your gsp

Good idea... Now only IF i had a GSP....

Set the larger tank as marine first so your live rock is fully cured etc and boom, you can then drip acclimate a gsp to the marine conditions and you are set.