The Puffer Forum

Hello All,
I have been introduced to the wonderful world of Puffers quite by accident and I know I've done many things wrong and will make many more mistakes along the way, but hopefully with your advice and the information I've found here already, I can avoid too many more mistakes in the future. Long story short, I had started back in Nov with a 5g tank and a couple of goldfish. I thought we could eventually get more smaller fish and went to the LFS. I was told that we needed a bigger tank, so got a 29g set up and started cycling it for some future tankmates. Back on Jan 1st, my Daughter come home with 3 little GSP's from Wal Mart for the 5g tank. I thought they were cute, so went on line and quickly found out that was not going to work, but also that there was no future for these little guys if we took them back (nor do our LFS take any of these guys as they are hard to keep alive).

So went and found a used 10g tank on CL's and set that up for the GSP's until I could find a 90+ tank I can afford. Moved the puffs 10 days ago and all seemed good. Purchased both API fresh water and Salt water master test kits and did daily water tests. They are up to 1.08 salinity and eat like little piggies from my hand or from forceps. I do partial water changes daily if there seems to be any ammonia spikes. All the other parameters seem to be at 0 and in the right ph ranges.

I have been to 3 different LFS stores to get some answers and no one seems to be able to answer my questions. I'm still hunting for a larger tank that they can be moved to, but would it be better to remove the 2 goldfish from my 29g tank and get the puffs into that tank until I can find a 90+ tank or am I better off doing WC and keeping them were they are until I find a bigger home? I don't want to add any additional stress to these guys with constant relocations, but I also don't want to stunt their growth.

All 3 seem to get along great and I have managed to get rid of the ick or fungus they showed up with on the 2nd or 3rd day. They have the bright spots, white bellies and greet me whenever I walk by the tank. They eat ghost shrimp, snails, frozen brine shrimp and shrimp pellets. I plan on trying other food as soon as I can get the living situation settled. I clean the food & poop daily and spend a lot of time trying to breed ghost shrimp in the 5g tank and now I have another small tank with snails breeding. I got tired of going to beg for snails and read how easy they reproduce.

If you recommend the temporary move to the 29g tank, what would be the best way to do this? Should I remove all the fresh water or just part of it? Should I take all or part of the current 10g tank water and put it into the bigger tank? I keep a 5g bucket of brack water prepared and I just bought the bio speara in case I need to do the move without any of the goldfish water. Also, I had ordered the Eheim battery powered vac to help the cleaning process. Should I do a good cleaning of the gravel prior to the move? I know its a lot of questions and I'm so ignorant with the cycling process. I was told by a sales clerk (who claimed to own GSPs) that I could buy live sand and let it run for a couple of days and the tank would be cycled properly for the GSPs. Thank goodness I went on line and didn't listen to her, as my water looked like cream of mushroom soup. I let it run a week before adding the GSP's.

Anyway, I have the day off an am prepared to do a move or wait patiently for a larger tank. Thank you in advance for your time and advice!

Where will the goldies go if you switch? A bigger tank will most certainly be required for the gsps ASAP. When you move them just move their filter and substrate but be sure to match the salinity to within 0.002 to avoid a crash. Your salinity is 1.008 right now I assume ( I believe 1.08 was a typo lol) welcome to the forum.

I'd personally keep the goldfish right where they are, in the 29 gallon. (I'm a goldfish fanatic going way back to when there wasn't even an internet, gasp!) Goldfish grow rapidly and produce tremendous waste and will probably grow faster than the GSPs, so I'd keep 'em where they are -- and step up that search for the 90+ gallon home the GSPs will need. Three juvie GSPs will outgrow that 10 gallon awfully quickly, though, so make haste.

As Bertie said, no real benefit to moving water around. Most of the beneficial bacteria (BBs) reside in the filter, not the water column, so just match the salinity in the new tank, transfer the filter over, and you'll be all set. (You'll surely want additional filtration with the larger tank, but can simply add that new filter when the time comes.) Yes, vacuum gravel thoroughly before switching it to a new tank. No point in moving waste from tank to tank.

Love the pic of the little fellow eating shrimp pellets! He/she is a cutie for sure.

library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/

Thank you for your replies. I am looking at 2 tanks this weekend (90g and a 110g) that I can afford, so hopefully this problem will correct its self. The goldfish would be end up in the 10g until next month and then they are going to my Sister-in-laws fish pond. I'm just waiting until it thaws out (we're in MN) and then she will add them to her existing family. How long do I have before I would do any damage to the Puffers growth if these tanks don't work out?

Without a flow through system damage can occur quickly, however you have not had them long and juveniles can be very resilient if water is kept good. If you can get the tank tomorrow I will put money on there being no permanent damage. Good on you by doing right by these little fishies.

bertie 83 wrote:Without a flow through system damage can occur quickly, however you have not had them long and juveniles can be very resilient if water is kept good. If you can get the tank tomorrow I will put money on there being no permanent damage. Good on you by doing right by these little fishies.

Thank you for the encouragement. One thing that has me really concerned about the larger tanks (as I said, I started with a 5g tank back in Nov and thought it would be "No Big Deal") many of these tanks state they come with canisters, CO2, and things I have no clue on how or what they are used for. I'm just worried I am biting off more than I can handle. I'm just trying to give these 3 little guys a nice home. I am willing to do a lot of things to make this work, but I don't want to get in over my head with even more problems by going to the next level or tanks.

bertie 83 wrote:Without a flow through system damage can occur quickly, however you have not had them long and juveniles can be very resilient if water is kept good. If you can get the tank tomorrow I will put money on there being no permanent damage. Good on you by doing right by these little fishies.

Thank you Bertie83! So I ended up getting a 75g tank last night. Seems everyone is in the market for tanks on CL. Anyway, this came with a ton of substrate, coral, lava rocks, and a flu all 405 canister filter. The previous owner used to have a full marine setup with live rock and fish. So I went to a speciality aquarium shop to find out the best way to start the setup.

She recommended I wipe out the tank with a clean damp rag, set up the substrate, coral, rocks, decorations etc.. Make sure filter is working, fill with water and turn on. Let it run for a couple of weeks and then check parameters and if all looks good, add a puffer. If he does well, then continue with the next. Is this accurate? I asked about adding Dr. Tim's or some tetra safe start. She said go buy some mollies and they will do the work naturally. We set up the tank, added filter, heater and will go buy some mollies if you all agree.

Do I need to add the current filter to this tank when I move them over? Also, should I look at a a protein skimmer? I asked if we should use an under gravel filter or a air bubbler and she said no. Would I be smart to add some live rock to the tank? Unfortunately, this tank is tall vs long. We were limited to locations for placing something this size in our home. But we have is set up really nice with lots of places,to hide and broken sight lines. Just feeling so overwhelmed right now and not sure what the next step should be and hope some suggestions will follow.

Thank you!

Lol, some people are so misinformed. What she told you is both garbage and cruel. Good on you for checking this out. Just set up the tank with new water, add your old subrate and old filter (or put your old filter media into the new filter) and add your fishy friends straight away ( obviously acclimate them to the tank as you would a new fish) . If you set up your decor in the same way and about the same distance apart in the new tank I find they settle better as they have some familiarity. The tank would have to be at full marine to add live rock. Take it one step at a time, no need to rush into things you do not understand. We can talk you through anything here so just ask any questions

It would not hurt to get a bottle of Tetra Safe Start or Bio Spira depending on the salinity level you choose to set up the tank at: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32416

Oh yes, if you do what I say you must match the sg to within 0.002 to avoid a possible tank crash. Thanks sgtmyers88

Ideally you'd like to place puffers in a fully cycled tank, however it's more important to get them out of the 10G tank and into that 75. Make sure you match the salinity levels and add all substrate, decor and the old filter as others have stated. Although the tank isn't cycled there is plenty of water volume for the three juvenile GSPs; just keep an eye on the parameters. Did you cycle the 10G before putting the GSPs in it? I'd also treat them for IPs if you haven't already.

I.Puff.Too wrote:Ideally you'd like to place puffers in a fully cycled tank, however it's more important to get them out of the 10G tank and into that 75. Make sure you match the salinity levels and add all substrate, decor and the old filter as others have stated. Although the tank isn't cycled there is plenty of water volume for the three juvenile GSPs; just keep an eye on the parameters. Did you cycle the 10G before putting the GSPs in it? I'd also treat them for IPs if you haven't already.

If she adds all of her substrate and filter or filter media, the tank is actually cycled. All of the beneficial bacterias live in the filter, on decor, and in the substrate.

Treating them for IPs if you haven't already is good advice.

Good luck and congrats on the new tanks.

@Nuclear: That depends if the 10G was actually cycled.

I.Puff.Too wrote:@Nuclear: That depends if the 10G was actually cycled.

Yes it does. I was just clarifying that if the 10 gallon WAS cycled, and she added the stuff from it to the new tank, then the new tank would be cycled.

Sorry if I mislead anyone. =]