The Puffer Forum

Went to the Fish store with my Girlfriend the other day just planning on looking around but she happened to fall in love with a few fish. Story short we came home with 2 GSP's about 1.5inches long maybe less.
The guy at the store sent us home with the 2 fish, A 10 Gallon tank(fresh) with a 3 stage Penguin Powerfilter100 (bio wheel), 50watt heater,and a nice led set up. the problem I am having is the information that I was told does not match anything I have read here. Do i need the have them in Brackish water? can I change that now that I have them in fresh? And how would i do so? is the 10 gallon tank to small and should i change it?

You are seriously misinformed!
You need 30 gallons per puffer.
You need a cycled tank as they die quickly from ammonia poisoning (you don't have a cycled tank)
They need brackish to marine water
They need varied crunchy food to keep their teeth trimmed.


Essentially, what that pet store did was sell you everything you need for your fish to die so you will come back and buy more.

They need large tanks, they start off little, but get big!

+ 1 to the above. You need to purchase a 60+ gallon aquarium and a bottle of tetra safestart. This is a very common thing to come accross on this forum, many aquatic shops spiel out poo. Always research first and buy later. Welcome to the forum

yes it seems that the fish store guy didn't really give me any good information at all. I defiantly have everything set up right with what I was sold 3 days ago, (fish seem much better than when I got them, only half of the belly is grey) I need some help. Is it possible to support these little guys in this 10gl tank for then next week or more? and how long before this tank is even ready for cleanings?


Here's what I have: 10gl tank. 10gl tank 2 stage filter. hydrometer. water chemicals. Marine Salt. API freshwater master test kit( does pH, high range pH, Ammonia(NH3/NH4+), NITRITE(NO2-),NITRATE(NO3-).
Lots of decor and Brine shrimp.

And what would be easier? just buying a 60 gl tank right away and getting them in there. + any good book about all this i could pick up? Specifically on GSP's?

Small juvis can survive for a short period of time in a small tank....it would be the same as quarantining a new fish before putting it into the main tank.

BUT.......you will need to do daily water changes...me personally I would do 50%.

Your main problem is that your tank is not cycled, so you have no bacteria to support the bio load of the fish.

PLEASE read these articles about the nitrogen cycles

Fishless cycle-
library/water-filtration/fishless-cycling/

Emergency cycling-
library/water-filtration/emergencycycle/

If you can get a bigger tank (even if it is not cycled) put the puffers in there ASAP. The increased water volume will help dilute ammonia.

For emergency cycling, use Tetra SAFESTART


The best puffer books are not in English, luckily we have a large puffer library with articles written by experts of puffer and aquatic husbandry.

GSP Profile
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Nigroviridis/

GSP, puffers in focus
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/the-story-of-p ... ed-puffer/

Feeding puffers
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/

Inside the mind of puffers
library/puffer-care/inside-the-mind-of-a-puffer/


And just to add, most members can here with the same issue you are having now (me included).....we see your situation all the time.