The Puffer Forum

Hello puffer lovers im new to site and just saying hi . Im new to aquariums and fishkeeping also and when I was I the shop researching different fish I came across some gsp . I was told these were dwarf puffers and after researchi g dwarf puffers I bought 2 . Through my own research ive found these are definately gsp and a lot more difficult to keep . However I made the purchase and the commitment to look after these guys and im willing to do whatever it takes to make them thrive .they are currently housed in a 20 gallon tank and im looking at a 50 gal as I understand these will grow a decent size . However upon researching these fish I find a lot of conflicting advice on them I.e water salnity and so on. So far ive fou d there are 3 types of gsp and the problem im facing is the fact that 1 of the 3 species if freshwater only the south american im sure T. schoutedeni . Is this true or false as I need to know in order to keep them as healthy and happy as possible

For a positive id feel free to post pics. If you have gsp they will need high brackish/ marine water, it's likely they are. A 50g will not suffice for 2 gsp, most pairs will rapidly outgrow a 55g, a 75g min is more suitable. Welcome to the forum

+1 to both posters above. Technically it is impossible to have three different fish under the same genus-species name. In hobby practice perhaps the commonest situation is simply labeling the fish incorrectly. Almost all puffers are wild-caught fish and fish collectors are rarely scientists, so many mistakes and mislabeings do happen. GSPs do have a very broad distribution range in the wild and can be found in a substantial variety of water conditions, partly seasonal. The genus to which they belong currently is in need of reevaluation, but whatever they eventually being labeled, the spotted fish with a brighter green cap will likely remain distinct. In the meantime, we'll call them GSPs. They may at times be in FW, BW, or full marine, SW, conditions. It does seem that full marine is likely to be optimum for them long-term.

HTH

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

Here was tge article I mentioned over 3 tyoes of gsp . Seems 1 is cogo I thought they look different tho http://puffernet.tripod.com/confusion.html

ekkop wrote:Here was tge article I mentioned over 3 tyoes of gsp . Seems 1 is cogo I thought they look different tho http://puffernet.tripod.com/confusion.html

ekkop: After looking at those pictures, I am also confused. My GSP is supposed to be a t. nigroviridis. But how do I know for sure that I don't have a T. schoutedeni and am harming him by turning his water brackish?

Experts, please weigh in!

If I read that article correctly it is full of misinformation! My GSP's have lived in full marine for 2 years and are still thriving. The only thing I can see that seems somewhat valid is the talk about the body shapes.

EDIT: And those puffers look all alike with slight spot variations.

Take these for example.
They have much greater differences in facial features, body shape, and spot patterns than the examples used.





But I am 100 percent certain that they are t. nigroviridis which prefers high brackish to full marine.

If anyone is concerned that their puffer is mislabelled post a pic, we have many puffer id experts who will tell you what you have

Puffernet is the absolute WORST puffer site on the net! Please ignore everything you read there. There is only 1 GSP found in commercial aquarium stores.

Huge +1 to Pufferpunk's comments above. I did not even know that site was still in existence. Many years ago when I first came on the hobby web, they were considered awful and full of errors. It does not seem to have changed. Unfortunately they are far worse than any other site. Totally unreliable.