The Puffer Forum

I have two juvenile GSP's in a 55 gallon (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5ppm nitrate) and I've had them for a little over a month now. One has always been much skinnier than the other, but not to the point where his belly is concave -- it just looked as though he wasn't as rounded as the other. Since his belly was never concave, I thought he must've just been younger and didn't assume internal parasites.

However, I came home from a trip last night after not feeding them since Saturday morning (so they didn't eat from Sun-Tues), to find his belly was concave in the way you see many puffers' bellies in the store and in the way that is typical with IP's. The other one did not look this way at all. Opinions? Do I need to start treating for IP's?

Definitely wouldn't hurt.

Ok, will do. Just read the article in the hospital section. What are the easiest foods to soak in the medication? Right now I have clams, shrimp, and a meaty food product called Reef Frenzy.

Also, it's eating just fine. Would you say it's better to soak it's food in it than treat the whole tank?

Yes, soak the food to treat IPs. Whatever they like the best. Add garlic to help enhance the taste of medicated foods.

Thank you.

He also seems to have developed some type of gray spot directly behind his dorsal fin. I have never noticed this before and don't know what it is, can someone help ID it? He moves to quickly for me to get a picture of it. The best way I can describe it is a dark gray circle. I added some Melafix on the off chance that it's a bite from the other GSP, but I doubt it.

I can't really just guess on that but a circle does indicate a possible pufferbite.

So I wake up today to see the smaller one has blood on his lip? The bigger one was bullying him a bit yesterday but nothing serious from what I saw, they usually go back and forth. I don't even see it once a day, and when I do see it, it's just one tiny nip and they swim away. Nothing like chasing all over the tank. What do you recommend I do?

Admittedly I haven't been able to get the IP meds yet, someone hit my car so I can't get around right now. But he isn't getting any "fuller". His belly is still concave just like it was when I started this thread. I assumed he would get "fuller" like he was once I started feeding again, considering after not feeding for a couple days is when it initially happened.

Also, I'm fairly certain a portion of the smaller ones tail has been nipped off. It's hard to tell because his fin was damaged when I got him. I'm seriously considering taking the bigger one back at this point, the smaller one is getting skinnier and skinner each day and I think the stress will soon kill him.

I'd really like some member feedback before I do this though. Advice greatly appreciated.

How big is this tank? This one puffer larger than the other? Could you post a full tank shot to see how it's decorated? Are there a lot of broken lines of sight? Caves, places for them to have their own territory?

The tank is a 55 gallon. They are both juveniles and 1.75 inches, so the aggressive one isn't bigger length wise but is rounder.

I would say yes, plenty of broken lines of sight and they have their own territory (aggressive one sleeps in the log, the other sleeps in and around the cave on the left). But I've posted a full tank shot along with shots from either end and I'll let you be the judge!

Very nice tank! Certainly large enough for two. You may just have one aggressive offer and eventually have to keep them separated if he keeps doing damage to the other guy.

Thank you! How long would you recommend I wait it out?

Also, I hesitate to even mention this because I don't see it working at all, but as I'm pretty close to taking the aggressive one back I may as well mention it just incase it would actually work.

It was suggested to me to add 1-2 more GSP's in order to lower the aggression. I know the immediate thought here is that the tank is too small for that many, but when they are full-grown I'm putting them in an (at least) 75g marine tank. I can't set this up yet but they would only be in the 55 as juveniles. Would adding one or two more work regarding aggression?

So after I sent that, the aggressive one took a big chunk out of his fin and I said that's enough and took the aggressive one back. So now it's just the one in the 55g.

I know tankmates are extremely iffy with GSP's, especially as they get older, but since there's a good amount of room and he seems a less aggressive (never saw him nip back once), do you think it's worth a shot? I know you've had success keeping F8's with dragon, knight, and bumblebee gobies...would it be worth trying any of these?