The Puffer Forum

Hey Guys,
I had my puffer over a year now, recently the puffer just get scared easily. They used to be not shy asking for food but now they kind of scared and I have to get away from the tank in order for them to come up and eat the food. Do you guys know in general what may cause this?

What are your water parameters? What sized tank?

Has there maybe been someone or something spooking them when you're not around?

i dont know what caused it, but after having my F8 for a year, he is a lot more skitish....

Higher tank temps maybe?

I got 3 GSP in 30 gallons tank. They are all about an inch long. I set the temperature of the water 80F.
Nitrite is 0
Ammonia is 0
Nitrate 0
pH is 8.5
SG is 1.005
Nobody around my apartment, so there is no one poking them. But recently I was on vacation for 3 days, so I didn't turn on the light. Would this cause the problem? Usually I turn on the light during day, and off at night.

30 gallons is much to small for 3 GSPs. For all 3, you would need at least 90 gallons (30 per GSP). I don't think it has anything to do with the lights.

Yeah, that's what I thought at first (1GSP for 30Gallon). I got one for half year, then my friend decided to get rid two of his puffers and I couldn't resist the cuteness of them so I just took them. They have been fine for over half year. But can it be because of over crowded and they just got scared like that?

Thanks

The point is that they will eventually get stunted in a tank to small for them. Their size as full adults is 6" they will not reach that size in a tank too small for them.

Raphael wrote:The point is that they will eventually get stunted in a tank to small for them. Their size as full adults is 6" they will not reach that size in a tank too small for them.

Thanks for notifying me, I'll setup another tank as soon as possible. But other than this, how do you guys usually calm the puffer down?

Puffers that are extremely stressed are usually in high traffic rooms or the lights in the tank are constantly on. Those are the only two reason I have ever heard of a puff being stressed. But to add to the matter my fig8 before I put him with 2 others was very skittish and then I bumped him from his 20 gal to the current 75 gal and now (s)he is fine.

I have caught my cat Squint terrorizing my GSP "Oko" but the effect seems very short-lived. Squint whacks away at the glass, Oko splashes around a bit, then I shoo away the cat and the puff resumes his normal behavior - begging for food.

Poor puff... Cats gonna have fun once the GSP realizes water + mouth = water cannon aswell realize that evil fluffy thing + water = peace

I changed 50% of the water last two days, now the puffer is happy as ever. I wonder when you guys change the water, do you guys take out the puffer to a bucket or something til the cleaning is done, or you guys just left them in the tank?

There is no need to take the fish out while siphoning.

Taking a fish out of the tank ends up stressing the fish more then leaving it in the tank. The only occasions that a fish was taken out of the tank was when I cleaned my dads pacu tank. Things would splash more water out then the siphon took in, glad we ridded ourselves of them years back.