The Puffer Forum

Hi have just joined this forum today, enjoying the new info.

Have a question...or two.
Bought 4 baby GSP approx 9 months ago and a large goby, new to brackish after fed up with cichlids eating eat other. Think will now have to take goby back as they have just started nipping his fins!

Anyway my question is my coral and logs are covered in dark growth making tank look quite dank. Man from local fish shop said this is to be expected with brackish tanks...is this true. Have to wipe tank glass daily to prevent build up of green.

Secondly, i have a juwell aquarium with internal filter. Would it be better to have an external filter?

regards
jose

How big is your tank?

The optimal recommended tank size for a single GSP is 30gallons each, so for your case, we're talking 100+ gallons. They are also best kept alone due to their aggression. They will grow to be 6inch footballs as adults, unfortunately, if kept in too small and too crowded a tank, they will never reach full size and will suffer poor health.

As you can see from the fin nipping, GSPs are also very aggressive, even towards their own kind if not giving enough space and places to hide/territory.

The brown stuff is most likely diatom algae. And unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it except scrub it off yourself as there are no brackish algae eaters that the GSP wouldn't eat.

As for filtration, It depends on how big your tank is, but 4 gsps are going to be some very messy fish and over filtration is a must.

Please see this article on GSPs in our library: http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/ ... togsp.html

P.S. Welcome to the forum. We're here to help.

I would just slowly go too full marine at .02 increase a week. Then add some big turbo snails or something that is too big for the GSP to eat right now.

tank size is approx. 30 gallons according to a calculator.

LFS suggested i could have up to 6 in this size tank.....it must be a UK thing. Obviously I will need to invest in a larger tank at some point.

I will be moving shortly and was wondering how best to transport fishes and set up tank prior to their arrival?

There is no reason to keep juvie GSPs in marine conditions. They don't have to be in SW till they are at least 4"--save some $$$ on salt. The diatoms are normal for a new tank. It will eventually go away. You will have to keep cleaning the glass & occasionally soak the decor in Oxyclean to remove the brown.

Its not a UK thing, its a stupid LFS thing. They're everywhere. If you bought them as babies 9 months ago, you need to get them into a much larger tank very soon.

I would buy your larger tank (depending on their size, I wouldn't go smaller that a 55g tank) & if you can buy their adult tank now (125g), that would be great. They'll have to be moved into the larger tank, by the time they are 2-3". Set that one up at the home you're moving into & get that cycled (see fishless cycling article in our Library).