The Puffer Forum

I was one of those silly people who walked into the LFS and got suckered into buying the cutest fish I'd ever seen only to then do research on it and find out how high maintenance they are. Dont get me wrong, I'm up for the challenge but I'm in a bit of a pickle now because I have a very small freshwater tank (45 litres) and 3 GSP. I know that won't work at all so I'm thinking of taking 2 back to the LFS. My worry with that is that I know someone else will come in and buy them not knowing what I now know an may not do the research and then what happens to my little guys? Anyone on here from Cape Town looking for another GSP? They are all very small at the moment so I think they'll be okay for the time being but I have just recently changed jobs to a commission based job and therefore don't have the money until September to get them / him a bigger tank. I've seen a really nice one (150 litres with marine filter etc) and have my heart set on getting it but I'll have to wait till then cos its almost R2000. I know that will only really be okay for 1 of them. Their names are Sushi (thought that was original when I chose it till I came to this site - he had part of his tail bitten off so I thought it was appropriate), Jack Johnson (he likes to surf bubbles) and Smuggly (boyfriends choice, not mine). At the moment they are all looking a little grey between their bellies and their colouring. I'm very worried about them. I've done everything that the site says I should do but nothing seems to be helping. I couldn't bare it if I did something to make them unhappy. They seem to be active but the greying colour hasn't gone away. I did a water test and a water change and it turns out that my PH is a little low so I put some crushed coral on the ground and some coral bits. Then my Nitrite levels were too high which I learnt indicates stress and overfeeding so I didn't feed them for one night and got them a rock to hide under, did a water change and put some stuff I got from the LFS to break down Nitrite. I have been adding a small amount of that each day since then. They are still not looking happy (according to the site I went on about Happy Puffers). Does anyone know what else I should do? My boyfriend thinks I'm obsessed but he hasn't read up on the subject! This is all very overwhelming.

Hi Bronwyn,

How did you cycle your tank?
Can you test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and post the results?
It sounds like your tank is uncycled... This is very stressful for the fish and may result in their deaths.

Nitrite blockers are a very bad idea; they're not going to help your tank cycle, in fact they will hinder it. 1tsp of salt per gallon will help minimize nitrite poisoning while leaving the nitrites available to your beneficial bacteria.

I'm sorry to say but I think you should probably return all three until you have proper housing for one and a cycled filter. Puffers are easily stunted and I wouldn't keep a GSP in a 45L tank for longer than a month. I know it's tough! They're such cute little guys. But they won't be out of the trade anytime soon, you can always get another some time later down the road.

Have a gander at the articles in the library on GSPs and Fishless Cycling, and feel free to post any questions here.

You can't save them all, I'm afraid. After yours, there will be more. You are welcome to copy my article on them in The Library to give to the shop, if they'll read it.

I've noticed a couple of posts lately where someone has mentioned having nitrites and commented that this indicates fish stress and overfeeding. High nitrites are an indication that the tank is not cycled or that the nitrifying bacteria are insufficient for the biological load in the tank (too many fish, overfeeding, rotting plants or other organic matter, etc). I am not aware of any way that a stressed fish can cause high nitrites. On the other hand, high nitrites will certainly stress a fish.

If the tank was not previously cycled, I agree with Bred and PP. You really should take all three puffers back to the store, then take time to prepare a proper environment for the type and quantity of puffers that you want. You'll be glad you did.

We met in the LFS the other day, I have PM you my contact Details.
If there is anything i can't help you with we have all these wonderful people here at the Puffer Forum to give us the best advice possible.

I am going to print out PufferPunk's write up and take it to all the local pet shops in Cape Town so they can put it up on the tanks, Is that okay with you PP ?

I also got an interesting mail from the local aqaurium about a survey they are doing in South Africa on Marine Ornamental Trade in South Africa. I am going to kick up a fuss about puffers *grin*.

I am going to print out PufferPunk's write up and take it to all the local pet shops in Cape Town so they can put it up on the tanks, Is that okay with you PP ?

Absolutely! That's what I wrote it for, to educate folks about these puffers.

I cant wait to get a nice big tank for my puffs! My two GSPs are in a 25g right now and will be put in a 55g when the time comes.

hey, People from CT ... nice to see that. lol.
Now anyone from Pta here?

Hey Kahlan

Nice 2 see others from SA, i thought i was the only person in africa with the board until now! Tell me, do PTA have any dwarf puffers floating around the LFS ?? Bronwyn is keen to get, but i can't seem to find any in CT.

My Cusin is studding penguins on robben island at the moment, She lives in PTA and i think after spending time at my place with Shermy, she has the puffer addiction 2! lol she has just been saying how she wishes she could take a baby penguin and a puffer home to PTA when she goes back.

yeah, I was shocked to see someone else from SA.
I'll find out from my LFS if she can get some dwarf puffers.
They know me very well and usually get me anything I want.

So you can either give your cousin my contact details of give hers to me and I'll let her know if I find any dwarfs. My mother also wants dwarfs. She wants a huge tank with many of the little critters.

ARGH! I enfected my household with the puffy bug!

It is a communicable disease, and for me at least appears incurable.

Howzit manne,
Seems there 's a big SA community on board. I'm from CT. Bronwyn
if you are having problems finding a home for your Puffers, you can contact Wessel at Aquatic Habitat in Durbanville (unfortunately I don't have his phone number with me). I'm sure he will help you out. All the best.
Rgds.

I agree with RTR
It is incurable. I don't know how i could've lived without puffs for sooo long after my first two went to puffy heaven.

Yip, keeping puffers is another type of drug addiction all 2geather, makes u happy when he/she is happy, makes you sad when he/she is not well, confuses you when he/she has mood swings, you end up wondering where all your money has gone, counselling doesn't seem to help and at the end of the day you find yourself happy staring at beautiful box of colours and life against the wall thinking "What can I do next to make it better?"
- Dr_Juz

I bought three new plastic plants and a hamster toilet (a dark green tranparent plastic box with a big square hole for the hamster to climb in and out of) on Friday.
I was so excited I couldn't wait to re-landscape the tank to put them in, so I did a water change three days early.
They love the plants, but haven't been in the hamster loo yet..although I've seen them checking it out.
Whwn you brave incredulous looks at the incredibly snooty fishmongers as you buy one - just one - langoustine and four - just four - clams...you know you're addicted.
Pami.