The Puffer Forum

I recently purchased a GSP at walmart (he looked so cool swiimming around in the tank that I couldnt resist) and was planning on putting him in my 55 gallon with 2 severums, 2 irr sharks, rubber pleco, gold fish, snails, and clams. After some research online I soon found out that these are brackish water fish so decided to set up a seperate puffer only tank instead.

I went to a fish store and got a fig 8 and another GSP so the orignal GSP wouldnt be lonely in the tank by himself. The fig 8 was kept in full salt and the GSP in brackish. The GSP didnt look too healthy when i bought him. I was hoping he would pull through though.

The store sold me Doc wells aquarium salt to make the water brackish. I added some of it to the tank, then added the freshwater kept puffer directly to the tank. Waited an hour or so and added the saltwater kept puffer to tank. The brackish water puffer I had died when put in tank (he had some sort of disease I think b/c his eyes were really coudy). He was actually looking really really bad in the bag he was in. Poor fella. The next day I got another, smaller, brackish kept puffer and he is now in tank. I also returned the doc wells salt after reading on here it doesnt work. The pet store guy assured me it would though. He gave me a refund anyway though.

All three fish are eating anything I put in tank (mainly frozen bloodworms and shrimp with occasional flakes). They swim around the tank , but also just lay around on the bottom. They seem to be rubbing their noses / eyes on the glass moving up and down and side to side.

The walmar/ FW GSP is the biggest of the three he is about 2 inch. The other two or < 1 inch. I am concerned about the larger one because he is getting a big round bubble on the underside of him. Like he is bloated from too much food. I only feed them once a day though.

I was also told that that all three like full saltwater better than just brackish. The pet store had the figure eight in full salt water when I purchased him.


Okay so thats where I am with the three fish. My pet sores couldnt give me any info on keeping them so I am hoping somepeople here could give me some advice.

1. For keeping these three fish should I go full salt or keep it a brackish? Any specific amount I should shoot for?

2. What kind of gravel is best? Right now I have large white gravel in the bottom. I'd like to get some sand or really fine gravel.

3. Decorations are scarse in the tank. I am looking for some good plants for the tank but cant seem to find any. Any pointers here?

4. Any prob with the large GSP and the round bubble on his underside? Looks as if he is really fat! Is he over fed or have a disease? Anything I should add to get rid of possible parasites?

5. Why doesnt doc wells work? I was told that it is same salt as other stuff? Anyone techinical here that could expain it better?

6. What can I get to eat algae in tank? I went to pet store but they had no idea.

7. Any other non puffer tank mates possible?

8. What size tank should I be shooting for to keep the threesome in? I may also want to add other fish in tank if possible.

9. Does a freshwater water measuring kit work on brackish/ salt too?

10. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

The oceans and the estuaries and bay where the water is brackish do not have just sodium chloride in them, but a complex mixture of many minerals and salts. Aquarium salt is a worthless product at elevated price which will not support the life of marine and brackish organisms. Marine mix will support life of such critters.

Some test kit chemistry will work for FW, BW, and SW. Others will not. It will depend on the particular kit - you will have to check for local availability.

Read the information of GSPs and F-8s in the library on this site and come back with any questions those articles do not make clear to you.

Sorry to hear that. Like RTR says, have a good read and get back to us.
Pet store advice is one of our pet hates (excuse pun), so ask us here, also, it sounds like your shop is especially useless, so for further purchases, I'd look for another one.
Pami.

I'm no expert but I will give your questions a go.

1. For keeping these three fish should I go full salt or keep it a brackish? Any specific amount I should shoot for?

F8s are brackish and GSP require more salt As they get older. Ideally GSPs should be kept alone, they do not do well with tank mates.

2. What kind of gravel is best? Right now I have large white gravel in the bottom. I'd like to get some sand or really fine gravel.

sand, large or small gravel are all ok. It is good to have some crushed coral or similar to keep PH in check.

3. Decorations are scarse in the tank. I am looking for some good plants for the tank but cant seem to find any. Any pointers here?

Java ferns, java moss, and crypts are all common and can live in brackish water

4. Any prob with the large GSP and the round bubble on his underside? Looks as if he is really fat! Is he over fed or have a disease? Anything I should add to get rid of possible parasites?

You can buy internal parasite medication if you think he is sick but puffers will over eat
Of they are overfed.

5. Why doesnt doc wells work? I was told that it is same salt as other stuff? Anyone techinical here that could expain it better?

Get marine salt, not aquarium salt. Aquarium salt is for curing ich and stuff, not for making brackish water.

6. What can I get to eat algae in tank? I went to pet store but they had no idea.

Nothing really, you have to clean it yourself.

7. Any other non puffer tank mates possible?

With F8s a few tank mates are possible but GSPs should be kepy solo.

8. What size tank should I be shooting for to keep the threesome in? I may also want to add other fish in tank if possible.

10-15G per F8, 30G+ per GSP

9. Does a freshwater water measuring kit work on brackish/ salt too?

yes

Corrections:

Java Moss, Java Ferns, and Crypts cannot be kept in other than the lightest brackish water, certainly not in a GSP tank. If either of these fish are kept at the suggested specific gravities, FW plants cannot be used.

If sand is used it should be very thin to avoid pollution problems. Buffering substrates such as aragonite or crushed coral are much preferred.

Not all FW test kits are suited to brackish water use. There is too much variation to make such a broad statement.

Sorry, should have added that I was assuming light brackish ~1.005SG. The F8 and GSPs should not really be in the same tank over a long period.