Puffer fish

[Convict2161]

Well all of a sudden my wife has fallen in love with a puffer fish she wants one. I believe it's a green spotted one. Anyway. I know nothing about them.

She wants a whole set up which I have no problem at all doing.

I need your help. I've googled them and found some "ok" info. What size tank for one puffer? Can anything else go with it? Live plants? Sand? I want to do it really nice! Well you've seen my African tank so you know what I like!!

But I also want to keep the tank small or as small as it can be in. I've read different things. 10 gallon alone. 25-30 with other fish. I don't want to overload this tank as she is really only interested in the puffer fish. We were at the fish store and now she has to have one. So I said for a after Xmas present. This coming from a women who made me get rid o the betta tank as some of you may remember.

Thanks,
Dino


Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

 

[DragonFish71]

Green Spotted Puffer Care

Green Puffer, Tetraodon nigroviridis Profile, with care, maintenance requirements and breeding information for your tropical fish


Everything I've found says they are a low brackish fish until adulthood, then they do best in a marine environment. So, having a BW tank myself, I'd say specific gravity of 1.005-1.010ish until adulthood then up it to marine which is 1.025 if I remember correctly. (been forever since I was a saltie)

They get about 6 inches, and I've heard they are bullies. They'll eat darn near anything, snails included. If you do a BW tank, sand works great and certain varieties of plants will grow.

 

[ejaramillo01]

The green spotted puffer needs a brackish environment, it will require a 30G tank, because can grow up to 5 or 6 inches.
GSP is carnivore, agressive and a fin nipper. It is better to have him in a single species tank.
You will need to feed him small snails also, because he needs to chew the shells to keep his beaks filed down. If it's beaks grow to much and it is not filed down, the GSP will starve to death.
In summary my friend, your wife chose a challenging fish to keep, but for sure is a beautiful specimen....

Merry Christmas and good luck.

 

[blackmolly]

i agree with above... if you want one, start looking for ramshorn snails and pond snails now... you need to get a big colony going in order to feed that little guy.

 

[Convict2161]

Well the wife wants it so I'm gonna do it. I'm research more ( thank you for the links) and tomorrow I'm gonna go get her a 30 gallon for the bedroom and start to cycle the tank.

 

[Terrance]

I strongly recommend the minimum being 40g. GSP are big and active. I'm looking at my 29g and I wouldn't dare put in a 6inch GSP in that tank. Many GSP keepers end up coverting young GSP into full marine water due to the salt expenses of weekly 50% water changes.

I highly do not recommend the GSP for your wife unless both of you are willing to add in a refugium and skimmer in a SW setup. Both of those items help keep the water cleaner, and you end up doing monthly water changes instead of weekly.

Look into figure 8 puffers or dwarf puffers. Happy holidays.

 

[Convict2161]

I strongly recommend the minimum being 40g. GSP are big and active. I'm looking at my 29g and I wouldn't dare put in a 6inch GSP in that tank. Many GSP keepers end up coverting young GSP into full marine water due to the salt expenses of weekly 50% water changes.

I highly do not recommend the GSP for your wife unless both of you are willing to add in a refugium and skimmer in a SW setup. Both of those items help keep the water cleaner, and you end up doing monthly water changes instead of weekly.

Look into figure 8 puffers or dwarf puffers. Happy holidays.

Thanks will do. Yeah that looks like too much right now.

 

[Convict2161]

I think the figure 8 will be a much better choice.

 

[blackmolly]

i wonder... do you think your wife might be interested in a few dwarf puffers instead? they're full freshwater and you can put 2 or 3 in a ten gallon if i have my facts right. i think they still eat snails like the GSP's, but it sounds like dwarf puffers might be better for your situation.

 

[Convict2161]

i wonder... do you think your wife might be interested in a few dwarf puffers instead? they're full freshwater and you can put 2 or 3 in a ten gallon if i have my facts right. i think they still eat snails like the GSP's, but it sounds like dwarf puffers might be better for your situation.

Actually YES! That's what she REALLY wants!! I can't find them ANYWHERE!! she would LOVE 3 in a 20 gallon! Petco is having a sale starting tomorrow. 1 a gallon.

I would like to plant it also with some rock caves and a piece of DW.

 

[Gboy66]

Actually YES! That's what she REALLY wants!! I can't find them ANYWHERE!! she would LOVE 3 in a 20 gallon! Petco is having a sale starting tomorrow. 1 a gallon.

Yes do it, dwarfs would be much better for your situation..they still eat snails and are really cool, but are usually less bio load and work. Honestly, one fish in a 40 gallon would look very empty while it was small, and i could see your wife loosing interest quickly.

 

[Convict2161]

Yes do it, dwarfs would be much better for your situation..they still eat snails and are really cool, but are usually less bio load and work. Honestly, one fish in a 40 gallon would look very empty while it was small, and i could see your wife loosing interest quickly.

Now I just have to find them.

 

[Gboy66]

Now I just have to find them.

Special order from john?

 

[Convict2161]

Special order from john?

Calling him in the AM

 

[blackmolly]

Actually YES! That's what she REALLY wants!! I can't find them ANYWHERE!! she would LOVE 3 in a 20 gallon! Petco is having a sale starting tomorrow. 1 a gallon.

I would like to plant it also with some rock caves and a piece of DW.

maybe you could order online?

 

[Convict2161]

you could order online

I'm gonna try my guy first if all else fails. I'll do that. Someone mentioned Petco carries them.

 

[FreshwaterTropical]

Subscribed, I have a 5 gallon, ready for puffers!

 

[Alyxx]

I keep gsp's so if you ever want to try those give me a PM. Or for more general puffer advice. And I would advise starting a snail farm in a small tank or even a rubbemaid container. Puffers love them and they need shelled food to trim their teeth.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Now I just have to find them.

Try Jim exotic fish in El Segundo...