Rescuing a Green Spotted Puffer - Need advice!

[rachael.chesnutt]

Okay, so I'm rescuing a GSP from a dirty over-stocked tank from this small town dumpy Wal-Mart.

He looks healthy except I think he was really under fed and also has some fin damage.

What I need is any advice or tips on keeping a GSP, and also if anyone knows what I can do to make him healthier and even help repair the fin damage.

Any advice would be great! I'm picking him up tomorrow!

- Rachael

[Sombunya]

Not sure but I know API Stress coat claims to do everything you need.

Also, many think that freshwater aquarium salt is beneficial. The salt I have says to use 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons of water. I've actually seen my very healthy fish picking around in it.

By the way, I don't know what a Green Spotted Puffer is but don't use salt if the fish is a scaleless type (ie: catfish)

[rachael.chesnutt]

I have both of those things currently in the tank he'll be going into! So at least I know I am on the right track. Thanks Sombunya!

[princessp714]

be careful, I saw these puffers in walmart and wanted one so bad until i read up on them and saw that they can eat themselves to death, and they are really aggressive. do not over feed, have lots of plants and keep them away from other fish! species only tank 20g+.
for the fin use stress coat and aquarium salt, don't use anything that is a harsh chemical, they are way too sensitive, make sure temp. is between 79-84 degrees, also keep an eye out for ich!
THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL FISH BUT WAY TO MUCH WORK FOR ME, POST PICS WHEN YOU GET THEM!!

[rachael.chesnutt]

Thanks for the advice, princessp714!

[Purrbox]

I'm pretty sure that Green Spotted Puffers are actually brackish fish. While it may be fine in fresh water for now, it will need brackish before long or its life will be shortened. For this you'll need marine salt and not just a tiny bit of aquarium salt. A puffers teeth are constantly growing, so you need to provide it with foods that allow it to wear down its teeth, like snails.

[Lager]

Here is a good read for you.

Green Spotted Puffer Reference

Good luck with the little fellow.

[Mudfrog]

As stated above.. they are a brackish fish that will need full marine salt when they reach adulthood. Use Marine salt, not aquarium salt. They get to 6"+, they will need to have their teeth filed down unless you include snails as a staple in their diet. They are also fin nippers and will nip the rest of your fish to death. If you get one it's recommended to keep them in a species tank of 55g or larger.

[princessp714]

any pics yet of them???

[JohnPaul]

In the short term:

1. Be sure you put him in his own tank, as he almost certainly will kill anything else in the same tank with him. Absolutely, positively do not put him in the tank that holds the fish listed in your signature, you will likely wake up the next morning to a genocide.

2. If he is underfed, your first priority will be giving him food that he will eat and will help him get his strength back. If he is small, that probably means live snails (pond or ramshorn, ideally...he might or might not eat small MTS as well) and also some live blackworms, if you have access to them. Puffers will not even think about eating flake food and likely won't go for frozen either (unless maybe you try some frozen glassworms or bloodworms and jiggle them around in the water with your fingers to make it look like they are alive).

3. Long term, as others have pointed out, you need a pretty large tank (20 gallons at least very soon, and 30+ gallons down the road) that is slowly brought up to medium brackish conditions and then later full marine conditions using authentic marine salt--not the cheap "aquarium salt" most commonly seen in chain pet stores. Because they need to grind down their teeth, then snails and other hard foods are also absolutely required for long-term health.

If you can't provide all of the things you need to for this puffer, then as much as your heart is breaking seeing him at Wal-Mart, it might be best that you leave him there and hope someone who is able to care for him comes along and buys him.