Green Spotted Puffers

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

Green Spotted Puffers

by zambize

Anyone ever had these fish? I just got 3 and I have them in a 29 gallon brackish tank. I've heard/read that they have to be alone, but I've also read where some people have kept them with various species. Any experience out there?

Thanks!
Zambize


MamaPuff8331
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:25 pm

by MamaPuff8331

I have a dragon puffer which i kept in my 75 gal. I was told by the store that we was ok with other fish since he was housed with others in his old tank. I bought him from my LFS and put him in and he seemed ok for a few days. Then he started taking chunks out of my fish. Small, medium, and large. He ate the face off of my Iridescent Shark Catfish, who is the quickest of everyone. Shocking to wake up to. So I moved him to his own tank in my room and he lives there now. I like him too much to sell him back. How big are yours?
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zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

My guys are about 2.5" from end to end. Puffers are amazingly fast. I didn't know that until I dropped a tiny shrimp in for them to eat. The shrimp are lightening fast, but the puffers were faster. They are incredible.


jweb
 
Posts: 318
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:45 am

by jweb

a 29 is okay size for now, but once they get full size (6 1/2") you are going to need something bigger. If they begin to swim up and down the sides of the tank it can mean it is too small of a tank. I would not keep them with ANYTHING else. They are super aggressive to anything you place in the tank. I put a cherry barb in the tank today and he chased it non stop until I took the barb out. You should also wean them into brackish water very slowly.

Yes they are very fast and jump out of the water too, so keep a lid on your tanks.


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

Puffers in general can be pretty damn mean, all the way down to the dwarf/pygmy species. I would only house them with other tank mates if a) there was a crap-ton of cover area and caves, b) they were well known to be hearty enough to handle or dissuade an onslaught of puffer voracity, c) I'm comfortable taking the risk that the supplied decor/cover/tank will allow adequate room for territory and/or hiding space.

People have mixed results with puffers as not one is quite the same as another, so some may say yes, and some no. Its really just a matter of calculated risk. Generally long finned fish or bite size ones aren't really recommended, at all. I'd never house even a dwarf puffer with a betta (puffer is roughly 1/5th the size) despite how fierce the male bettas can be it would be an easy victory for a fledgling DP.

In any case as I've said many times before (I've never had GSP, but I'd assume they're very much alike) my DP's are my favorite fish, by far, and its certainly not because of their looks.

Also, if you haven't sexed them, you may want to consider that. Since you're keeping more than one they should be in a 1m:2f ratio.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

Uh oh, the guy at the fish store told me that they only get to 3" and that's why I got them knowing that I have a 29 gallon tank for them. Crap. I may have to take them back when they grow larger. :(

Z


jweb
 
Posts: 318
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:45 am

by jweb

okay look up green spotted puffer, and then look up figure eight puffer and indian dwarf puffer. then tell us what you have. GSP's grow 6 1/2", dwarfs and figure eights grow only 3" or so.


zambize
 
Posts: 401
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2008 9:14 pm

by zambize

I have a GSP. :(


jweb
 
Posts: 318
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:45 am

by jweb

it is sad, but most lps's have them mislabeled or will tell you that they grow only 3" to get you to buy them. Where do you live? If you live by the coast in the south you can just release him into an estuary, kind of like a bay, where there are junkus plants and it looks like marsh. Just make sure that it opens up to the ocean or a the gulf.

Honestly, the same thing happened to me. However I still have my GSP in a 5 gallon tank by himself, because I have not bought a 30 to put him in yet. I am looking for one on craigslist but none so far. They really are kind of hard to care for though, but very rewarding. They are so smart, and very cool fish. Just be willing to meet their needs, they are very demanding. Look them up online, there is a very good guide out there that I read a while back. The guy has a lot of puffers that wrote the guide. It tells you everything you need to know about them.

If you need any questions answered about them I am pretty well educated about them. So just let me know.


Tmercier834747
 
Posts: 887
Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm

by Tmercier834747

Dwarf puffers don't grow over an inch unless you have a mutant..in reference to jwebs post.

Green Spotted Puffers

11 posts • Page 1 of 2

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