Green Spotted Pufferfish Questions..

[kaimarkhirst]

Note to Mods, Sorry if this is in the wrong place, not sure where to put it....


Ok here it is.

Have made a decision for my small 110l tank. Basically, ive decided that ive got my community, got the angel tank, and was looking for something to go into theother one. Was going to go for cichlids, or discus, but have decided on a pufferfish.

Have been doing quite alot of research and planning into this so I can give him the best start in his life, as im having him from a juvvy. Anyways. Have all the relevant information, habits, habitat, behavours, size, feeding, the lot and have a couple of questions on this matter.

1. Have decided in the interest of water cleanliness and peice of mind to go with Tropical snails from the LFS but also want to give the little fellow a choice so im looking at shrimp. My question is, I am not able to simply keep these in a seperate tank, what would happen if I simply put 6-7 shrimp in one week, then 4-5 snails in the other? Will he eat himself to death like people say they can?? or wil he balance his own diet to what he can manage?? If not what can I do??

2. As I understand, sexing is practically impossible at any stage, but is there a way? And how early can it be done?

3. The initial brackish setup as I understand is 1 Teaspoonful of Salt for every gallon when they are young, and it gets more concentrated as they get older. If I have this correct, by how much should I concentrate the water until adulthood is reached??

4. Tank activities. I understand that he can get bored and therefore needs stimulating by changing his surroundings. While im doing this, obviously he'll get spooked by my hand in, and Id like to know will the natural agression be directed at me?? Also, are there any particular surroundings that he prefers?

5. Anything else ive missed!!!!!!!

Thanks ladies and gents.

Kai

[kaybee]

...im having him from a juvvy...

Approximately how large?

1. Have decided in the interest of water cleanliness and peice of mind to go with Tropical snails from the LFS but also want to give the little fellow a choice so im looking at shrimp. My question is, I am not able to simply keep these in a seperate tank, what would happen if I simply put 6-7 shrimp in one week, then 4-5 snails in the other? Will he eat himself to death like people say they can?? or wil he balance his own diet to what he can manage?? If not what can I do??

You'll be surprised at how much they can eat. Typically the puffer will attempt to gorge itself on all available food in one setting, or attempt to (which may result in it eating several shrimp/snails at the moment and mauling the remaining).

As an alternative, provide frozen food, there's a wide variety of things they will eat (krill, clams in shell, prawn, silversides, etc). I even feed mine shrimp and mussels purchased from the supermarket's seafood section. These foods will provide the wear to keep their beaks/fused teeth from becoming overgrown. Snails are good but not mandatory (most crustaceans and shelled mollusks will do). If providing snails, ramshorn snails are ideal...malaysian trumpet snails are not ideal (too hard).

2. As I understand, sexing is practically impossible at any stage, but is there a way? And how early can it be done?

The genders are identical to one another externally and behaviorally. They don't spawn in captivity so in all practicality sexing them isn't necessary. Gender differences are most likely confined to the internal parts and could probably be determined after some sort of invasive 'venting'.

The puffer would probably have to be rendered unconscious (to prevent the puffer intaking air, which can prove fatal to them due to difficulties in expelling it), and inspected internally. With the latter part, one would have to know what they're looking for.

3. The initial brackish setup as I understand is 1 Teaspoonful of Salt for every gallon when they are young, and it gets more concentrated as they get older. If I have this correct, by how much should I concentrate the water until adulthood is reached??

You WILL need a refractometer or hydrometer to measure specific gravity/salinity of the water. For a small GSP (less than 2") you'll want to gradually increase salinity to about 1.005-1.010. In very rough terms this equates to about two or three tablespoons (6-9 teaspoons) per gallon for 1.005 SG, and double those quantities for 1.010 SG. 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon would be insufficient.

For a GSP larger than 2"-2.5" and you'll want to increase SG up to about 1.015 to full marine.

4....Id like to know will the natural agression be directed at me?? Also, are there any particular surroundings that he prefers?

They may nip a finger out of curiousity, but typically won't direct aggression towards you (like damsels can). I always keep an eye on where they are because I've seen green spotted puffers totally dismantle fair-sized live crayfish before, so they're capable of breaking the skin. I haven't been nipped yet.

Being very curious fish, a tank with 'lots of stuff', particularly aquascaped to block lines of sight, will be fine.(rocks, plastic plants and decorations)

5. Anything else ive missed!!!!!!!

1. Try not to expose your puffer to the air, if they suck it in they often can not expel it and they can die from it, particularly if they puff up with air.

So unlike other fish which you can catch with a net and relocate, to move a puffer (or at least these kinds of puffers), you'll have to scoop them from their tank using a large container, and then pour them into the new tank (or better yet, submerge the container they're in into the new tank and let them swim out). Keep this in mind if you ever need to move it to a different tank or place.

2. Tank mates must be well chosen. These fish can be on the aggresive side (which intensifies the larger they get). Any tankmate would have to have the aggressive nature to fend for itself, but not too aggressive as to bully the puffer. A solitary set up would probably be best. Fully matured GSP's will probably require 25-30gal of tank volume per puffer, though smaller specimens may be more tolerable of each other (with the understanding that eventually they'll require 25-30gal per).

3. Never intentionally make them puff up.

4. Being scaless fish, they're sensitive to meds.