A Couple Of Puffer Questions

[gmgpk]

Hi, I've been reading posts on this forum for a couple of weeks now and finally decided to post a couple of questions that I couldn't find answers for.

I'm new to puffers and I've had my Green Spotted Puffer now for 2 weeks and he is doing very well. He is currently eating frozen blood worms, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen mussel and fresh shrimp with the shell on. He gets better seafood than me. And, since I purchased him out of fresh water I am slowly converting him to brackish. He is currently at 1.004; according to my hydrometer. I know that I should raise his salt levels slowly, but how high does it really need to be? I've read posts on several other puffer forums and am getting a little confused.

Also, I was wondering about ghost shrimp. I've read that the puffers really like them and that they are beneficial for their teeth. But, if I go to my LFS and purchase say a half dozen, do I put them all in his tank and let him eat them at his leisure or should I put them in a separate tank and feed them to him every 2 or 3 days or weekly or how often?

Is it easy to tell the sex of a puffer? I've been calling him a male, but I'm not sure.

Thanks for answering my questions. I hope it's not too many

Shelley

 

[nmonks]

And, since I purchased him out of fresh water I am slowly converting him to brackish. He is currently at 1.004; according to my hydrometer. I know that I should raise his salt levels slowly, but how high does it really need to be?

You don't need to raise the salinity slowly. "Slow and gentle" to a brackish water fish is giving it half an hour in a bucket to taste the new water, using the drip method. So instead worry about your bacteria in the filter. At SG 1.004 you're at about 20% the salinity of normal seawater. That's just fine for a GSP up to, say, three or four inches in length. There are no advantages to exposing a juvenile to higher salinities.

Also, I was wondering about ghost shrimp. I've read that the puffers really like them and that they are beneficial for their teeth.

Shrimp have a minimal impact on tooth growth. Seriously, if you can eat unshelled shrimp (and you can) it's hardly likely to be a big deal for puffers with their constantly growing teeth! Snails are a better bet, and for large fish, unshelled clams, either as they come or smashed with a hammer first. Either way, the clam shell gives some "crunch" to the meal. Whole crayfish are pretty good too, and perhaps whole crabs, but neither are particularly cheap.

Is it easy to tell the sex of a puffer? I've been calling him a male, but I'm not sure.

Impossible to sex, so far as hobbyists are concerned.

Cheers, Neale

 

[gmgpk]

"Shrimp have a minimal impact on tooth growth."

AH HA! That's what I thought! I've looked at the ghost shrimp in the LFS's and wondered how they would help keep their teeth from growing too much. As for the snails, what kind of snail? Can you post a photo of one? Are they the like mystery snails or apple snails? Or they ones that you carry home from the fish store when you buy a fish and wish you hadn't? My aquarium was infested with them a few years ago; my gravel was literally crawling with them. The only way I could get rid of them was take everything out and start over. These snails were about 1/2" long with a gray shell. Really annoying!

"So instead worry about your bacteria in the filter."

He is in a aquarium that has been established for about 7 years. I forgot to tell what I have. I have a GSP and he is about 3" long. I've had tetras, barbs, cory cats, angel fish and discus in it at one time. I had thought I should take it easy with my bacteria while increasing the salinity.



Thanks for all your help!

Shelley

 

[nmonks]

As for the snails, what kind of snail?

Most any, but Planorbis, Physa and so on are best for the smaller puffers. Melanoides snails may be eaten, but at least a few aquarists (but not me) maintain they pose a potential threat to puffers because their shells are strong enough they could break their teeth.

Cheers, Neale

 

[DarkEntity]

Melanoides snails = Malasian Trumpet snails i think

i used to feed my puffers red ramshorns and well any snails i could get my hands on.