Few Questions About Green Spotted Puffers

[BETTY BOO]

could 2 green spotted puffers live in a 180 litre tank???

could i keep them brackish instead of going full marine? if so whats the lowest salinity i could keep them?

how many times a week do you feed your gsp?
and how much?

what do you feed your gsp?
do you mix it up?

 

[nmonks]

could 2 green spotted puffers live in a 180 litre tank???

Not really, no. Have a look at some adults: they're big! Even if you could maintain good water quality, adults can be very territorial and aggressive. I would not keep two in a tank smaller than 250 litres. Indeed, 180 litres isn't the ideal size for a GSP, and you may find a swarm of Figure-8 puffers easier to keep and much more fun. Alternatively, there are some nice mid-sized freshwater Tetraodon like T. suvattii that might be worth thinking about instead.

could i keep them brackish instead of going full marine? if so whats the lowest salinity i could keep them?

Anything from SG 1.005 upwards is adequate for adults, but SG 1.010 is recommended, providing a bit more leeway in terms of pH stability, reduced nitrate toxicity, and overall disease-resistance.

how many times a week do you feed your gsp?
and how much?

As with most carnivores, the easiest approach is "a little, but often" as this tends to minimise water quality problems and food wastage. A daily meal about 1-2 times the size of the eye works with most predatory fish. They can of course eat much more.

what do you feed your gsp?
do you mix it up?

A mix of unshelled seafood, some white fish fillet, and a few greens (such as cooked peas) would provide the ideal diet. Minimise thiaminase-rich foods (mussels, prawns) while maximising those without thiaminase (tilapia fillet, cockles, snails).

Cheers, Neale

 

[BETTY BOO]

thats great info thanks

so 1 gsp in a 30gallon would be fine??

what other hard shelled food do they eat other than snails?

and how many snails etc should they have per week?

 

[nmonks]

thats great info thanks

Welcome.

so 1 gsp in a 30gallon would be fine??

I don't believe I said that. One specimen needs about 40 gallons, two at least 55 gallons.

what other hard shelled food do they eat other than snails?

Snails are really the only practical food if you're referring to the need to keep their teeth trimmed. Prawns and shrimps aren't crunchy enough, while clams and mussels are too big for these puffers to eat whole.

and how many snails etc should they have per week?

Lots.

Insectivorous (e.g., figure-8 puffers) and piscivorous (e.g., Tetraodon suvattii) puffers are much less demanding in this regard.

Cheers, Neale

 

[BETTY BOO]

sorry i read 30 gallons else where

 

[nmonks]

Hmm… good way to think about this is to look at a paperback book, and then add a big tail to it. That's about the size and shape of an adult GSP. While they're only 15 cm/6 inches long, they're a BIG, FAT 15 cm/6 inches! They need space and plenty of filtration.

They're actually quite hardy animals and extremely characterful. They make splendid pets. But if you want one that's lively and active and easily trained, you want to give it the best possible conditions right from the start.

There are, as I've said, many smaller or less demanding puffers if space is limiting.

Cheers, Neale

sorry i read 30 gallons else where

 

[BETTY BOO]

okey dokey

how many years does it take for them to grow full size??
some places say they get to 6 inches.others say 6.5 inches and other say 7inches?
im gonna try and let my husband let me get a 300litre tank hehe.will 1 be ok in here for life???
i think its best to buy the tank they will stay in all there life than keep chopping and changing and also wasting money.

so does it have to live in full marine or will brackish be fine??
i would really love one.theres just so much different info online.but i really appreciate your help.

 

[BETTY BOO]

just wondering how many figure 8 puffers would you recommend in a 180 litre tank?

 

[nmonks]

Depends whether you want to keep them on their own or with other species. But on their own, you should be able to keep 4-6 specimens depending on filtration and water changes.

Cheers, Neale

just wondering how many figure 8 puffers would you recommend in a 180 litre tank?

 

[BETTY BOO]

ok thanks