Help Gsp In Freshwater!

[KawaiiFish]

I saved this little Green Spotted Puffer from a crowded Fish tank and now I am panicking! I am going to buy him a tank of his own and cycle it for low end brackish, but I am worried that he wont survive long enough in my Freshwater tank while I buy and set up his new home! Does anyone know how long they can live for in Freshwater? Also, how long is it going to take to cycle the brackish tank (2 weeks iv heard?) I am hoping a 20gal will be enough for now until he grows bigger than 2 inches. As well, when do I put hardy fish like mollies in to cycle it? I can take the mollies back to the fish store when its been cycled so they dont get bullied by the puffer. Please help! Panicking now that he will die! Any advice is appreciated...

 

[josh_g]

How come u got it if u didn't already have a brackish tank for it? Was the tank you rescued it from brackish?

 

[Donna_G]

Most GSP are sold from freshwater tanks, he'll be fine for the short term. It's recommended by some that 30g is the minimum for 1 of these puffers, they require high end brackish to full marine in the long term. You'd be better off cycling the tank as freshwater and then going brackish with him in there. You want to up the salt level by no more than .002 per week and it's much kinder to do a fishless cycle
Is the tank he's in at the moment cycled? If so you could take some of the media out to seed the new filter, would be much quicker

 

[KawaiiFish]

He was sold in a freshwater tank as he isn't that big yet. 30 Gallon sounds great, I am going to have a look around the store tomorrow. My plan B was to ask my local fish store to hold him for me while i set up but I'll prob go with the adding small salt from freshwater slowly going to brackish. Thanks for the good idea of putting some of the media in there, I'll definitely be doing that The tank he is in at the moment is completely cycled. Can I ask, what salt level should i stop at for a 2" GSP?

 

[Donna_G]

A lot of people go full marine with them as high end brackish can be expensive, this is why I don't own one yet i'm not ready for a salty tank lol. For now you could increase the salt to 1.005 - 1.008 while you do some research and decide what your options are