Green spotted puffer

[AlexaNye]

First I want to apologize if this is on the wrong part of the site.

So, as I think many people have done, I bought a Green spotted puffer or leopard puffer from a local shop under the impression he'd be a freshwater fish, but after doing more research than the quick 2 minutes on Google before buying the guy I quickly realized that... he needs brackish water. I am working on getting this set up for him, but I have also learned that it is important to worm these guys soon after getting them.

I'm trying to find out if seachem paragaurd is safe for him or not. Everything else I'm seeing that is for sure puffer safe will take 2-3 weeks to arrive and doesn't appear to be sold locally. Nothing else I have read is saying weather or not it is safe and effective for the puffer. I already love this little guy, and I'm sad he was in freshwater at the store and that I wasn't told that they will live an incredibly shirt life if kept in the freshwater long term.

He doesn't appear to be having issues with any parasites but I like to treat all new fish regardless of apparent issues. If I have to wait a couple weeks for the proper meds that should not be a problem. He is very active, and he is eating well.

I usually do more research before bringing any living things home but this seemed like it would be pretty simple. Don't give me too much slack for this mistake, I'm already doing that and literally paying for my mistakes. I'll be buying him a new 40 gallon tank soon. He'll also get some tank mates that can go up to full marine with him as he grows.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

First I want to apologize if this is on the wrong part of the site.

So, as I think many people have done, I bought a Green spotted puffer or leopard puffer from a local shop under the impression he'd be a freshwater fish, but after doing more research than the quick 2 minutes on Google before buying the guy I quickly realized that... he needs brackish water. I am working on getting this set up for him, but I have also learned that it is important to worm these guys soon after getting them.

I'm trying to find out if seachem paragaurd is safe for him or not. Everything else I'm seeing that is for sure puffer safe will take 2-3 weeks to arrive and doesn't appear to be sold locally. Nothing else I have read is saying weather or not it is safe and effective for the puffer. I already love this little guy, and I'm sad he was in freshwater at the store and that I wasn't told that they will live an incredibly shirt life if kept in the freshwater long term.

He doesn't appear to be having issues with any parasites but I like to treat all new fish regardless of apparent issues. If I have to wait a couple weeks for the proper meds that should not be a problem. He is very active, and he is eating well.

I usually do more research before bringing any living things home but this seemed like it would be pretty simple. Don't give me too much slack for this mistake, I'm already doing that and literally paying for my mistakes. I'll be buying him a new 40 gallon tank soon. He'll also get some tank mates that can go up to full marine with him as he grows.

Skip the paraguard - it is for freshwater protozoan issues (despite being sold for marine use). Puffers are also sensitive to malachite green.

If you want to treat the fish for "worms" you can use Prazipro or General Cure.

 

[Jekyl]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[vetteguy53081]

First I want to apologize if this is on the wrong part of the site.

So, as I think many people have done, I bought a Green spotted puffer or leopard puffer from a local shop under the impression he'd be a freshwater fish, but after doing more research than the quick 2 minutes on Google before buying the guy I quickly realized that... he needs brackish water. I am working on getting this set up for him, but I have also learned that it is important to worm these guys soon after getting them.

I'm trying to find out if seachem paragaurd is safe for him or not. Everything else I'm seeing that is for sure puffer safe will take 2-3 weeks to arrive and doesn't appear to be sold locally. Nothing else I have read is saying weather or not it is safe and effective for the puffer. I already love this little guy, and I'm sad he was in freshwater at the store and that I wasn't told that they will live an incredibly shirt life if kept in the freshwater long term.

He doesn't appear to be having issues with any parasites but I like to treat all new fish regardless of apparent issues. If I have to wait a couple weeks for the proper meds that should not be a problem. He is very active, and he is eating well.

I usually do more research before bringing any living things home but this seemed like it would be pretty simple. Don't give me too much slack for this mistake, I'm already doing that and literally paying for my mistakes. I'll be buying him a new 40 gallon tank soon. He'll also get some tank mates that can go up to full marine with him as he grows.

Seachem paraguard is pretty much useless and for worm control/prevention. . PraziPro is both safe and effective. Use this product and when you apply it to tank, at 80% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

 

[AlexaNye]

Skip the paraguard - it is for freshwater protozoan issues (despite being sold for marine use). Puffers are also sensitive to malachite green.

If you want to treat the fish for "worms" you can use Prazipro or General Cure.

Thank you!

 

[AlexaNye]

Seachem paraguard is pretty much useless and for worm control/prevention. . PraziPro is both safe and effective. Use this product and when you apply it to tank, at 80% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

Thank you! I typically use sponge filters so that will take care of the oxygen, I haven't decided yet if I'll be switching to HOB for the puffer or not. It's probably going to depend on tank mates and how dirty the water gets.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you! I typically use sponge filters so that will take care of the oxygen, I haven't decided yet if I'll be switching to HOB for the puffer or not. It's probably going to depend on tank mates and how dirty the water gets.

While sponge unit furnishes bubbles through a tube, It may not be enough as air stone will add surface agitation and oxygen. Hang on filter will again provide water movement only and assure any carbon in the cartridges is removed while treating

 

[AlexaNye]

While sponge unit furnishes bubbles through a tube, It may not be enough as air stone will add surface agitation and oxygen. Hang on filter will again provide water movement only and assure any carbon in the cartridges is removed while treating

My plan was to use a cycled 5/10 gallon sponge in my 2.5 gallon quarantine tank for the treatment while I get his permanent tank set up and ensure it's properly cycled. This way I can add a little bit of marine salt and slowly up the level without killing the current cycle.

This also gets him out of the 100% freshwater he has been in faster than I can get his 40 gallon tank set up.

I was honestly quite agitated when I found that he needed brackish water because it messed up my plan to add him to a tank that is already well established. I was also mislead about how aggressive they can be, so the community I was going to add him to probably wouldn't have worked out well in the end. An unfortunate situation, but I got another awesome fish and I get to learn all about him. Learning new animals is one of the most enjoyable things for me, so while frustrating it could be worse if he was sold to someone who just put him in the tank and didn't look any further into it.

I wonder how many of these poor guys die so young because the lies told about them, I also wonder how many people have gotten into brackish and even salt water aquariums because of these guys.

Next I'll be setting up my clown fish tank.

 

[AlexaNye]

Lol which is worse? Keeping GSP in fresh water, or Bettas in bowls?

That's not actually funny, neglect isn't funny, but I have to laugh a little because I rescue. Dogs mostly but if I see sick bettas in stores I grab them. My horses are rescues too. Now this

People suck.

 

[AlexaNye]

Prazipro should be here on the 8th. Is there anything else I should treat with?

I didn't think about this until now. Will I need to get a different bacteria starter for the brackish water? Will pre-cycled fresh water work? Or should I use a marine starter? Google pulled up both fresh and saltwater starters on a search.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Prazipro should be here on the 8th. Is there anything else I should treat with?

I didn't think about this until now. Will I need to get a different bacteria starter for the brackish water? Will pre-cycled fresh water work? Or should I use a marine starter? Google pulled up both fresh and saltwater starters on a search.

You can use ruby Rally pro which is reef safe

 

[AlexaNye]

You can use ruby Rally pro which is reef safe

What is that for?

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is that for?

It covers an array of potential issues: Bacterial, fungal, velvet, worms, gram negative issues and more and is reef safe

 

[AlexaNye]

It covers an array of potential issues: Bacterial, fungal, velvet, worms, gram negative issues and more and is reef safe

Wow is that a long link! Holy cow!

Anyway. Would you recommend this kit?

 

[AlexaNye]

I'm glad that changed to a picture thing instead of that longggg link lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm glad that changed to a picture thing instead of that longggg link lol

Dont see a link or pic

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Prazipro should be here on the 8th. Is there anything else I should treat with?

I didn't think about this until now. Will I need to get a different bacteria starter for the brackish water? Will pre-cycled fresh water work? Or should I use a marine starter? Google pulled up both fresh and saltwater starters on a search.

I would use marine starter bacteria. Some differences in cycling a brackish tank over a freshwater one: nitrite is rendered non-toxic due to salt in the other, so you don't need to worry about that, but the higher pH of the brackish water makes any ammonia more toxic.

 

[AlexaNye]

Dont see a link or pic

I don't know why the link didn't work

Here is a screen shot.

 

[AlexaNye]

I would use marine starter bacteria. Some differences in cycling a brackish tank over a freshwater one: nitrite is rendered non-toxic due to salt in the other, so you don't need to worry about that, but the higher pH of the brackish water makes any ammonia more toxic.

Hopefully I can get some ferns to grow in the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't know why the link didn't work

Here is a screen shot.

NO - JUST RUBY RALLY