after feeding my puffer...

[fish_chic]

okay after i feed my puffer frozen brine shrimp his belly gets really big and lumpy. i was wondering is this normal or am i feeding him to much.

P.S. i do have him in my commumity tank for the last week and he was been fine. he hasn't been aggresive at all. i know when they get older they well be. i was really trying to see if it would work.

i do have to tank him out of the tank at feeding time bc all the other fish eat the brine shrimp before he even gets to it. ( i put him in a gallon pitcher with him food and then release him when hes done.

 

[Lotus]

A lumpy stomach on a puffer is a sign you have overfed it. What kind of puffer is it?

You should avoid transferring puffers out of the tank in the air. If you need to move them, catch them in a cup. If they puff in the air, they can die.

 

[fish_chic]

OMG i totally forgot that about them. them being able to puff outside of the water. thank you so much.

i just redid my sigy so he is in there now

 

[fish_chic]

Adding Question about puffer

i just wanted to add something about my puffer that his belly doen't seem to be so white. i know i has told when buying a puffer to always look if it has a nice round white belly. what does this mean when it looks kind of blotchie and gray?

 

[MOsborne05]

Did you do any research on GSP's before you got him? The lumpy belly is either overfeeding like Lotus said or could be intestinal parasites. If his belly only gets lumpy after you feed him, then it is most likely just overfeeding. If his belly looks sunken & lumpy when your not feeding him, then it could be IP.

GSP's need brackish water when they are young and full marine/saltwater as adults. They also can get very aggressive as they get older and need about 30 gallons each. He may not be aggressive now but he will eventually, and by keeping him in freshwater you are probably stunting his growth which means that he will not live near as long as he should. Freshwater community tanks are probably the worst possible scenario for a gsp, so you should try to get him a new tank. Unless you plan on going saltwater in the future for him, I would suggest giving him back to the lfs. GSP's also need snails or crunchy food in their diet to help keep their beaks worn down. You can find more info on them here www.pufferlist.com or www.thepufferforum.com

His belly should be white so if it is not then that means he is not healthy. It could be from internal parasites, or the fact that he's being kept in freshwater with other community fish that are probably stressing him out.

 

[fish_chic]

okay i did do a lot of research and i found just as many answers saying that the type of puffer i have is FRESHWATER but likes a small amount of salt in his water. i also found that he was a BRACKISH WATER fish but only as he gets older. so i tried to do my research. even at the lfs where i got him said that they are freshwater puffers who like a little salt in the water. and that they personal own some and are doing ever well in a species tank that he has of them. he does add a small amount of salt to his tank but that was recently. so i tried. and i do now that the community tank is totally against the rules but i was just seeing but he would do. and he does seem happy swimming around and everything.

 

[MOsborne05]

Well for future reference, ask on here before you purchase fish. We are not trying to sell you anything. He wanted to sell you a puffer, so he told you what you wanted to hear. They also try to sell you salt, which is why they tell people that basically every fish likes salt in their water which is not true.

Check out the links that I gave you, the people that run those sites have been raising puffers for years so they know what kind of an environment each puffer thrives in.

 

[fish_chic]

Puffernet >>> Species Specifics >> Spotted Confusion this site is where i found my info. bc i was also checking that i had the right puffer too. is this info reiable on this site.

 

[Limi310]

I would say NO since they are saying GSP is freshwater. I've read through Puffernet and do agree on some things, but not with others.
Do a search for GSP articles on Wet Web Media. There are tons, and the info is very reliable.
I also agree with what MO said 100%.

 

[MissFishy]

Fish Chic - What you don't want to hear...but someones got to say it. You keep making all these impulsive fish purchases and killing them off. It needs to stop. First the elephant nose, now a GSP, maybe I've missed a few in between. You really need to be doing your research and asking on different forums about these fish. Most puffers need species only tanks, and that is the general consensus you'll find around here and elsewhere on the net. Just because one site says one thing doesn't mean it's ok to do.

Also, IMO, your tank is getting really overstocked...expect trouble in the near future. You have a lot of territorial fish, and they won't be happy as is for long.

 

[FreddyJ]

My GSP lived in freshwater for about a month, because I didn't do my research beforehand. He now has his own brackish tank (with three little guppies for friends) and he is so much happier. His color and appetite improved and he is growing a lot faster than he ever was in the freshwater. I know you want to do what is right for your puffer, so make him a little home. A happy puffer is a really great pet!

I can't imagine the stress that your fish is feeling every time you have to catch and remove him from the tank to feed him. Consider that too.


Off topic but : LIMI-- what kind of fish is that in your picture? He might be even cuter than my GSP (but I wouldn't tell my GSP that because it would make him sad.) LOL

 

[Limi310]

Hey FreddyJ,
It's a SW Porcupine Puffer...quite possibly the cutest most comical puffer in exsistance.

 

[Pure]

naa. Dog Faced Pufs are better.