Need help about green spotted puffer fish

[dry]

Hi folks,

I just setup my tank with green spotted puffer species.

My tank is w2ft ft h1.5ft and I have 5 small puffers inside and some artificial plants. The reason I got artificial is that i heard that I'm still new and not ready with too over-complicated ecosystem yet.

I also have some sand and gravel for the base.

I need some advise from those who knows or have experience about green spotted puffer fish.

1. Can I make a snail colony in my tank without real plant? It is to feed the puffer so I don't need to worry about lack of food.
2. I read that adult puffer will become more aggressive and is not advised to be kept with other fish, including it's own species. Is this true?
3. I also read that adult puffer will become brackish thus need to put aquarium or marine salt in the tank, otherwise it won't survive. Is this true again?

Currently I'm feeding them with bloodworms and try seems happy. But I'm thinking of getting a more hard-shelled creeps for future.

Thanks for the advise!

[xaine]

Replies in red below

My tank is w2ft ft h1.5ft and I have 5 small puffers inside and some artificial plants. The reason I got artificial is that i heard that I'm still new and not ready with too over-complicated ecosystem yet.

I also have some sand and gravel for the base.

It seemed ok for now, but puffers are territorial creatures when they grow bigger and they normally requires their own space. Creating some hiding areas and plants can obscure the visibility among them.


I need some advise from those who knows or have experience about green spotted puffer fish.

1. Can I make a snail colony in my tank without real plant? It is to feed the puffer so I don't need to worry about lack of food.

Snails don't do well without plant, and even by having 1 puffer, it tends to out-eat the reproduction of snails. So if you want to have a snail colony, I would suggest a seperate tank for breeding so that you have enough to feed.

2. I read that adult puffer will become more aggressive and is not advised to be kept with other fish, including it's own species. Is this true?

As already mentioned above, they will assert aggression among their own. Any by keeping other fishes (which are slower than themselves), they will be subjected to fin nipping (if you do not feed them enough). Sometimes fin nipping also occurs out of curiousity/exploration.

3. I also read that adult puffer will become brackish thus need to put aquarium or marine salt in the tank, otherwise it won't survive. Is this true again?

For this kind of puffer, the green spotted, they are brackish water creatures. At the start of their lives they are normally born in low-salt concentration areas. And will progressively require brackish water as they mature. There are sources which state that they would do even better in full marine conditions when they fully mature. However, brackish environment would already be sufficient. I have seen instances of this puffer exhibiting weird behaviour when still in freshwater when older.

Currently I'm feeding them with bloodworms and try seems happy. But I'm thinking of getting a more hard-shelled creeps for future.

Bloodworms can keep them full, and they can be contented with it. However, shelled crustacean would help keep their teeth in shape. By biting into hard shells, it somehow files their teeth so that it doesn't get too long which might post a problem later to their eating habits.

Thanks for the advise!

[dry]

thanks a lot...

one of my puffer is very aggresive.

hope after a while they will get used to each other.

im thinking of breeding any snails that is rapid in growth and easy to breed.

can i put like 10 ramshorn snails in a oxygenated tank, without live plant? maybe just put some vegetables inside?

sorry if oot. if needed, i'll create a new thread.

Thanks again

[xaine]

Well...aggression come with maturity, and in no time you will see them chasing each other way. (reason being, each of them intrudes their area where they can find food)

Ramshorn snails breed prolifically, and yes, you can do without live plants and just vege. But the normal ones don't grow as fast, so you can still sustain your puffer's appetite with bloodworms.