Brackish Green Spotted...?

Question

I want to get a green spotted puffer. Can I keep one in a 5 gallon tank? also how much salt do you use? aquariam or instant ocean?

Answer 1

No, a green spot will quickly out grow a 5 gallon so that wouldn't be a good idea. Most people recommend at least a 20 long for them and a 30 is much better. They get about 6" long and are pretty aggressive so they need space. Here's some really good info about them.

http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_puffer1.php

MM

Answer 2

You could keep a dwarf puffer in a 5 gallon though. They require 2 - 3 gallons each. So in essence, you could keep 2 of them in a 5 gallon, preferably 2 females or 1 female and 1 female as males have been known to fight to the death.
Or you could keep an oto with 1 pufferfish.
Make sure the tank is completely cycled before adding a puffer. They cannot be in the tank during the cycling process. They also need 50% water changes weekly.
Dwarf puffers are 100% freshwater and don't need salt.

Answer 3

MM is correct on the tank size - you should use a 30 gallon for a green spotted. And you'll need a marine salt mix (Instant Ocean or other). As juveniles, the specific gravity should be around 1.015 (most stores keep them in freshwater, so increase this gradually), but as adults, they should be in full saltwater (specific gravity 1.024-1.016) conditions. You'll need a hydrometer or refractometer to measure this - using "volumes" like cups or spoonful aren't always consistent.

The tank should be cycled before you add the puffer. These are fish are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrite.

Answer 4

Use instant ocean. Amount of salt is dependent on temp, altitude, etc. Use a hydrometer. You can keep ONE puffer in a 5 gallon tank, I've seen this set up before and it worked well, seemed small to me though. I had one in a 30 gallon with three sailfin mollies, it was a really nice display.

They can be territorial and aggressive. They also make a slime that can be hard to get off the inside of the tank.