Breeding GSPs

[TorPeteO]

Hey all,

First off, I don't have a GSP and don't plan on getting one until I've got my own house. But I have heard about them from a bunch of you who've got them, and so I've heard how very few, if any, people have successfully bred them.

One question I pondered was; Would a relatively abrupt transition (over 1-2 weeks, max) of SG into slightly brackish to near-freshwater of a pair of or three adult GSPs, who had been kept in near-marine conditions, possibly prompt them to breed?

The reason I ask this is that I've heard a lot of owners and specialists say that GSPs (in nature) are usually in freshwater when they're young, swim to brackish when they're juvenile, and move to full marine when they've become adults. If they live in freshwater as young, that means they had to have been spawned in freshwater, correct?

A reason I think this is plausible is that puffers, as a generality, are more hardy than most marine species. They can endure rather abrupt changes to temperature and to pH, which most full marine species don't often have to deal with, since the ocean is so large. This would lead one to believe that puffers can spend more time in more finnicky environments, such as freshwater ones.

Now, a question THIS raises is; Would the abrupt change in SG prove harmful or fatal to the colony of beneficial bacteria in the tank?If it did, the whole venture would be absurd, because the fish would only die, anyway, from polluted water.

Well, thanks for reading this far. If anyone can find problems with my reasoning, please let me know. If anyone wants to try this method out, give me a little credit when you publish your findings in a peer-evaluated publication. Thanks!

 

[Puffer_freak]

Thats a good idea, but I don't want mine to breed, because I don't have a tank for them!!!!

But wouldn't it be a good excuse to get a new tank!!!!!

 

[GP]

It is actually a process much longer then 2 weeks for puffers to go upstream to freshwater, where they finally spawn. Yes, you would have trouble with the cycle, because the bacteria in salt water is much different then in freshwater. Also, it is impossible to sex GSP's. Furthermore, if you had 3 GSP's in there, and 2 were males, you wouldn't have much luck with breeding, since the two males would obviously be very territorial towards eachother, even with the female if you get lucky enough to get them to spawn. All I have to say is, you need one big tank. About 90 gallons for the 3 GSP's, and then another tank for the babies, including several growout tanks of about 20 gallons each.

 

[Stryker]

I'm working on the theory the females are a little larger and rounder, also their colours really fade when they sleep. Now the one I think is a male in my tank is a little smaller, and always keeps his colours tip top bright, even when resting.


As for changing the SG. You can change it at a rate of around 0.002 per week. At / around 1.008 the fw bacteria dies off and the sw bacteria grows so, so long as you make the change gradule enough there is no cycle.... from sg 1.005 - 1.011 I raised it around 0.002 every two weeks.

 

[Puffer_freak]

So you think you've found a way huh?

This could be ground breaking stuff, I'm going to watch my puffers!

 

[Stryker]

I'm just saying in my case my two puffers are showing many of the male/female charactoristics you see in fish and birds.

EDIT: (afterthought) If its true that the males are typically more colourful even when resting and these guys are wild caught it may suggest there are mostly male fish in the aquarium trade which might suggest why they all look so alike.

 

[TorPeteO]

Stryker, did you personally catch your wild-caught GSPs? I've really been thinking of taking a trip to south-eastern India to look for Malabar Puffers. Not necessarily to bring any wild-caught ones back, but simply to document the true water conditions that they, in nature, live in. Also, to find further bodies of water in which they reside, and perhaps to find a difference in the environment C. Travancoricus and C. Imitator live in (if there is any difference, that is).

Anyway, keep us updated on your findings with sexing your GSPs. Your theory sounds like it's very plausible, as the females in most puffer species are rounder and often larger than the males. It would also make sense that the male keeps his colours more often, as males of most species' (not just fish, but all) are often more colourful and vibrant than females. Also, it could be that he doesn't want to stop impressing females with his great colour. What size are your GSPs?

 

[Puffer_freak]

Report back to us on your findings too!

If this is true, and it is a plausible theory, then do you think it possible that puffers could be wiped out? If they are taking only the males, then it would be impossible to breed if it is just the females. I don't know.

I'll keep looking at mine too, just to have something to think about!

 

[Stryker]

Its a long story as to why I have GSPs so I'll save you the bother

What I can say tho is my GSPs were very very young when I had them, probably too young for sale in all fairness. They were both around 0.5" in size at first. I had them in spring so over the last 5-6 months the potential female has grown larger and rounder. She? is around 2" in size now, the male? is around 1.25" in size but is much more sleek and more colourful all of the time. The potential male also makes more effort in putting on a display at the front of the tank for me.... like he is trying to take my attention.

No, I did not catch them myself. My thoughts above are simply assumption based on what I've read about these little fellas.

I hope in time with enough feedback esp that of the likes of torpeteo we may be able to draw some conclusions.

 

[Puffer_freak]

Currently mine are around 2" as well. Yes, the smaller one for me is more colourful, but fatter - though I this is because he eats more, the greedy pig!

The larger of the two, seems more docile - neither of them snap, its jsut that one rests a lot more, and has established a small teritory (the big java fern at the back of my tank) while the smaller, seems more relaxed at leaving his territory, and loves to try to show off!

He constantly has his colours on show.

 

[Puffer_freak]

TorPeteO - when you're there, please try and get us some info on what plants they live with - I'm sick of buying plants that don't live very long!

 

[TorPeteO]

I'll tell you what, when (or if) I go, I'll bring back some plants and send them to you, Puffer_freak. Right now I'm still in University so I haven't got a lot of free time to go. I'd need to talk to someone who's got connections, or possibly someone who's been, to make appropriate arrangements before I go. I also would like a fellow puffer enthusiast to go along with, so that we'd each be able to have input. Any takers, sometime next summer, perhaps?

 

[GP]

My GSP, when sleeping, gains a bit of black on his/her underbelly, and also his/her color does fade to a certain amount.

 

[Puffer_freak]

Sorry to bring this up again, but I was looking a kuchings website on and on:

THIS LITTLE PAGE HERE!!!!!

He found some GSPs in the wild in Borneo. So if/when you go, you might want to go to Borneo....not that I'm pushing you or anything, I was just reminded of this page.

 

[kuching]

Hi,are u guys talking about this puffer?

this 1 is a brackish water puffer but it can survive in freshwater .....but it won't be happy if stay too long in freshwater so better add some salt in your freshwater tank.I never seen juvenile or adult puffer in a totally freshwater stream or river....so,if u wanna keep it,better add some salt.