Monos And Gsp Have Grown

[Flumpus]

Here are a few new pictures of my mono sebaes and GSP. Both have grown quite a bit since the last pictures, especially the GSP. Last picture of the GSP, he had torn up fins and was tiny. He's doing much better now. Hope yall enjoy...

 

[demonmagus]

nice pics

how big is the GSP now?

 

[Flumpus]

It's about 2.5" now. Was probably half that when I got it. The monos have also easily doubled in size.

 

[Mr.September15]

How much Salinity does your tank have in order to keep the GSP?

 

[Flumpus]

When I got the GSP it was tiny, and came from freshwater. I've been slowly raising the salinity, and it's at a SG of 1.0075 now. I plan on raising it to about 1.018 and adding a second filter, as well as a protein skimmer. Sadly, my wife really wants a stars and stripes puffer, so the GSP might be going away when the salinity is high enough for the stars and strips (and after the protein skimmer is added).

 

[vancouver]

nice.. like the black sand 8)

 

[andywg]

Looking good. I like the effect of the slate and wood on the dark substrate.

 

[KimA]

Fantastic pictures, and georgeous fish (I've only ever seen one Mono in the flesh...made me crave a brackish tank)

 

[nmonks]

Stars and stripes (A. hispidus) puffer will do fine at SG 1.010, by the way. First time I encountered these fish, they were about an inch in length and being sold as FRESHWATER fish. Healthy enough, though they do much better in brackish or marine. Juveniles are common in brackish water, and adults migrate in and out of estuaries and shallow seas.

I have no idea who these two puffer species would get along. Worth trying out, though I'd be tempted to introduce them as juveniles and keep an eye out for signs of aggression as they mature. Introducing an adult puffer to a tank with another adult puffer isn't real smart.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Miss Wiggle]

lovely pics

 

[Flumpus]

Ok, this thread is going to be side tracked for a bit...

Neale, you think a GSP and stars and stripes might get along in a 75g? I was just kind of assuming I'd need to get rid of the GSP, if for any other reason, space concerns. If you think it might work, I'd certainly be willing to try it and keep an eye on it.

 

[nmonks]

Two juveniles might be worth a shot. But honestly, don't know for sure. Perhaps ask on a marine forum on opinions re: mixing Arothron hispidus with other fish. Certainly, they're of comprable robustness, but A. hispidus is usually fairly well behaved towards monos, scats, etc. Ebert (Aqualog book) says:

"Because they are cramped in holding tanks [without food] ... fins have been eaten down to bloody stumps ... it is astonishing how quickly the fins regenerate when kept singly. Once recovered they behave peacefully towards [tankmates] and exhibit hardly any intraspecific aggression. Fin biting as good as never occurs in well-fed specimens."

This is my experience as well, and certainly when I came across a small tank filled with dozens of specimens in freshwater, the problem wasn't lack of salt but nipping. Took one back to the university and it settled into a brackish tank very well. There are other species of Arothron that are much nastier towards others of their species, but even these (A. immaculatus and A. reticularis) are said by Ebert to exhibit no aggression towards *other* species of puffer, just their own.

I have no personal experience of GSP behaviour.

If it was me, I'd introduce two subadults (~ 2-3 inches for the GSP, and about the same or slightly larger for the A. hispidus) into a tank that you have re-arranged all the caves and such. Let them get used to each other and new hiding places at the same time. I'd certainly give it a shot, and as they matured, it should be obvious if things are going wrong long before there are any fatalities.

Cheers,

Neale

Neale, you think a GSP and stars and stripes might get along in a 75g? I was just kind of assuming I'd need to get rid of the GSP, if for any other reason, space concerns. If you think it might work, I'd certainly be willing to try it and keep an eye on it.

 

[Flumpus]

Thanks Neale, I'll discuss it with the wife and see what she wants to do. I'm up for some experimenting, but she may not be

 

[Gankutsuou]

great fish flumpy

 

[Gazoo]

Nice images Flumpus. When looking at the second picture I couldn't help but noticing something else.

In the upper right corner I see a dog winking its left eye. This reminded me of how a natural formation on Mars looks like a human face.