Why GSP hard to breed

[GP]

Is it hard to breed them because they are over aggressive??? Well, if they are in a big tank with lots of hiding places, and offered food to minimize the the nipping and aggression levels, can it be possible? I'm always into trying diffucult things..

 

[Stryker]

I think their natural environment makes it hard to breed them.

Adult GSPs are marine fish. They migrate up an estuary to where the water is literally fresh, they spawn, they head back out (all over a long period of time). Then the fry when hatched spend the first three years of their lives treking back towards the ocean as they grow up. It then starts over again.

Now how in the heck can we simulate that in a tank?


Also from what I've found, its also a simple case of not enough being known about them.

 

[GP]

Slight water changes, adding fresh water.... Very large tank...? Slowly increasing back to brackish. I've always wanted to do something no one has tried or done.

 

[Stryker]

yep, but lets say you have an m/f pair of adult gsp in marine water. I think you'd be looking at lowing the salinity over the course of a year or maybe more??

suddenly I realise why suppliers just capture gsp fry

also I dont know about you, but when I do water changes I vary the SG up or down by 0.002 from my target SG to simulate the uncertainty of esturary water. They seem to love it and are doing real well.

 

[Stryker]

here I go again.........

Also while on this topic, has anyone had any luck sexing the GSPs? all I know is I have two that were the same teeny young DP size when I had them, except one has developed into a much more rounder/larger size thus far than the other (very much like how female fish seem....erm guess I'd call it "voluptuous") than their male counterparts.

Also this pair while staying in my smallish tank are getting on really well!

 

[GP]

I would think the rounder one is the female, as that is a way of sexing other puffers.. Similar genetics, no?

 

[Stryker]

Those are my thoughts too. Other than shape they seem the same. Markings are the same, no wrinkles or anything really to tell them apart.

Exciting times, as they grow older and mature they may develop differences in their markings.

I forget the forum name, but else where they are having a chat about how soon a juvenile GSP can be worked up to full marine. Think there is a chap who is going to raise it by around 0.002 per month..... if he does it over 10-12 months. The norm as far as I've read is full marine over 2-3 years depending on rate of growth.