New puffer owners seeking advice

[Riveraqua]

Don't even think about putting this in the brackish forum, this species is straight saltwater.

I was down in Cape Canaveral this weekend and I saw a ton of dead puffers just smashed on the ground. Apparently some people think it's hilarious to catch hundreds of these guys, toss 'em on the ground, and let 'em suffocate. Then for kicks, they drive over 'em with their cars. I was livid. I scooped up a couple "fresh ones" and threw 'em in my tank. Both are Southern Puffers (Sphoeroides nephelus), a saltwater/high-end brackish species. They're eating, but one's just lying around way more. They love burrowing, so that's probably it. I need some advice here. I'm only keeping one, the other's going to my LFS. I'm planning to add more sand, but I've got a bad feeling something's gonna go wrong. They're about 8 inches each, in a 75-gallon brackish tank with a 90-gallon filter. I really want this rescue to work out.

[zenoxa]

I'm not familiar with Southern Puffers specifically, but most puffers do share similar needs. Given their ordeal, I'd recommend adding a non-toxic fungicide like melafix to the tank, just in case. Also, try feeding them plenty of spirulina-enriched meaty foods - that usually helps.

You absolutely need to report this to the authorities, whether it's the SPCA or the local police. If this is some twisted festival, maybe they can set up a watch to prevent it from happening again. It's just inexcusable that people can be so cruel.

[tiderunner]

I'm with you on this, it's just terrible what those people did. I'm not exactly an animal rights activist, but this is just cruel. I don't know the first thing about saltwater puffers, so I'm not much help, but I'm rooting for you and hoping for the best.

[zenoxa]

I understand your sentiment, but calling organizations like PETA isn't the solution here. Honestly, they'd likely cause more harm than good - I can already imagine them dumping cyanide into the water and claiming a job well done.