blue spot puffer in a reef?

Jack04 · #1 11/02/2007, 10:24 PM

Hey guys, I have always really liked the Blue spot puffer and valentini puffer, (sp?) I was wondering if they could be kept in any sort of reef, i know they will probably have a tendancy to eat ornamental shrimp and crabs, so i would prolly not have an arrow or a cleaner, nor would i have sps

But do you guys have any experience with or know if they would eat / bother softies or lps?

he'll goin to be goin in a 20 gal cube with a couple other fishies as well.

roblack · #2 11/02/2007, 10:43 PM

From what I understand, many puffers can emit a toxin if stressed, which can be harmful to reef inhabitants.

aaron L · #3 11/02/2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by roblack
From what I understand, many puffers can emit a toxin if stressed, which can be harmful to reef inhabitants.

This is true. Also that is to small of a tank for a puffer.

sean48183 · #4 11/02/2007, 10:51 PM

I do not believe they emit a toxin when stressed they just blow up. I think boxfish are the ones that emit toxins. I think puffers have a poisinous gland but only if a fish eats the puffer would it be a problem. I don't think a 29g is too small for a blue dot. they only get 4" long. I am about to put one in my 150g softy reef so I will let you know how it goes.

aaron L · #5 11/03/2007, 12:00 AM

29 gallon? He said it is a 20 gallon. Every website out there will tell you their minimum tank size is a 30 gallon. And that is pushing it.

atzak · #6 11/03/2007, 03:16 PM

I've got one in a tank with a bubble tip anemone, star polyps, and mushrooms. There are also some larger turbos and a serpant star. He hasn't bothered any of them, it's been in the tank for a few months.

roblack · #7 11/04/2007, 01:12 AM

Perhaps I am wrong, but I was told that puffers and boxfish can spit toxins out though their mouths (and otherwise) when stressed. Believe me, I am looking for an excuse to keep some of these fish in my reeftank, and trusted individuals at my LFS have repeatedly advised me against such. You might think they would just want to sell livestock, as they have these fish and they look great. Wish I/they were wrong.

Hope this saves you some troubles.

uscharalph · #8 11/04/2007, 01:59 AM

Puffers aren't recommended for reefs. You'l take a chance with your corals if you do.

KDodds · #9 11/04/2007, 07:15 AM

Canthigaster spp. remain pretty small. We had a whitespotted toby in a 20 for quite some time. Smaller Canthigaster spp., those that stay under 4", should be fine in a 20. Actually, we had one before that that knock the grating off a PH, then got sucked in. It even puffed up and was found that way, dead, the next morning. The tank's other inhabitants (Pistol Shrimp, Pseudochromis dutoiti, Chrysiptera cyanea) were fine and I noticed no further problems. We were only able to keep Capnella sp. in this tank, the toby ate all other cnidarians (shrooms, buttons, Xenia spp. (3), frogspawn) introduced and all macroalgae, as well as all snails. Hermits were fine.

dendro982 · #10 11/05/2007, 08:21 AM

20 g tank will be too small for valentini puffer: it likes to swim and explore. Do not confine him in a small quarters, even if it fits by size (3.5" after 1 year).

Link to my valentini puffer in the reef environment. 1.5 yrs, so far - so good.

Jack04 · #11 11/05/2007, 10:45 AM

Six line wrasses also like to / Love to swim and explore, and they are often Quite happy in smaller tanks

Kanicky · #12 11/05/2007, 11:07 AM

Puffers do not emit or "spit out" toxins or venom. Boxfish can secrete a toxin when they die in the home aquarium, but puffers do not.

That said, I have both the Valentini and the Blue Spot Puffer in my reef tank, and they're both great. They like to ambush the hermits and snails, but the CUC has just learned to be very sneaky and to generally only come out at night.

We have a few corals: plate coral, pulsating xenia, encrusting gorgonian, blasto's, etc. and some various mushrooms and ricordia, and the Puffers have been (pretty much) model citizens.

They nip at things every once in a blue moon, but otherwise they're more interested in exploring all of the crevices that might be hiding a tasty snail or hermit crab.

(They've left my Boxing Crabs and CBS alone...)

I don't recommend putting one in less than a 30G. Otherwise, they're really fun to have and are full of personality! I love my babies!

luke33 · #13 11/05/2007, 04:31 PM

I've had a valentini in a reef for well over a year now. He has never niped at any zoa, xenia, sps, hammer, frogspawn anything. I also have cleaner shrimp and he's never messed with them either. Now snails is a different story. The few that have survived only come out at night. He's disinterested in them then. Also nassarius snails work well as they stay hidden too. I don't mess with hermits so i dono about them. Starfish are not ok and i wouldn't suggest a clam. HTH