Puffer anyone?

dickhordishay · #1 10/27/2007, 09:20 PM

I currently have a 55 gallon fowlr.
From what I've been reading puffers seem really cool.
Do I have a big enough tank?
I know they like snails and such. What else can't I keep with them?

stdreb27 · #2 10/27/2007, 10:22 PM

Clams, and just about any other invert including corals are lunch. Their are some dwarf puffers that can go in a 55, the largers ones such as dog faces, porky's and such get way too big, they are really messy eaters too. So you really need to have a beefed up filtration system, or you will have problems.

ledford1 · #3 10/27/2007, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stdreb27
Clams, and just about any other invert including corals are lunch. Their are some dwarf puffers that can go in a 55, the largers ones such as dog faces, porky's and such get way too big, they are really messy eaters too. So you really need to have a beefed up filtration system, or you will have problems.

I have snails, hermits, a cleaner shrimp, a Hawaiian feather duster, and 'shrooms and rics with my Dogface. I have had my Dogface for 4 years and the only inverts I have seen him go after are bristleworms.

For a 55g, you'll have to stick to small puffers. I know the Valentini would work, but you probably don't want to go beyond tobies, those of the genus Canthigaster .

stdreb27 · #4 10/28/2007, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ledford1
I have snails, hermits, a cleaner shrimp, a Hawaiian feather duster, and 'shrooms and rics with my Dogface. I have had my Dogface for 4 years and the only inverts I have seen him go after are bristleworms.

For a 55g, you'll have to stick to small puffers. I know the Valentini would work, but you probably don't want to go beyond tobies, those of the genus Canthigaster .

That being the exception rather than the norm.

Chef Choy · #5 10/28/2007, 10:28 AM

I think that its funny how people come on here looking for advise and get some crazy answer. DO NOT keep puffers with corals or inverts. I had one guy tell me when I first got into the hobby that he kept a piccaso trigger in his reef......does that mean thats ok???? no!

stdreb27 · #6 10/28/2007, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chef Choy
I think that its funny how people come on here looking for advise and get some crazy answer. DO NOT keep puffers with corals or inverts. I had one guy tell me when I first got into the hobby that he kept a piccaso trigger in his reef......does that mean thats ok???? no!

lol, I know. But then again, I have a flame and a coral beauty in the same tank with no problems. I didn't know at the time, that was like buying a cat and a dog and putting them in a locked room.

Chef Choy · #7 10/28/2007, 07:28 PM

yea, but you don't "advise" people on it......thats the key

stdreb27 · #8 10/28/2007, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chef Choy
yea, but you don't "advise" people on it......thats the key

I've watched my puffer eat about 40 snails and hermits, but he lets one live. Maybe it is for emergencies. Or something, but one snail has survived over a year. hehe

latazyo · #9 10/28/2007, 07:49 PM

my turtle does the same thing with feeder fish...he eats all but one and will let it live with him for months

TomZogas · #10 10/28/2007, 08:23 PM

I gave a half dozen feeder fish to my GSP once. he ate all but one, lived with it for about 6 months, and then ate it.

ledford1 · #11 10/28/2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by stdreb27
That being the exception rather than the norm.

I'm aware of that, and I'm not suggesting that mixing puffers and inverts is a good idea - perhaps I should have elaborated. I just wanted to offer the opinion that very few things are certain. Fish have individual personalities.

Monstrigity · #12 10/29/2007, 12:02 AM

I think that its important for people trying to advance the hobby to try new things and report about there experiences to their peers. I have personally kept a mappa puffer in a LPS reef tank with moderate success. At the same time I think these "experiments" should be left up to advanced hobbiest who know the risks and have the resources to seperate the animals in the event that statistics hold true. the fact is 9 out of 10 puffers are going to eat every invert in your tank.

stdreb27 · #13 10/29/2007, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Monstrigity
I think that its important for people trying to advance the hobby to try new things and report about there experiences to their peers. I have personally kept a mappa puffer in a LPS reef tank with moderate success. At the same time I think these "experiments" should be left up to advanced hobbiest who know the risks and have the resources to seperate the animals in the event that statistics hold true. the fact is 9 out of 10 puffers are going to eat every invert in your tank.

I'm not knocking you, but I have this funny picture in my mind of what moderate success is. I used to have a beagles who loved getting into hen houses, they never ever killed a bird, but they chewed on it never breaking skins, just ruffling a few feathers. That was the picture in my head.
What is moderate success.

stdreb27 · #14 10/29/2007, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ledford1
I'm aware of that, and I'm not suggesting that mixing puffers and inverts is a good idea - perhaps I should have elaborated. I just wanted to offer the opinion that very few things are certain. Fish have individual personalities.

I'd just hate for some one to read your post and drop a puffer in a full blown reef tank.

Monstrigity · #15 10/30/2007, 01:18 AM

Your story about the beagle and the hen house pretty much sums up my puffer in the reef tank experience. He never killed a single coral, hermit crab, or snail in the 1.5 years I kept him, but he bit'em from time to time. I never witnessed him bite any coral, but he would bite the shells of the big turbo snails every so often. I guess my point was thats the best you can hope for with a puffer and inverts (moderate success). By the way, he is in a friends 320gal. FOWLR and is about the size of a football now!

stdreb27 · #16 10/30/2007, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Monstrigity
Your story about the beagle and the hen house pretty much sums up my puffer in the reef tank experience. He never killed a single coral, hermit crab, or snail in the 1.5 years I kept him, but he bit'em from time to time. I never witnessed him bite any coral, but he would bite the shells of the big turbo snails every so often. I guess my point was thats the best you can hope for with a puffer and inverts (moderate success). By the way, he is in a friends 320gal. FOWLR and is about the size of a football now!

I can't wait till my dogface is full grown, if only he would stop getting sucked into pumps. He just isn't that smart sometimes.
What is funny, I saw a tank yesterday where this guy a porky in a full reef setup, and the porky was ignoring the hermits, then snails and the coral. Go figure. Infact the he was sitting right next to a hermit and the hermit was sifting through sand right infront of him.

u418936 · #17 10/30/2007, 09:14 AM

I had a porcupine in my reef aquarium for three years. When he got big enough to crush shells in his mouth, he started eating crabs and snails, so I had to bring him back to my LFS. He never bothered any corals or clams, though.

95accord · #18 10/30/2007, 12:23 PM

puff...puff...pass....

sorry i couldnt resist lol

marxxx · #19 11/02/2007, 12:59 PM

My valentini puffer was fine with other small non aggressive fish, sea stars, and feather dusters for well over a year. Lost him when moving tanks though... bummer as he was a cool little guy. Only about 2.5 - 3"... don't know if he would have gotten more aggressive with age though.

reefergeorge · #20 11/02/2007, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 95accord
puff...puff...pass....

sorry i couldnt resist lol

That is my porc puffers name.

reefer334 · #21 11/02/2007, 10:06 PM

stdreb27 · #22 11/02/2007, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefer334

You bought a golden puffer, and you put him in a 55 gallon tank. Dude those get huge.

stdreb27 · #23 11/03/2007, 12:38 AM

nevermind, I can't read. I apologize. is he in with all those triggers? I put a buncha pics of my puffer in the photo forum. you have an awesome puffer.

reefer334 · #24 11/03/2007, 10:44 PM

I posted the pic as a joke, he is in a 125 now was in a 300 but my 11 inch Queen Trigger started nipping his tail so I moved him. Thanks for the compliment, I think he is full grown he is about 15 inches stretched out.

stdreb27 · #25 11/05/2007, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefer334
I posted the pic as a joke, he is in a 125 now was in a 300 but my 11 inch Queen Trigger started nipping his tail so I moved him. Thanks for the compliment, I think he is full grown he is about 15 inches stretched out.

What would have been really funny is your puffer in your 55 gallon reef...