DF puffer ?

[harndog]

anyone ever had one eat soft corals such as shrooms and Zoas? Mine plucks Zoas like they are candy. they are just browns that I had on the LR so I don't care really but I am a little worried he may decide he likes those better than his krill and silversides???? anyone

 

[unleashed]

hense the reason puffers arent reef safe not only do they inverts and crustations they do eat corals too its all part of its natural diet I wouldnt worry about him not eating his normal prepared foods.puffers eat like pigs.its when he stops eating at all you have a problem

 

[harndog]

thanks unleashed. Since I have the bulldogs I just had to have a little DF and my 2 year old named him Scooby lol. He is really a lot like a real dog when you really whatch him. I think he is probably my fav fish now. the spotted dragonette in the reef is a close second though.

 

[unleashed]

your most welcome.I love puffers they have the greatest personalitys.just like puppies in the tank.one thing I have noticed with my ss puffer (rip) and my spiney they share alot of the same personality trates such as exitment when i walk in the room.but i dont know if just mine or if everyones do this but if my ph drops 1 pt below 8.3 he will hide in a corner and pout untill i buffer the tank.and being a new puffer owner I warn you in advance cus i lost my ss to this problem.they gey so exited when feeding they suck in air fromthe surface of the tank some times this air gets trapped and they cant release it.I literally have to burp my spiney boxfish by holding him in an upright (mouth up but in water) which btw ticks him off every time and yes it can be painful for me too lol.i names mine spike btw, he will release a few small air bubbles then get realy mad and puff up when i release him de deflates very quickly and swims aways free of air bubbles and happy again.they key is to watch how he lays in the tank if you notice him tail up higher more often while swimming or laying about he may have a trapped air bubble.if this is the case and it is not released they will stop eating i lost mine ss due to just that reason after 3 1/2 yrs in my tank he was 4 inches when purchased and 13in at the time he passed away on val day of 2005.word of caution with dogfaced puffers if they stress too much and inflate to long this will cause death.

 

[harndog]

Thanks for the tips so far he has not puffed at all even at the LFS. I have been watching him for a month now at the LFS and also have a prety good friend who works there and he has been keeping an eye on him as well. As far as PH goes I will keep an eye on that.
He has been staying hid since he has only been in the big tank for about 3 days but he comes out now and again and in the morning I get to see him curled up sleeping like a little puppy lol. He is only about 3 inches right now. I have about 20 trochous snails and 40 hemits as well as all the brown zoas about 200 polyps he has already got a little tummy on him lol he is always picking at them. sorta feel bad for the polyps but he is worth it.