I would love more info about puffers
- Thread starter playtime
- Start date
dlight692000
Member
umm they get about 15 inches but that is a little rare- normally like 12 inches, they are messy eaters and require good filteration, they have great personality and i wouldnt put one in anything under 55 gallons
pufferlover
Active Member
Now in answer to your question there are 2 Puffs that you can be talking about. One is called a long-spined Porcupine fish which can get to 6 inches in a tank and can not be kept with smaller fish as it will eat them. The other one is called either Spiny Puffer, Striped burrfish, or just burrfish, and its problem is as a member of the boxfish family it can release a poison into your tank when sick, stressed, or dieing. The spiny has undulating dark lines on a yellow body while the long spined is blotched instead of lined. I have seen many stores selling the spiny as a Puffer but be aware it can be a major tank wipe out fish ( I have been thru that with one of these in my fish keeping days). Make sure the store selling a fish like this identifies which one it is and if they throw out latin names then the spiny is Chilomycterus schoepfi and the long spined is diodon holacanthus.
playtime
Member
Pufferlover: sorry, it is a porcupine fish. I know he is really cute. I asked my lfs to hold him until I could get more information. He is really cute and they have had him for about 2 weeks and he looks healthy. He is eating brine shrimp for them, I saw that personally. He has bright, clear eyes (no clouds), great respiration, and is very active. 6 inches is great. I was thinking about puting him with my fuzzy dwarf lionfish who is about 31/2 inchs right now and so is the procupine. Would either one be a threat to the other? I was told that their biggest problem is that they get popeye and other eye problems, is that true? If I get him, how can I prevent eye problems? I have a 40 tall eclipse for right now, and was thinking about upgrading later. It is a fish only with live rock, only about 3 pieces that form a cave, should I add more to make another cave? I checked all levels last night and they are salinity 1.023, ph 8.3, nitrite 0, nitrite 0, amonia 0. I am using crushed coral (med size) for subtrate about 3-4 inches.
Sorry for so many questions, but I really want this fish but want to be sure. Thanks for any info.
Playtime
almost forgot, the only tank mate would be the fuzzy dwarf lionfish (Metro).
Sorry for so many questions, but I really want this fish but want to be sure. Thanks for any info.
Playtime
almost forgot, the only tank mate would be the fuzzy dwarf lionfish (Metro).
pufferlover
Active Member
playtime; Ok a Pork is a different story it is not a poison problem. Now they are cute when small (and cute when big) and 1 40 will work for about a year but once it hits 4 or 5 inches you will have to upgrade or take it back. Now with a small lion that will work but then that tank is full (no matter how empty you think it looks). Now also a Pork will swim up and down a lot and when bored will sit on a rock or the bottom, so lots of caves don't really matter. Better you give it the swimming room then add more rocks (my tanks with Porks have a few pieces of fake coral and thats it just enough so the tank is not bare looking).
Now also, all Puffs are Ick prone (no matter what any articles, books, or lfs say). The hairy time is the first week or so till they get used to their new digs. I had mentioned elsewhere I have not had one Puff that did not get Ick at least once (and my stars and stripes is on its 3rd bout). They are not hard to cure tho and if you keep the tank up the odds are you will be fine and so will the Puff. Normally their eyes do not get cloudy unless they are getting Ick (in my experiences over the last 8 years with them). I have never had a cloudy eyed Puff who had that as their only problem. The use of SeaCure Copper has worked every time for me in curing any Pork (not so with a Dogface tho they are smooth skinned and care must be used when treating them). Frankly the slight chance of getting Ick is far outweighed by their personality and their seemingly being able to recognize the hand that feeds them. They will put on quite a show at dinner time either spitting water at you when you open the lid or jumping up and down at the top of the water line till you feed them. For the money you cannot in my mind get a better fish to enjoy in saltwater (I am predjudiced in case you didn't figure that out).
For more info and pictures of Puffs check out my homepage.
Now also, all Puffs are Ick prone (no matter what any articles, books, or lfs say). The hairy time is the first week or so till they get used to their new digs. I had mentioned elsewhere I have not had one Puff that did not get Ick at least once (and my stars and stripes is on its 3rd bout). They are not hard to cure tho and if you keep the tank up the odds are you will be fine and so will the Puff. Normally their eyes do not get cloudy unless they are getting Ick (in my experiences over the last 8 years with them). I have never had a cloudy eyed Puff who had that as their only problem. The use of SeaCure Copper has worked every time for me in curing any Pork (not so with a Dogface tho they are smooth skinned and care must be used when treating them). Frankly the slight chance of getting Ick is far outweighed by their personality and their seemingly being able to recognize the hand that feeds them. They will put on quite a show at dinner time either spitting water at you when you open the lid or jumping up and down at the top of the water line till you feed them. For the money you cannot in my mind get a better fish to enjoy in saltwater (I am predjudiced in case you didn't figure that out).
For more info and pictures of Puffs check out my homepage.
pufferlover
Active Member
You enjoy it and I know it will give you some great fun having it. I usually start my new ones off with frozen krill (they can't resist that) then I rotate between that and frozen squid bits, chopped up Formula 1 & 2 cubes, live blackworms and if thew puff is small frozen mysis shrimp. Also, ask them for some good little tablet or pellet foods so it has something to chew on. Puffs can develop lock jaw if given only soft foods all the time. I like tetra min tablets (which is a FW tablet in a can) but my Puffs like them to chew on.
[ August 16, 2001: Message edited by: Pufferlover ]
[ August 16, 2001: Message edited by: Pufferlover ]
playtime
Member
Pufferlover;
I checked out your homepage and joined. The pic you have in the left hand corner is just the fish I am talking about. I have been hearing statments about how they get quite a bit larger than 6 inches. Are they possibly refering to in the wild and not in aquariums? I am sorry that you are having problems with your S&S puffer. I hope he is doing better today. Good luck to you.
Playtime
I checked out your homepage and joined. The pic you have in the left hand corner is just the fish I am talking about. I have been hearing statments about how they get quite a bit larger than 6 inches. Are they possibly refering to in the wild and not in aquariums? I am sorry that you are having problems with your S&S puffer. I hope he is doing better today. Good luck to you.
Playtime
pufferlover
Active Member
Hi playtime; Saw you checked us out thanks. Now most books say 6 inches in a home tank, but as I have noted my 2 are about 11 or 12 for the male and 7 or 8 for the female, but they are almost 8 years old now. A lot depends on the size of tank they are in and mainly how much you feed them. I feed real good, my son who lives in florida has a Puff who is still quite small as he feeds more sparingly then I. In the wild believe it or not these fish can get to 4 feet. At the Shedd aquarium here in Chgo they have a Pork in their 90000 gallon front foyer tank that is about 2 feet and about as round as a small suitcase (age I do not know). Every time I go I have to check it out and make sure it is still there.