New Guy to Forum and quick Puffer Question

[KHow]

Well I finally made the effort to sign up here. Lots of good info to be had and I'm glad I did...firstly, my tank and its inhabitants, 36g bow front, live rock and no corals....yet. Water quality is good to great, as I test often and water change monthly. It's home to three clowns a Lemonpeel angel and a dogface puffer which is fairly sizable. Everything was going great. Puffer and angel would eat from the hand and the clowns were all wiggly and fun. Then it changed a little. We added a foxface rabbit fish. After a brief acclimation, everyone is just dandy and getting along, except Puff Daddy. He eats ok, clam strips and mysis but will no longer eat from our hand and he seems to stay under his favorite rock all the time, with a dark brooding complexion. This was noticed at the same time the fox face moved in. Has anyone seen this type of behavior?

 

[lmforbis]

They might be a bit crowded in a 36 gallon. That would cause stress and behavior changes. Any chance the fox face got the puffer with its venom.

 

[KHow]

I don't think he stung him. He had been acting this way over a week. They seem rave plenty of room. They are all about 1.5 to 1.75 inches. Except the puffer he is like 5".

 

[lmforbis]

Recomended tank size for a dog faced puffer is over 100 gallons. He will get much bigger. The clowns are fine in a 36 but the lemon peel and fox face will also need a bigger space eventually. Adult size of the puffer is over a foot, the lemon peel around 6 inches, and the fox face around 9 inches. In fish the measurement of length doesn't include the tail. Salt water fish need a lot of space and are very territorial. You just can't stock a tank as heavily as you can with fresh water. It can end in fights to the death.

 

[Kristin1234]

That puffer is gonna get pretty big. That tank won't fit him for long.

Did you introduce the foxface immediately or qt him?

 

[Kristin1234]

Those puffers get so sad and pitiful they really are like dogs. Lol.

 

[KHow]

He is doing much better! It seems that he is just moody. I plan to re home him when he outgrows this tank. Possibly I will move to a 100 when the time comes, now that I have the hobby figure out ( sorta ) plus the wife will be on board too so that make the move easier! He ate from my hand last night and was swimming much more through the evening.

 

[jay0705]

I have always liked dogfaced puffers. Never got one bc of how big they get tho. W my tang addiction growing I may get one w the larger tank

 

[timcrussell]

Tank size, that's all.

As said, dogface gets big big....big.

 

[Dflo]

Be careful too if dogface gets too stressed from size etc you can see color get darker and could get ick. My old one got stressed and started my first ich breakout