porc puffer

[kpk]

is it ok to house porcupine puffers with other fish, i have read they are suppose to be alone in the tank, and are spiny box puffers hard to keep

 

[stacyt]

Spiny box puffers seldom do well in captivity. Porc puffers are a relativly hardy fish, and can be kept with more aggressive, and larger fish. They are a danger to inverts such as crabs, and shrimp. Do keep in mind that they get big, and will need a rather large tank when they reach adult size.

 

[murray bmf]

I have a proky puffer in a tank with a Fox face, a Clarkii clown, and a blue damsel. Been in there over a year with no problems. He did eat all of my snails, except for one lucky guy with algea on his shell (good camo)

 

[mr. puff]

Can anemones (with Clowns) be kept with puffers and triggers? What about cleaner fish, since most inverts will end up as dinner with those guys?

 

[lionstorm]

i actually have a BTA and Cinnamon clownfish in my 75 gallon with my porc puffer, never had a problem. Definately don't trust pufferfish with crabs other than large hermits but even then you are taking a chance, they are crab killers by nature and you just can't take that out of them.
And yes they do need a lot of space when they reach adulthood, my pufferfish is still a juvi so he's still got room.
Also they prefer lots of rockwork to perch on.

 

[irenicus]

Anenome no. I'm almost positive a puffer would eat one, I know a non-plaktonic (think that's right) trigger would. Some puffers do will with inverts for awhile and I don't know what to attribute that too... Are they not interested, Feed enough already... I don't know. My puffers do well with inverts like snails and hermits, I know a shrimp would be toast though. I usually keep my puffer's bellys quite full.

 

[murray bmf]

Actually, I didn't mention it in my post, but I have a florida condi in the tank with the Clarkii-they have been in there for over a year and the puffer doesn't pay any attention to the Condi. Maybe I've just been lucky. The clarkii is REALY protective of the condi so maybe that has something to do with it. My porky puffer is about 4 inches long so he's not that big.

 

[lionstorm]

my puffer swims over the BTA but hes never eaten it, either the clownfish defends it too well or he just isn't interested.
The hermit crab/invert issue is weird, I've heard about puffer's that are ruthless crab and snail killers and also ones that never give crabs a second look.
I think a good rule of thumb is that if your crab has a shell his chances of surviving are higher. Not guaranteed, but higher. Bigger crabs last longer also.
And shrimps are a no no, I'm pretty sure I know how my CBS died and I'm glad I wasn't there to witness it, poor shrimp
My puffer did have a thing for sucking my hawaiian zebra hermits out of their shells though, i think i have all of two left of them.
Pufferfish = lots of sacrifices (as far as what you can keep in your tank and what you cannot)

 

[murray bmf]

They are well worth though

 

[lionstorm]

i fed mine krill for the first time yesterday, before I've just been feeding him brine, a seaweed/garlic/cow's heart smoothie mix, and a squid/shrimp/scallop/crab/meaty mix. Man he loved that krill, he was splashing around at the top more than he ever has before.
Can only make krill a special treat though, sorry Puffy