Porcupine Puffer (Diodon holocanthus)

howardj

Active Member
Every single time I go to the LFS my mom goes straight towards the Porcupine puffers. It has to be her favorite fish. Does anyone have/had these? I am currently researching them.
PLEASE share your stories and/or pictures
 

ironeagle2006

Active Member
Had one til the dang thing decided to remove my prefilter off the wavemaker and got sucked into the intake. He was a cutie ate like a horse.
 
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emeralcrab

Guest
How big is your tank? They require a LOT of room as they grow very large. I have one that was about 2 inch's long, she is now about 7 inchs or more. And that growth was in less then a year. One of my favorite fish. She acts like a little dog, begging for food or attention. Today when I was adding some corals she was so excited she was flipping water out of the tank with her tail. They have quite the personality, but I wouldn't get one unless you have at least a 150g. tank so that you can keep them happy.
 

howardj

Active Member
No...
r-e-s-e-a-r-c-h Not adding anything to the 12, thank you..
EmeralCrab - I read that they aren't reef safe..what corals did you put in?
 
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emeralcrab

Guest
They usually wont bother corals, but they LOVE to eat shrimp, snails, clams, and etc. I have frogspawn, zoa's, brain, fox coral, mushrooms and a few others. She leaves them alone and so does my humu humu trigger.
Thats why they aren't reef safe, you can have corals just not any cleanup crew.
 

lion_crazz

Active Member
I love my porcupine puffer. He eats so well and is such a personable fish. Always rushes right to the front of the tank when I walk to the tank.
 

sammyjoe

Member
I have a Porcupine Puffer we named him ET. I love him. They are really awesome fish. Matter of fact the pic up there by my name is my puffer. Right now he's only around 3 inches and eats for the whole tank. I had a clean up crew in my tank before I got him including hermits and snails and I think he is eating my smaller hermits. But other than that they eat alot and add alot of personality to the tank. Highly recommended fish you will have fun with one.
 

sammyjoe

Member
I have mine in a 55 at this time.I don't have much else so figure he will be okay for now. He is doing really great.
 

howardj

Active Member
It's all good :)
Cool tank! What is its tank mates? I see a Clown, Damsel, star(?)
Does your Puffer Eat the snails?!I always read they did, and I getting false info?
 

sammyjoe

Member
I have two three striped damsels, two false percs, lawnmower blenny, brittle starfish, mandarin, long tentacle anemone, skunk cleaner shrimp, porcupine puffer, and my clean up crew. Yes Porcupine puffers will eat snails,hermits and shrimp but so far so good. I have
although noticed a few small dead hermits and I'm thinking that he might have started eating them although I have not caught him doing it yet.
My bigger hermits are still going though so crossing my fingers. I had my clean up crew before my puffer knowing he may eat them so if he does then I guess it's a snack for him.
 
I have a 125 gallon and a porcupine puffer named Brutus. He is by far my favourite fish, he has such a huge and lovely personality, I would reccomend one if you ever get a 75 tank. Like stated before they can get quite large, mine is 7 inches, got him when he was 2, in 2006.
They will eat your cleaning crew so keep your eyes peeled. You can also teach them to eat from your hand very easily, they will come up to the glass to watch you. VERY CUTE!
 

leftyblite

Member
I had Spike for a bout 2 years. He grew from 2 inches to about 6-7 inches in that time. I had him in a 150G. Totally spoiled fish. I taught him to be hand fed and then after that I couldn't feed him any other way. I had to buy new hermits and snails every couple of months or so as Spike would hunt and make a snack out of them no matter how much I fed him. They are just like a small puppy of the aquatic kind. Good luck!!
 

al mc

Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/2469180
I love my porcupine puffer. He eats so well and is such a personable fish. Always rushes right to the front of the tank when I walk to the tank.
I agree. These guys recognize you are are very 'friendly'..always out when people are around. I have one in a FOWLR set up. Had for almost two years.
Very interesting fish. On a side note. While I would not reccomend it..I have a couple small crabs in there that came in on the live rock...He/she leaves them alone...
 
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