Porcupine Puffer with Mandarin Dragon?

[sueandherzoo]

I have a porcupine puffer in QT right now and plan on putting him in my large FOWLR in a few weeks. THe two fire gobies will be moved into the soon-to-be seahorse tank but what about my mandarin dragon -- should I move him too or will he be OK in there with the puffer? I've read that the slimecoat on the dragon is so nasty that the puffer won't bother it but do I trust that? I'd like to leave the dragon where he is because there is so much live rock in there chock full of copepods and I have a HOB fuge where I grow pods on that tank. But if he's going to get killed by a puffer I guess having good food isn't going to matter.
Your thoughts?
Sue

 

[fallensynner]

yea i reccomend removing the mandarine, the slime coat wont matter after it has been sliced in half
careful with the gobies and sea horses the gobies might be to fast for the horses and they will die of starvation, if u want u can pair the horses with pipefish they get along very very well
the mandarin is way to much of a invert consumer for the seahorses, reccomend not to place the mandarin in the puffer tank nor the sea horses tank
just my one up

 

[el guapo]

I used to have a mandarin in my 125 aggressive . I had a puffer triggers and even 2 sfe's he was fine in the tank with them .

 

[sueandherzoo]

Interesting that the aggressive fish didn't bother the mandarin. Do they instinctively know that he's got a "yucky" slime coat or did the mandarin spend most of his time under and behind rocks where he wasn't easy prey?
Sue

 

[boalgf]

My porc puffer was about 4" when I first bought it. Got along fine with everything in the tank that wasn't a crustacean. By the time it was 8"+ I couldn't put my finger in there without making sure he wasn't nearby. Fish vary, but I'd say a Porcupine Puffer with a mandarin is a horrible idea. Those frilly fins and that slow moving body will eventually be too much to pass up. Just my opinion.

 

[sueandherzoo]

Originally Posted by boalgf
http:///forum/post/2833371
My porc puffer was about 4" when I first bought it. Got along fine with everything in the tank that wasn't a crustacean. By the time it was 8"+ I couldn't put my finger in there without making sure he wasn't nearby. Fish vary, but I'd say a Porcupine Puffer with a mandarin is a horrible idea. Those frilly fins and that slow moving body will eventually be too much to pass up. Just my opinion.
You're right - not worth the risk. Adding the mandarin to the list of fish to catch. I'm finding this is QUITE the frustrating task.

Sue