Porcupine Puffer

[kaytiiie]

I have a 29 gallon tank, fish only. I'm definately not ready to keep corals. I have one porcupine puffer who is about three inches long and a few tiny damsels. My porcupine puffer is going to be the only fish in my tank. Is this a good set up? Do they need tank mates? Or will he be fine on his own?

 

[promisetbg]

Considering the puffer will grow as big as the tank{nearly 3'} .....you will eventually need a bigger tank for him. Make sure you are giving him proper nutrition and shelled food items to keep his beak from overgrowing.

 

[puffer32]

Tank is a bit small for a puffer, and if you decide to add coral, they are not reef safe, hope you plan to upgrade someday, can we see pics of your tank?

 

[kaytiiie]

I know he's going to outgrow the tank, but I'm sure it will take him a very long time to get that big. I'm saving up for a new tank right now though. I'm a senior in high school and I plan to buy a new tank as soon as I permanently move out of the house. I don't plan on ever having coral, it doesn't really interest me all that much, and I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it. My tank is simple, a few fake rock/coral things, some fake plants, and an air pump making a bubble trail up the tank, and my little puffer Lucifer II swimming around like crazy. I love him, he's so energetic and fun. I wish I could take good pictures of him but he never stops moving.
Also...I know that puffers love to eat snails, and almost any other cleaning aid out there. Is there any way that I could keep snails in my tank without them all being eaten? I really need some cleaners, but I don't want to buy an expensive fish.

 

[promisetbg]

So..this is the same tank that you lost an eel in?

 

[kaytiiie]

Yes, same tank. But today I did a water change and the eel suddenly appeared again! It seems as though he has made himself a nice little home under my undergravel filter bed. When I was putting my tank together I accidentally popped out both holes for my UGF and I guess he found the empty one! I arranged the rocks around his little hole so he has a very nice safe, hiding spot, and I found an easier technique for feeding him.

 

[promisetbg]

Sorry..I have to ask a few things.Why do you say the puffer is going to be the only fish in the tank,but have an eel and damsels? The eel and puffer are both messy eaters and in a 30 gal tank you are going to have a hard time keeping NO3 and PO4 down. A UGF is a really bad set up as far as this goes as well. They are very outdated and can cause high nitrates.You would be better off to ditch the UGF and either set up a wet-dry or some other means of filtration. A sump with a return pump and a good amount of LR and diligence with water changes may keep you going ok. Just some things to consider. Also,,porcs grow alot faster than you would think. I hope you understood what I meant about feeding him shelled food items, I did'nt mean he should have snails. I mean you need to buy clams in the shell,or cockle and shrimp to help keep his beak honed down. Otherwise it can overgrow and cause him to not be able to eat. Sometimes with improper nutrition they can even get a "locked jaw". I hope you are also using RO/DI water, not tap.

 

[kaytiiie]

I thought my eel was dead so I said my puffer would be my only fish assuming the eel was gone forever. The damsels are left over from cycling but I don't have the heart to kill them. I feed my puffer every other day with shelled shrimp, mussels, clams, and krill. Same for the eel, now that I found him. Adding all of those extra things to my tank will cost way too much money, and from experience I know that an undergravel filter works just fine, plus it's serving as my eels new favorite hiding spot. I asked about the snails because I know that there is a lot of waste involved with all of my fish and I need to find a way to remove it. I have sand and it's a lot harder to vacuum than crushed coral. I need the snails to clean, but I don't want to buy them only to find out that they've been eaten.