PORCUPINE PUFFERFISH question

ozzfan84

Member
Hello. I just got a pork puffer yesterday. Hes about 4-5" and in a 55 gal with a 3.5" assasi trigger. In the store, I watched him eat frozen foods (formula 1 and prawn). Up until now, he has not been interested in food. He doesn't even seem to notice that it is there. I heard they were nocturnal, so I tried to feed him late last night as well. No luck!! The trigger is not picking on him, and they actually seem to get along very well. Can he still be aclimating to his new environment? Should I be worried? Thanks in advance
 
Hey...you might want to move this post to the aggressive forum. There are many people there that have porcupine puffers. You will probably get more help there. HTH
Jessica :)
 

blueberryboomer

Active Member
ozzfan, I wouldn't worry to much, give him a couple of days to ajust to his new home. I would keep offering him food, but make sure you remove anything that is not eaten in 5 minutes. Once he feels comfortable he will eat and eat and eat. Becareful how much you feed him when he starts to eat for you, they will eat til they sink. Hope this helps! Lisa
 

pufferlover

Active Member
Ok now that I got you here I am going to try to help you, but I think I am going to tell you what you did not want to hear. That said here is the way it will go down (if not right away not to far in the future).
1. You have 2 fish that are in a 12 inch deep tank that both will outgrow within about a year. If you feed the Pork well it will get from 6 to 12 inches. You have the same problem with the Trigger altho they do not grow as fast. At some point you will need to get rid of one or buy a bigger tank.
2. Once the Pork begins to eat (it can take from 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the fish and how it likes its new home and tankmates) you are going to find it and the Trigger will begin to fight over the food as they are both very aggressive eaters and they are in a very narrow tank. Your only hope is to feed at both ends of the tank and try to keep them apart during feeding.
3. I am not a advocate of Triggers with Porks but do not feel bad everyone seems to want to do it (and yes it can be done but in a very large tank decorated just right for both the fish). If Grouperhead sees this post he is going to ask me to tell my story about Triggers and Porks but even I am getting bored with that story cause I always have to tell it after the fact.
4. Porks are lovely fish and believe me many people walk in a store and out with one because they are hard to resist. I blame lfs for not being more forthright about the proper care and needs for this fish tho. They will tell you it eats like a pig, is hardy as heck, and sociable, and they are lieing thru their teeth because the only true part is the first one.
5. Now that you have one if you want to know more about them, their care, their needs etc click on my homepage and go to the info there on Puffers.
 

ozzfan84

Member
thanks alot for the feedback. I do have a 125 gal with just a lionfish in it. Soon, I hope to put either one in there. The trigger was with the lion before and seemed to bother him. How do you feel about putting the puffer with the lion in my 125? Thanks alot!
 

pufferlover

Active Member
Only thing I can say is there was a post a while back about a Pork that got stung by its Lion tankmate while fighting for food and it was dead within 2 days. I would not do it myself but many do and it works (with my luck I would have the same problem as the other member did). Also, no Triggers either another bad combo in time (although a Niger would probably work alright as they are mild mostly).
 
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