Porcupine Pufferfish

[alienhybridx]

1) How fast does this fish grow ?
2) Is he super hardy ?
3) How smart is this fish compared to a clown trigger ?
4) What is a good diet for this fish ?
5) Should acclimation be done the same as posted on SWF or will the netting stress it out and get stuck in the netting ? Any tips on transferring him from the LFS to my tank ?
6) I am planning on setting up a 90 gallon tank soon and was wondering how long he'd last in a 55 gallon tank ? He would be the only fish in there with maybe 2 clams just for the hell of it and a few inverts ( i know ) .
thanks !!!

 

[pleasants9]

ive had my puffer for about 5 months and i havnt noticed any growth but my girlfriend says he has.
2) my puffer is very hardy, he survived through an ich episode no problem and ive never had a problem with him not eating once he got acclimated to the tank
3)i dont know how smart clown triggers are, but he always get excited wheni come by the tank and the minute i open the cover he knows food most likely is coming his way. ive even gotten him to eat out of my hand a few times
4) my puffer gets live ghost shrimp 1-2 time a week, frozen mysis once a week and a muscle or clam on the half shell once a week. i try to feed him every third day but i enjoy feeding him so sometimes he gets food every day for three days then i go back to taking a break between days. he also will eat krill, but no luck on silversides. all food i soak in selcon, zoe, or vita-chem.
The two times ive netted my puffer to transfer him he puffed up both times and he didnt get stuck the slightest bit in the net, my net is a very fine mesh for what that matters and he didnt seem stressed at all after the episode but he was only in the net for a few seconds if that. My pork is in my 55 and hes doing fine, been there for over 4 montsh like i stated earlier along with a small niger trigger and dwarf fuzzy lion.

 

[alienhybridx]

thank you for the response much appreciated

 

[usirchchris]

Originally Posted by AlienHybridX
http:///forum/post/2959507
1) How fast does this fish grow ?
2) Is he super hardy ?
3) How smart is this fish compared to a clown trigger ?
4) What is a good diet for this fish ?
5) Should acclimation be done the same as posted on SWF or will the netting stress it out and get stuck in the netting ? Any tips on transferring him from the LFS to my tank ?
6) I am planning on setting up a 90 gallon tank soon and was wondering how long he'd last in a 55 gallon tank ? He would be the only fish in there with maybe 2 clams just for the hell of it and a few inverts ( i know ) .
thanks !!!
1. Porcs grow relatively slowly. Not noticable unless you have dated pictures or a girlfriend that pays particular attention to detail as explained from the above poster

2. They are a pretty hardy fish...However puffers of any kind are particularly susceptible to ich...I have never had a problem battling it with a puffer though, they hold their own.
3. I have never had a clown trigger...My porc now seems avergage in regards to intelligence level...it knows who does the feeding...
4. A good diet is anything meaty, with some green thrown in. I blend scallops, oysters, clam, shrimp with an algae sheet or 5 thrown in. I then thaw it out with Zoe, or Vitachem. I also feed mine peas...It loves peas, and their are many others on this forum that have said the same of their porcupines. I would stay away from krill (this is known as puffer crack). I have heard many people say that once started on krill they cannot get their puffers to eat anything else, and there have also been claims of lockjaw being caused by the freeze dried variety when fed to puffers.
5. I would follow the acclimation guide provided. I try to never use a net while transferring any puffer. They can take in air when out of water which can cause bouyancy problems and kill the fish. I move mine with Zip lock containers...right now mine is 4-6"...not sure what I will do when it gets much larger. They are relatively slow moving and easily distracted (food!!) so they are not that hard to catch.
6. 55 will be ok, so long as you can keep the parameters in check...90 will be ok for a bit as well, but this fish can get VERY BIG, and will likely outgrow the 90. The inverts will be a nice snack for the puffer, I am sure it will enjoy them

.

 

[alienhybridx]

thanks and the reason I mentioned a clown trigger is because they are considered to be the most intelligent fish on the planet just food for though hehee

 

[alienhybridx]

I got the little guy earlier tonight and he's about 3 inches big no signs of stress, ich and the coloration was dead on and he seems active. I acclimated him for about 2 hours or so and he's doing fine.
I tried feeding it some clam and he is not biting yet but he seems to be looking for something on the sand bed he's sucking up very small things and spitting them out. Anything I could possibly kick start its appetite with ?

 

[alienhybridx]

woke up this morning and the little guy was sitting on one of my rocks moving around in the same spot as if he's rolling over to find a better spot on his "bed" LOL how do i know when this fish is resting does he do this ? is it normal ?

 

[leftyblite]

Originally Posted by AlienHybridX
http:///forum/post/2960523
woke up this morning and the little guy was sitting on one of my rocks moving around in the same spot as if he's rolling over to find a better spot on his "bed" LOL how do i know when this fish is resting does he do this ? is it normal ?
Resting on the sand is quite normal. Mine did it alot until he spotted me and then there was no resting. He carved himself a corner of the tank almost down to he glass and that was where he stayed. don't worry if he doesn't eat for a few days, probably just getting acclimated and over the stress of being moved. Mine didn't eat for a week. I fed mine silversides, clams, shrimp, and every now and then squid. Very friendly fish, almost like a small puppy. After a few weeks mine would only feed if it was hand fed to him, he refused the stick. Good luck.

 

[startrfish]

ive kept both before, with the puffer added first. My clown trig never bothered him until 7-8 months passed. The problem, I believe, was adding one too many fish to the thing. I put a wrasse in after the Clown Trig and that seemed to be the tipping point for territorial disputes, chasing, etc. Plus the puffer is a slow mover, but was always friendly with others. My clown trig amazingly never bothered him until i put that dang Lunar Wrasse in my tank. I guess the clown decided someone must go, so why not the slowest moving? the bad thing is, the clown killed him in probably a 24 hr time frame, while i was at school and work. Sad but i guess my clown trig knew i wouldnt be home for a while, but i caught him in the act right before the puffer died....

 

[alienhybridx]

i've been in this hobby for years now at some point I have quit though and I've kept many kind of fish and I must say the porcupine puffer is the coolest pet i've kept for a while now