Porcupine Puffers in a reef tank

annekins37

annekins37

New Member
Has anyone had any luck putting a porcupine puffer in a reef tank? (ie is there any type of invert that can hide well enough from them) I have been told by the lfs that it isn't recommended but if I were to keep the porcupine well fed enough, he should leave the inverts alone. Does anyone know for sure or has tried it?
 
annekins37

annekins37

New Member
i am just doing the live rock and deep sand bed for now. It's more of a pseudo reef. I may or may not put in corals, anenomes later, but haven't decided yet. For now I'm just concerned about the cleaner crew....unless is there another way to clean my live rock and deep sand bed?
 
jdrex

jdrex

Member
Bad Idea. A porcupine puffer would eat all your inverts as a snack. The only puffer that I would even consider putting in a tank if a valentini puffer. And even those arn't that safe.
 
jon321

jon321

Member
If you were going to do it, my recommendation would be to use as large a tank as necessary. A cramped porc is a bored porc, and much more likely to start destroying things for something to do. I would also have the tank heavily stocked with other fish, and in as high a trafffic area as possible. When my porc was in the living room with 7 other fish he was fine, I then moved him to his own tank in a quiet, spare room and he started chewing on powerheads and cracking heaters.
Jon
 
jdrex

jdrex

Member
You do understand that the smallest tank you should put a porc. puffer in is a 75 gallon. Plus if you want to stock up on fish, you going to need at least a 100-125. My advice to you, either do a reef or don't. Don't try to mix them unless you have a 500+ gallon tank.
 
dina12

dina12

Member
I have a Porcupine Puffer - he is so laid back. In his tank I have tiny blue legged crabs, snails and LARGE - baseball sized crabs as well as Chocolate Chip Starfish - my Puffer just looks at them. He even uses the Starfish as pillows. Then again my 6 year old can pet him.....I am in the process of setting up a 180 gallon reef tank. I am going to try him in there. If he starts to act like the Puffer he is, then I will remove him. I just laugh at my "bold, aggressive" fish.....
 
dina12

dina12

Member
The tank my Puff is in is a 125. I also have a 40 gallon reef tank. My Puffer is in a tank with a yellow tang, a niger trigger and a blue lined trigger. None of the fish mess with any of my clean up crew or the 2 starfish....I am convinced my fish are strange.....
 
cwgibson

cwgibson

Member
my porcupine ended up in my reef ;not by choice, and he hasnt bothered a thing. he lets my cleaner shrimp clean him!
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
Puffers are like triggers sometimes. They are sweet to everything, but as they mature they get more bold. Do you have a fairly small puffer right now (under 6 inches)?
 
jon321

jon321

Member
Originally Posted by boalgf
Puffers are like triggers sometimes. They are sweet to everything, but as they mature they get more bold. Do you have a fairly small puffer right now (under 6 inches)?
I disagree with this. The only difference is the amount of damage, and things that can be damaged by a 10" puffer compared to a 1.5" puffer. That tiny 1.5" puffer isnt hurting much more than the odd hermit crab, even if it wanted to.
Jon
 
boalgf

boalgf

Member
Originally Posted by Jon321
I disagree with this. The only difference is the amount of damage, and things that can be damaged by a 10" puffer compared to a 1.5" puffer. That tiny 1.5" puffer isnt hurting much more than the odd hermit crab, even if it wanted to.
Jon
I noticed a significant increase in how much my puffer bit and what it was bold enough to bite at as it got bigger. Just going off personal experience.
 
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