Puffer question

[weatherby]

Hi all,
Got a Puffer question for the experts.

The LFS has what they have labeled as a Porcupine Puffer and it has the most amazing blue eyes, on par with the blue & black fish listed on the Value Menu to the left. Very pretty fish, but when I look up the Porcupine Puffer on this site it doesn't have the blue eyes and it says they have yellow eyes with blue flecks.
I guess what I'm wondering is: How similar are the Spiny Box fish and the Porcupine Puffer in appearance? Enough that this store could have a Spiny Box Fish instead of a Porcupine perhaps?
Any help would be appreciated as always!

 

[firerescue]

here is my puffer. In my opinion if it does not look like mine than it is not a porcupine puffer.

 

[flamesofifreet]

Porc's with the blue glaze on the eye means they are kept in good condition or it had to do with the lighting. I can't rember which. Either way there is nothing to worry about.

 

[weatherby]

Originally Posted by flamesofifreet
Porc's with the blue glaze on the eye means they are kept in good condition or it had to do with the lighting. I can't rember which. Either way there is nothing to worry about.
oh, I'm not worried, in fact the opposite, I was hoping that was the norm for those little fellows! They're so cute
Btw, what's the smallest those are available in the hobby? I have a tiny Atlantic Cow and he's not even an inch yet, do the porcs come that tiny in the hobby? Or is that too small to sell?

 

[flamesofifreet]

I think the smallest is about an inch-inch and a half. I've never seen them smaller.
Also I don't think I've ever seen a porc without the glaze on it's eyes.

 

[dina12]

here is a picture of my Log - I mean Porc. Puffer - the picture shows the glaze on the eyes pretty good......they are great fish -

 

[greenwolf52]

how are you supposed to feed these little guys? and are they particularly prone disease?
sorry to hijack, but i'm considering getting one of these...

 

[leftyblite]

My lfs told me the blue glaze is a sign of good health. I've had mine for a year now and he is great. I got him when he was about 2 inches long. He is now a lot bigger and he is in a 150G tank. I used a feeding stick for a couple of days, but now I hand feed him. His personality is just awesome.

 

[greenwolf52]

what do you feed him?

 

[leftyblite]

I feed mine a variety of silversides, clams, and shrimp. Plus he occasionally eats a snail or hemit crab in the tank.

 

[boozzbro]

mine will generally eat anything i put in the tank (usually clams, shrimp, krill frozen/freeze dried, and silversides). his favorite is krill. if there is krill in the tank then he just goes for that.

 

[sepulatian]

weatherby, Be very careful adding the puffer with your cowfish. Your cow is still very small and I know you don't want anything to happen to him.

 

[weatherby]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
weatherby, Be very careful adding the puffer with your cowfish. Your cow is still very small and I know you don't want anything to happen to him.
Hi Sep!

Oh, don't worry, I'm not planning on it. I have an idea of how big they can get and I'm pretty sure a 55gal is too small.

Also, I'm rather fond of my inverts and I know puffers like to eat them, so another reason I won't be adding one to my 55gal... Looks like I'll have to wait until I upgrade.

 

[firerescue]

what kind of inverts. plus a 55 is too small. Mine is with a cleaner shrimp and she leaves it alone, even lets the shrimp climb on and clean.

 

[weatherby]

Originally Posted by FireRescue
what kind of inverts. plus a 55 is too small. Mine is with a cleaner shrimp and she leaves it alone, even lets the shrimp climb on and clean.
Yeah, I figured the 55 was too small.

I have a pair of decorator crabs, a green brittle star, a Bahama star, a skunk cleaner shrimp, a couple Tonga nasarius snails, about 10 hermits of various kinds - 2 of which are rather large now, and a pair of urchins - 1) rose 1) black diatom(?) (the long spine black ones), and a sea hare.
BUT, alas, 55 is too small so, even if I had no inverts..... And as Sep mentioned, my cow fish is small enough yet to be swallowed by most of the porcs I've seen anyway....