Smaller puffers/boxfish?

[keri]

Are there any smaller puffers or boxfish (that Stay small enough) for say a 55 gal or so? I don't want it to be the smallest tank you can possibly keep one in, I don't think that's fair, but I was just wondering if there were any that stayed fairly small and would be HAPPY in that size of tank? I love the looks and the personalities Ive seen. I'm guessing there are none that are reef-safe tho, no?

 

[monkdaily]

this is IMHO. if u get them small enuff thay take years to grow large. i had a S&S puffer that was 3in when i got him and in about 4 month he grew maybe 1/4in maybe and he ate like a pig 3 times a day anything i put in the tank. if i could recommend and puffer it would be that one i wish i still had him R*I*P. best personality never messed with my CUC or zoos begged for food ate from my hand. now i have a white spotted hawiian (Canthigaster jactator) a mean lil SOB ive only had for 2 days so........ but from what i see they seem to grow slow to give u time to upgrade or trade with ur LFS or find a new home, if ur willing to do so i have a 55g and would take him back in a heart beat. but for a life long tankmate: Pink Spotted Puffer, Saddle Puffer Hawaii, Valentini Puffer, Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby, Hawaiian Blue Puffer

 

[keri]

I like the look of both the pink and white spotted puffers. Will they "nuke" a tank like a boxfish will if stressed?
Thanks for the advice!

 

[monkdaily]

my research told me no only the boxfish will do such a thing however all puffers are poisonous so rotting flesh in a tank is not recomended

but seriously as i see it only some organs r poisonous no poison/venom gland.

 

[keri]

So I'm probably ok if I don't snack from my tank?

 

[monkdaily]

yes yes as long as u dont love sushi and r addicted to fugu u will b fine

 

[cmc3502]

i love my valentini puffer and I've seen some sites say that they're fine in a 30 gallon... dont know that I'd do it, but the 55 should be fine. Thats the size of my aggressive tank..

 

[monkdaily]

i loved my S&S puffer, but now my whitespot looks like tiny Guineafowl Puffer from across the room

 

[jon321]

Id have to disagree with S&S puffers (assuming that means stars and stripes) growing slowly. Ive had a couple stars and stripes puffers and a couple porc puffers and both grew from about 2" to about 10" in less than 2 years.
Id highly recommend any of the dwarf puffers or tobies tho, they will do fine in a 55g and are very hardy and personable.
From what I have seen boxfish do not seem to grow very quickly and that probably wouldnt be the biggest issue in a 55g. On the other hand they can be quite difficult to keep and seem to be very prone to ich infections.
Any inverts are potential food, although alot of people, myself included, have kept puffers/boxfish with a wide variety of inverts.
Jon

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by Jon321
Id have to disagree with S&S puffers (assuming that means stars and stripes) growing slowly. Ive had a couple stars and stripes puffers and a couple porc puffers and both grew from about 2" to about 10" in less than 2 years.
Id highly recommend any of the dwarf puffers or tobies tho, they will do fine in a 55g and are very hardy and personable.
From what I have seen boxfish do not seem to grow very quickly and that probably wouldnt be the biggest issue in a 55g. On the other hand they can be quite difficult to keep and seem to be very prone to ich infections.
Any inverts are potential food, although alot of people, myself included, have kept puffers/boxfish with a wide variety of inverts.
Jon
Yeah; boxfish are difficult to keep. They can release a toxin that will kill everything in the tank, boxfish included. They really only belong in a large, quiet species tank.

 

[stdreb27]

There is no way a stars & stripes puffer belongs in a 55 gallon tank. My puffer has grown over 5 inches in a year. There are dwarf puffers like the saddleback and the hawian puffer.

 

[monkdaily]

yes but my puff was close to 3in when i got him maybe a lil less and in 4 months he grew less than 1/4in. i have seen them over a foot long. i know they get to big for a 55g most puffers do. but maybe mine was a freak of nature cuz he never eat a single snail crab or zoo. and i also had a agreement with the lfs to return him when he got too large. i never said run out and get a S&S. i truly recomended the small puffers i simply stated how awesome mine was!

 

[alexmir]

I have a valentini saddle puffer, he stays around 5 inches. beautiful color and fun personality. Hes in my 60 gallon bow front

 

[stdreb27]

Originally Posted by monkdaily
yes but my puff was close to 3in when i got him maybe a lil less and in 4 months he grew less than 1/4in. i have seen them over a foot long. i know they get to big for a 55g most puffers do. but maybe mine was a freak of nature cuz he never eat a single snail crab or zoo. and i also had a agreement with the lfs to return him when he got too large. i never said run out and get a S&S. i truly recomended the small puffers i simply stated how awesome mine was!

Dude I wasn't flaming you, but are you sure your water params are ok, puffers should hit a growth spurt thru 3 inches pretty quick and slow down their growth as they hit 7 inches or so.

 

[monkdaily]

yes yes everything was perfect except for the ick and had to go in hypo and the pumps filters and such shut down for 2 days while i was out of town and subsuquently (sp?) he passed, maybe he didnt quite hit his spurt yet. like i said he was quite the freak of nature. i had no info they grew so fast i was under the impression they were a slow growing species. that is excelent info tho!

 

[monkdaily]

like anybody in this hobby iam looking to become better informed to provide a better quality of life for my fish

 

[keri]

Thanks for all the good info everyone