To those that have Puffers

[jimmy40741]

I'm just curious how those of you who have puffers (any type) keep your tanks clean.
My GF loves the looks of a Porcupine Puffer, thinks they are so cute, blah blah blah, and would love for me to have one. Both my tanks have shrimp, crabs, snails, etc as a clean up crew so I can't put one in either of them. And I don't want to set up 'another' tank just for a puffer. Even though I would love to have an aggressive tank, I just don't have the room for or time to maintain another tank.
But anyway, just in case, somewhere down the road, I do happen to set up another tank or change around one of my existing tanks, how do you guys keep your tanks clean? Are there any inverts that you can use as a clean up crew that a puffer won't eat?

 

[subee950]

I have hermit crabs in with my puffers and i also have urchins in there also i dont have any problems with my puffers eating my hermits sometimes they will pick them up but dont think i have lost any from the puffers.

 

[unleashed]

well i started with about 20 snails and 30 hermits .. lets just say i havent seen them in a while now lol.. if you have a larger tank ..im assuming you do if you have a puffer... i keep silver scats they are my clean up crew... one will do the trick but i have 4.. they eat anything and everything but are also reef safe non aggressive but venomous.. sold as brackish for 10 - 15 bucks very hardy can be drip acclimated to full salt in about 8 hrs... most stores dont readily carry them but i have always ask for special order

 

[sueandherzoo]

I guess my porcupine puffer is the exception. I have peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp, snails, hermit crabs, stomatellas, and a coral-banded shrimp in the same tank with my puffer and he hasn't eaten a one. As a matter of fact I'm more worried about HIS safety - I've seen the coral-banded shrimp grab onto the puffer a few times - poor Puffer looks so scared when that happens.
Sue