Toby Puffer

[juanro]

If this doesnt belong here, sorry for the confusion.
So I bought a Toby Puffer and from what my LFS understands, and from what I've read the only coral it eats are clams, but I've found that he has been picking on my zoanthids, candy cane and plate coral.
He only started nibbling on them a day after I fed the corals some Chromaplex (I believe thats what its called? basically phytoplankton) could this be what caused it to nibble on them?
Bought him last Tuesday and he started nibbling on Friday (they day i put in some chromaplex).

 

[michaeltx]

could be what started it but now that its got a taste for corals I think he will continue to pick at them till they or him are gone.
Mike

 

[btldreef]

That could be what started it. Toby puffers are a 50/50 risk when it comes to whether or not the nip at corals. Luckily everything I've tried with mine he hasn't nipped at, but I do feed him 2-3 times a day to keep his belly full.
Some people claim that if they're nipping at hard corals, it's due to their growing teeth and no being provided proper food to help file down their teeth.

 

[juanro]

Yea, thought that he might be like the Dwarf Angelfish, a 50/50.
Too bad, such a beautiful fish
Hope my Coral Beauty doesn't suddenly develop an appetite as well.

 

[liam1104]

Hi,
I also have a Toby puffer and he also seems to nibble often at my fire coral and my sun coral, especially when i feed it. try and feed them in the evening when the lights are off as he will be less likely to try and nibble them!!
They dont really do that much damage due to the size of their beaks but after long expose, i'm sure they can.
I brought a few turbo snails and other hard shelled invertebrates cheaply at my local fish store and they seem to distract him as well as wear down his ever growing beak.
Just keep an eye on him and keep him well fed!
Hope this helps