Puffers

[GiantBen]

I was reading Ingreen's fish guide to see if a coral beauty cold go in my BC29, and saw mention of a Blue Spotted Puffer in the 30Gal tank list. This thing looks sweet. Also the bennett's toby looks awesome also.

 

Wondering is anyone has kept either of these, particularly in a BC29? How did it go? Did you keep it with any inverts / other fish?

 

Thanks.

[ironmics]

Not only do they look awesome, they are awesome!! Well I only have a dwarf puffer, but he's the cutest little guy. My next tank is going to be a FOWLR with a puffer definitely. With my dwarf, he's accepted everything in the tank, except snails, I put them in as food, but he leaves them alone for the most part even.

 

From what I've read, it's pretty hit or miss with every puffer though. Check out the puffer forum, there is a ton of stuff on there.

[kate2118]

i'm not an expert by any means but don't puffers eat coral? don't know if you have, or plan to have coral but make sure they're reef safe if you want/have coral.

[Withers]

I was reading Ingreen's fish guide to see if a coral beauty cold go in my BC29, and saw mention of a Blue Spotted Puffer in the 30Gal tank list. This thing looks sweet. Also the bennett's toby looks awesome also.

 

Wondering is anyone has kept either of these, particularly in a BC29? How did it go? Did you keep it with any inverts / other fish?

 

Thanks.

 

You won't find many people with experience with puffers in reef tanks. This is just one of those areas that everybody accepts that they aren't reef safe without ever actually seeing any evidence to support it.

 

I'd say go for it, it's not like they're difficult to catch if it ends up snacking on your corals. I may try one in my new project too.

[GiantBen]

It may come down to what he'll cost and how many (if any) fish I can put in with him. Does 1 puffer == 2 clowns as far as bio load, stuff like that. I'll be doing some research and follow up on this thread with anything I find. Maybe I'm not the only one who could benefit from it.

[jeremai]

Canthigaster sp. puffers don't eat corals, but will munch on anything with a shell, including snails, shrimp and crabs. That's why they are generally not considered reef safe.

[Withers]

That makes sense. "Reef Safe" is way too subjective of a term.

[GiantBen]

From what I am reading, they can go in a 30. They will eat inverts. I am not sure about turbo snails, but any cleaner shrimp, or my emerald crab would be in trouble. They need a meaty diet too. The sites I'm seeing say 4.5" is the max size, which seems to be pushing it in a 30 gal. I'll be holding off on one of these, but I'll consider one in the future.

[ttolliver]

Sorry I don't have hard numbers to share, but I've read that the bioload of a puffer is way out of proportion to their size. I wouldn't be surprised for one of our experts here to suggest they're double or more the bioload their size suggests.

 

I'd love to have a puffer and did a lot of research to try to justify one when planning my tank. I finally had to admit puffers weren't a good fit for me as a beginner since they would prey on pretty much my entire CUC.

 

I'm curious how people maintain stable tanks without CUC. I shudder to think what my tank would look like without shrimp to eat aptasia, hermits to eat any deadfall, snails to work algae, etc. Or do they still use CUC and just accept the extremely high attrition rate?

[edge0310]

i had a valentini that would only occasionally nip at snails, but he left all of my zoas and mushrooms alone. i really think it just depends on the individual.

[edge0310]

he was in a 20h with a 10g sump. i had a yellow tail damsel and a yellow watchman goby.

[GiantBen]

What size tank did you have him in?

Were there other fish?

 

Sorry I don't have hard numbers to share, but I've read that the bioload of a puffer is way out of proportion to their size. I wouldn't be surprised for one of our experts here to suggest they're double or more the bioload their size suggests.

 

I'd love to have a puffer and did a lot of research to try to justify one when planning my tank. I finally had to admit puffers weren't a good fit for me as a beginner since they would prey on pretty much my entire CUC.

 

I'm curious how people maintain stable tanks without CUC. I shudder to think what my tank would look like without shrimp to eat aptasia, hermits to eat any deadfall, snails to work algae, etc. Or do they still use CUC and just accept the extremely high attrition rate?

This is my concern as well, and I find myself coming to the same conclusion...I'd love to have one, but it probably isn't a good choice right now.

[mnherper]

my striped dogface leaves everything alone but member of the family Arothron sp. can be well behaved.but he is NOT a fish for a nano mine is in a 220g tank.they are a very cool fish almost like like a dog they get to know where the food comes for and even eating out of your hands and they are very messy fish.

[jeremai]

I'm curious how people maintain stable tanks without CUC. I shudder to think what my tank would look like without shrimp to eat aptasia, hermits to eat any deadfall, snails to work algae, etc. Or do they still use CUC and just accept the extremely high attrition rate?

That's why people put puffers in larger tanks, there are larger fish that take care of CUC duties (tangs, etc). In smaller tanks you are limited to a few blennies, maybe a Centropyge in larger nanos.

 

I'm considering a toby for my new 47g FOWLR, along with a Centropyge and a lined wrasse. With good skimming, frequent water changes and low lighting there shouldn't be much need for a CUC.

[GiantBen]

my striped dogface leaves everything alone but member of the family Arothron sp. can be well behaved.but he is NOT a fish for a nano mine is in a 220g tank.they are a very cool fish almost like like a dog they get to know where the food comes for and even eating out of your hands and they are very messy fish.

He is sweet!

[Withers]

I'm curious how people maintain stable tanks without CUC. I shudder to think what my tank would look like without shrimp to eat aptasia, hermits to eat any deadfall, snails to work algae, etc. Or do they still use CUC and just accept the extremely high attrition rate?

 

Feed less. In my experience cleanup crews act as a bandaid, snails don't keep the glass clean enough to warrant trashing your scraper and hermits are there more for show than anything. Other than keeping the rocks themselves clean, the cleanup crew doesn't really serve much of a useful function. Less feeding means less algae, which translates to less need for a cleaning crew.

[ironmics]

Puffers are really most interested in snails, they might leave crabs and shrimp alone. You could make a CUC based on these(emerald crabs and peppermint snails maybe, since you wouldn't be down much money if you lost one). Also star fish could probably be included, as well as very large snails(tubros and conchs).

[petkingdom619]

are there any that would fit in a 60 gallon? I would like to try mushrooms only in the tank.

[PBUEHH]

tobies (saddle back is my favorite) are smaller cousins of puffers (who are also related to triggers) it sounds like tetradontiformes are more interested in the hard and crunchy reef things. I want to try a puffer and softy combo in the 90 i'm helping my dad with.

 

experimentation is the only way to see what really works for you.

[Withers]

If anyone combines a Toby with shrimp I want to know the outcome. Specifically with sexy shrimp.

[xbwolfx]

I want a stars and stripes puffer so bad.

 

My favorite thing about snorkeling in Hawaii is how many puffers there are.

[petkingdom619]

I just put a valentini into a 20g with a yellow watchmen goby. He ate within the first hour of adding him. But started right after my snails. Which is ok. he hasnt killed any but wants to get the big snail.

I have a sandless tank, and so far dont have any alge problems besides the first cycles. I have a rock with ricordea and mushrooms covering it and the fish hasnt touched them.

 

I am wondering what other fish will go with the puffer once I put him into a 60g in a few weeks?

[Withers]

Anything should work. They're not great swimmers, but I doubt anything will pick on it too badly.