Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

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trev
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Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by trev »

I've had a small 150ltr sump-less aquarium for around a year now and quickly discovered that it wasn't no where near big enough for the livestock I wanted to keep. Over the last month I have been setting my new 450ltr (with 100ltr sump). It now fully cycled and I'm ready to start stocking my new tank. I have always wanted a porcupine puffer. I've seen several at local fish shop but until now have never had a tank big enough to house one. I find them fascinating, they have so much character and personality in comparison to other fish I have seen. I've been investigating, mainly posting on UK reef forums and speaking to my local fish shops, and have got mixed opinions as to whether a Porcupine puffer would be suited in a reef tank.

I have a clown pair, pistol shrimp, watchman goby and a bunch of cuc (cleaner & peppermint shrimp, hermit crabs, snails, etc) and some soft corals which I would like to move over from my small tank. I'd also be looking to add a Tang or two. Am I fooling myself to think a porcupine would get along nicely with these? Is it a case of each puffer is different or is it inevitable that it will eventually start eating cuc, corals and small fish?

Any advise would be appreciated.
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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by Stratters »

An underwater buffet :D
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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by RTR »

I have not keep one myself, so I really should leave this to others with direct experience, but I might as well chime in anyway...

Did you read the entry in the Pufferpedia? I have not seen notes or comments disagreeing long-term with that info - they will eat most of your cuc and tear up a lot of soft corals as well, and are not reef-safe either. They are quite large, but your tank is the minimum size suitable for a specimen alone. I would not co-house one with clowns either. Despite their looks and charm, pairs of clowns are quite waspish and IMHO and IME are far better off in species tanks on their own - perhaps in your sump if yours are a small clown species?

I think both Clowns and Porcupines are well worth a species tank of their own - I have kept and bred clowns and wish I had the space and nerve to keep a Porcupine - that has to be one of the most highly personable fish available to the hobbyist, if it is not the most personable single fish available to us. I think of them as small wet dogs who know and interact with their keepers constantly. The only question is which is the trainer and which the trainee?

Good Luck...
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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I wouldn't trust them.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by RTR »

Werll, I can't say that I really trusted my Basset hounds either. But they were wonderful dogs if you house is not full of lacquered shoji screens... Basset drool is awfully difficult to clean off.
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arrivalanche
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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by arrivalanche »

They are coral safe but all inverts will be dinner.
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Re: Porcupine Puffer - Reef safe?

Post by Darielm »

My porc will eat anything that comes in his tank, coral-wise. They are all individuals and you should try it with some coral that you are not attached to just in case. Also, they can be very territorial for no apparent reason. I had a snowflake eel in with mine with absolutely no issues up until about 3 weeks ago when he decided that he didn't like the eel any longer and killed him.
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