Anybody familar with Spiny Boxfish Puffers?

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:07 pm

I've got a SPINY BOXFISH, Chilomycterus schoepfi. and it is just a baby. I've got it in brackish water for now and forget the exact measurements of marine salt for brackish water and saltwater.

Anybody that knows anything about these creatures fill me in.

I've found a few sites but just know this is the better place to ask.

OraLacerta · Post by **OraLacerta** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:44 pm

*bump*

Please post pics when you can, he must be adorable-I've never seen one before! What size is he right now?

Jager · Post by **Jager** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 1:49 am

spiny box puffers require a 125 tank get about 12-15 inches, require frozen and some hard shelled foods . do not generally have the dental issues of some of the other puffers.

love to explore. need 1.025 ish SW (experiance talking here, they seem to do better the closer to NSW but they do fine in anythign above 1.018)

skimmer and LR etc for setup.

not a big coral eater, but will eat most inverts.

try inverts at your own risk.

not overly agressive, definatly shy at times, and generally looks like what i call a bed head puffer, one whose spines are EVERYWHERE

enjoy the lil thing, they are extremely endearing.

here is a pic off WWM of one. used under bobs sweeping permission to educate ppl

puffergeek · Post by **puffergeek** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:12 am

I don't have much useful to add but weirdly enough, my LFS just got one in.

AFAIK, they are similar in care to a porcupine puffer, but don't get as big as the classic D. holocanthus. Check out Wet Web Media or other reputable site/books for details...

I was shopping around for one of these guys for a while (well, a C. orbicularis was the one I was looking out for) but my wife fell in love with a striped puffer and the rest, as they say, is history.

Good luck and I would also love to see a picture!

Post by **Puffer Queen** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:00 am

Both the chilomycterus schoepfi and the cyclichthys orbicularis are not as hardy as the other salt water puffers. Often the schoepfi that are brought into the hobby are ones that were inadvertently caught by fishing nets - so you can imagine how their journey starts out

Both of these species do not handle disease pathogens as well as others.

The schoepfi commonly will have intestinal worms and many do not adapt well to aquariums or taking prepared food. Many have starved to death in aquariums. Make sure they are eating and they are not sunken before taking either one of these puffers home, as it really is an uphill struggle to get them back to health. Definitely deworm these (as well as all) puffers.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:18 am

Isn't that a burrfish? Most of the ones I see in the ocean seem to have sunken stomachs, unlike the porcs I see there.

Post by **Puffer Queen** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:22 pm

Yes both of these are burrfish. Many are infected with worms. I have done necropsies on the ones that have died and wasn't ashore or died in route to the LFS. Many also are inflicted with mycobacterium marinum as well. These puffers are naturally "thinner" than the dogface and porcupine puffers.

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:41 pm

Did not have a sunken belly at all. I've put in some tablets enough for 20 gallons that takes cares of internal and external parasites.

She/He is eating well. It eats shrimp, worms, and even mealworms. I had some leftover from our lizards since neither touch them anymore and fed them to it last night. This burrfish tore it up.

It is about 4 inches now. I'm planning on upgrading the tank as soon as possible to allow it room to grow.

Done some research on the www and found it only requires a 65-75 tank.

What is the best temperature for this critter?

Picture posted from the www is exactly like it.

Will take pictures as soon as water clears up.

Put in 15 lbs of Mini Reef Accents Aquarium Substrate today and it did cloud of the tank a bit. LFS was out of Reef Sand. Don't get a lot of saltwater customers there.

I put in a white castle and it uses it as a cave.

Doing very well and is being a little piggy with food.

Bought frozen Brine Shrimp, Squid, and Bloodworms today.

Got Shrimp from the bait shop too. It is its favorite.

Any good tank mates for my new puffer? would like to add when the bigger tank is ready.

Going to check salt parameters tomorrow. Had to purchase new hydrometer today.

I'm thinking of a name and can't think of any that are neutral.

Can't find anything on www that can tell me if it is a male or female but some sites this one is a male or female and they all look the same to me.

Post by **Puffer Queen** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:13 pm

One can not sex porcupine, arothrons or burrfish puffers externally - only if one produces eggs or on necropsy.
What site tells/shows the differences in sexes with saltwater puffers?

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:04 am

Can't find the site that showed that. Came across the site after searching with Google.

I figure it was the same as most puffers.

Tested water with hydrometer and it is between 1.010 and 1.012. Is this okay since she was caught in brackish water?????

I am using a Instant Ocean Hydrometer.

Filtration is: My two internal pumps from when I had my GSP (all my externals are gone) enough for 30 gallons and one Cascade External for 35 gallons.

I'm using one of those stick on bubble rods in the back to make it look like a bubble wall. It does not even bother her.

I would take pictures but my web cam died. I have to get a new one as soon as possible. Feel bad about it since the tank really cleared up

Now for tank mates how do I figure out if mine is compatible with a certain type or not? Just find ones compatible with boxfish, puffers or both?

Meander · Post by **Meander** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:28 pm

I'd slowly ramp the salinity up (overnight by drip method, maybe?) to NSW because no matter where this little guy supposedly was caught, he belongs in seawater.

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:04 am

I thought so. I added some temporary tank mates for my boxfish. I went to the bait shop and bought some Brown River Shrimp and put them in.

The one shrimp was twice as big as the little one and she just swam up to it and killed it and then overnight ate it.

I tried putting in some minnows that are found in the same water as here that I also bought but I took them out after one got sneaky and took some food right out of her mouth. Boy, was she angry and took it out on the shrimp.

She even likes to eat Blue Crab. I just give her the meat from inside of the shell.

In case anybody does not what a Spiny Boxfish looks like, my avatar is what one actually looks like.

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:47 pm

My Boxfish has made the transition to saltwater successfully. Brindy is doing even better. Seems like being in the 1.020 water has increased her appetite.

She is buzzing around the tank and has no problem eating any food I offer her. She finally accepted the frozen squid tonight.

Still no web cam but will be getting a new one in the next day or so.

puffergeek · Post by **puffergeek** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:08 am

Glad to hear it! These guys are so awesome...

sassiegemstone · Post by **sassiegemstone** » Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:58 pm

I'm enjoying her more than my GSP and Valentini. She took some shrimp this morning right out of my hand. Now that I got the salinity up I'm ready to try some tank mates for her. My 75 arrived yesterday and I've cycling it now.

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Anybody familar with Spiny Boxfish Puffers?

Anybody familar with Spiny Boxfish Puffers?