D. Holocanthus compatability

[SquidInk]

Hey everyone, new around here... I have a new tank going up and I'm looking for a little advice for my stocking options. I have a juve diodon holocanthus in a 55 gallon QT until I'm done playing rock sculptor and plumber.

The tank is a 220 gallon, the sump (making a custom plywood one so I can get my skimmer cup out) looks like it'll come out to just over 80 gallons (it will be long and wide under the stand), I will be seeding the tank out of my 150 gallon reef.

Anyways, I have two small triggers (Niger and blue throat) in my reef that will be moving into the 220 with the puffer, I've had them over a year without incident, also a pair of fire clowns. I have done a great deal of reading and realize that adding another puffer of any kind will most likely lead to problems, but I was curious what peoples opinions and experiences were with this situation in a tank of similar size. I realize this idea is a calculated risk, just a matter of time, varies depending on temperament, etc. (I bang my head against the wall too when people talk about the 10 puffs they have in their 125 g) I just need to indulge the little devil on my shoulder telling me I can sneak another puffer in there with relative safety.

[bertie 83]

Nope. No mixing puffers. You will have 2 dead puffers, it's just not worth it for the short period of calm before destruction, that is if there is any calm

[SquidInk]

Yeah that's pretty much what I figured. I thought there might be a chance of success with introducing two juveniles at the same time, so I figured if I was going to press the issue, now was the time.

[Arny]

I had a dogface and porcy together and they were best mates. They'd even sleep beside each other

[bertie 83]

Questions and doubts are there to be asked. The people who have tried such mixes disappear quickly, I presume as soon as their friendly puffers kill each other. It's one of those questions which pop up all the time. It's always best to keep them separate then you can enjoy them more anyway

[Nuclear_Glitter]

I had a dogface and porcy together and they were best mates. They'd even sleep beside each other

How long were they together?

[bertie 83]

We cannot advise such tho. Strange things can happen and do happen. It's so not worth the risk,

[Arny]

I had a dogface and porcy together and they were best mates. They'd even sleep beside each other

How long were they together?

About 2 years, I ended up loosing them both as my tank was hit with servier white spot which killed everything in the tank

[Nuclear_Glitter]

I had a dogface and porcy together and they were best mates. They'd even sleep beside each other

How long were they together?

About 2 years, I ended up loosing them both as my tank was hit with servier white spot which killed everything in the tank

Two years is very short when it comes to fish that can live 15 years and beyond.

[Corvus]

I know examples that worked for many years (and still do) and examples that did not. Seems to depend on the personality of the fishes (some Diodon are totally harmless, while others are natural born tank mate killers), their genetics, their experiences... I know no sure way to have it work and would personally not try in one of my tanks.

[SquidInk]

that seems to be the general opinion. It is hard to want to "roll the dice" when it comes to living things. I think there is a level of success, but it would completely be subjective to personality traits, experience/careful monitoring of the fish, and lastly the willingness to separate them into separate tanks at the first hint of things going south.

[Terrance]

Its tough rolling the dice for man's best wet friends. Hard to lose these companions. I think its a similar experience and feeling when people's dog die. They go through stages of grief, depending on how attached they are to their pet.