Saltwater Noob wanting a Valentini Puffer

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Zionas
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:29 am
Location (country): China

Saltwater Noob wanting a Valentini Puffer

Post by Zionas »

Hi all since this is the place for everything Pufferfish related I thought I would like to ask you guys a couple of questions!

I am looking to get into the saltwater hobby with my first tank, a 95G, as soon as the coronavirus is over or has at least stabilized. Am a Chinese-Canadian currently living in China.

I want a Saddle Valentini Puffer for my tank, it’s going to be mixed reef with not too many inverts and mostly smaller fish with a Tomini Tang being my only large fish. Tank dimensions 48” x 24” x 20”.

I want to know a couple things about this species:
1. Is it easy to keep? Would you consider it to be a “beginner” fish that can go in as among the first fish in my newly cycled tank? (Along with a pair of Clowns- Ocellaris and CB, and 2 PJ Cardinals)

2. Is it easy to feed? I know they are omnivores but I know they have a special need regarding their teeth. What do I feed to make sure they can close their mouths and eat food? Cannot buy live foods because the LFS here doesn’t really like them. And some people who net them out, stun them with a chemical substance and do dental surgery on them is not an option for me. Too stressful for the fish and too risky.


3. What about its resistance to disease? Anything like ich, velvet or anything pathogenic that I have to watch out for regarding these fish?


4. How safe would you consider them to be with inverts and corals? My plan is approximately 50/50 split between softies and LPS, with maybe slight LPS dominance, and some simple SPS but nothing too difficult depending on how my tank goes.


5. What’s their lifespan? Is it easy for them to live 10 or more years like Clowns, PJ Cardinals, Tangs, Angels etc.?


I am probably going for a semi-aggressive tank hence why I want to have the Puffer in very early.

-Assorted Chrysiptera sp. (2 YT, 1 Azure, 1 Blue Devil)
-1 Tomini Tang
-1 Bi-Color Dottyback
-1 6-Line Wrasse
-1 Long Nose Hawkfish
-2 YWGs + Tiger Pistol Shrimp
-1 Coral Beauty Angelfish
-2 Ocellaris Clownfish (Captive Bred)
-2 PJ Cardinals


Any issues?


Thanks! And what about the Solandri? Are they any different in care and temperament to the Valentini?


As these are fish that be easily sourced locally.
Zionas
Puffer Fry
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:29 am
Location (country): China

Re: Saltwater Noob wanting a Valentini Puffer

Post by Zionas »

I don’t care all that much about snails, shrimp more so than snails especially the A. Bellulus for my YWG pair. If I introduce the Puffer first will it be able to handle my later additions that lean towards the somewhat aggressive side?
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Pufferpunk
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Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
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Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
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Also kept:
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Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
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Re: Saltwater Noob wanting a Valentini Puffer

Post by Pufferpunk »

I love your fish choices! Very similar to my reef tank. One of my favorite fish in there was the valetini. He was very polite towards all my corals, even the SPS. But... you just never know with a puffer... Bluespot toby wasn't nearly as polite. Lifespan should be around 10 years.
Every single wrasse I had found their way out of the tank.

Add the fish 1st, make sure the tank is stable for a while before adding corals. Start with softies, then LPS, then SPS.

Feeding suggestions: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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