The Puffer Forum

Nice! Sorry for your loss...

Thanks pokeystar! It's all cobbled together from second-hand stuff (except lights) & thanks to all the help from this forum, I've had great fun with it

Thanks PP. what r your experiences with blennies? So many sites say it's an 'easy' fish, but when I was googling how to get her to eat, I read so many posts re how finicky they are & prone to starvation. I would like a veggie eating fish in the tank, but don't know if it's worth it. Also some blennies don't seem reef safe.

Since I always feed my tanks with pureed veggies soaked in Vita-Chem, all my fish get their helping of salad daily.

Lennie wouldn't eat anything I offered though She only wanted to eat off the rock/glass. I wonder if there are less picky blennies.

How is your pufferfish coping with these tankmates (including the hermit)?
Any visible signs of fin nipping?

It is a beautiful-looking setup

Thanks Blinkey!
I have tried to mitigate any aggression issues. I put the goby/shrimp, clowns & CUC in first & the puffers showed zero aggression. Not a sniff at the hermits. When they swim too close to his burrow, the goby flares his gills & they dash off. They immediately checked out subsequent additions in a very curious manner but then swam off in a "oh, you're not food" kind of way. Puff (more greedy one) did show interest in a turban snail & conch, even trying to "taste" them, but gave up after he decided the shells were too hard. I have not put in any shrimp (other than pistol), crabs or certain snails as I think it would not end well.

Lately, they've developed a more noticeable fondness for browsing/nipping the rock. When the lights are down they go into hunting mode, and it's amusing to see their eyes flick back & forth as they methodically cruise the rockwork. Reminds me of the Terminator. I guess they like the amphipods.

I guess it's a wait & see as to whether they will become more aggressive with maturity. Right now they're a bit over 2".

My anemone split!! The new one was about a quarter of the "dad" & after a day or two I thought it was a dying piece being shed. It looked so shrunken & pathetic, I considered scraping it off & tossing it. I fed it mysis & it ate. Lo and behold it bubbled up the next day & in another week it's the same size as "dad"! They look identical. Amazing.

I should mention that when the rbta was introduced into tank, I think the puffers got stung. I moticed Puff was a weird colour, paler, and his spots were silver instead of black. He behaved normally otherwise & in a few days his colour was back to the way it was before. Julia went thru the same thing shortly after. They totally ignore the rbta now.

Haha, just like kids they need to learn through experience and getting a wee bit hurt

Yay!! Today marks the 1-year anniversary of my puffers coming into my home
We've been thru a lot (can't believe it's only been 1 year!) and I can't say enough about how fun and rewarding it's been.

I tried to detach Evan Jr from the rock so I could sell him. I tried every method you could think of (here he is being blown by a powerhead) but the rock was perfect for his foot and he refused to let go. Oh well, guess I have 2 rbta now & they are very happy being right next to each other I got a few new coral. This one (Hawaiian People Eater?) is my fave right now. It glows a pale blue so bright even under moonlights - it's like a night light. My iphone pics don't do it justice. Very unusual colouring. I'm diving into the SPS moneypit! I think other than a plating montipora, this will be it. Generally the "colored sticks" don't interest me enough to invest in all that it takes to keep them happy. I got a pink birds nest, and the seller tossed in a free frag of Forest Fire digi (beautiful colour!). Here is the little birds nest: I'm a little worried about Julia. Although she is active and seemingly happy in every way, I notice she does not have the nice rounded tummy Puff has. They are both very round after eating but the next day she loses her tummy bulge. Although he is heftier all around, muscular almost - so are they just different body shapes? I did buy Prazipro when I got them but never used it. Do you think I should dose them? Is it safe or are there some risks? I can feed them right off the chopsticks so can easily dose them, but how much? Or should I leave well enough alone? Does she look ok? (Not the best picture but they are buzzing around & I only got them in one spot by tricking them with chopsticks in the water haha)

Here they are again. Puff is much rounder

Can't you break the rock with a hammer & chisel?

Doseing with IP treatment is never a bad idea, not sure how it would work in a marine tank though? Maybe someone else on here with marine experience could answer? In the advent of no real info I might dose in a quarantine tank? My two GSP are now up to 1.014.....so close to marine. Im very excited.

No, unfortunately it's my fave rock that is a cool crescent shape that is perfect as the top to my rockscape. They are very happy & stay snuggled up together, darn them. They are so close I'd be afraid to try to get a chisel between them anyway.

I searched for Prazipro dosing info but just wanted to doublecheck. So I put 4 drops into an opened defrosted clam to soak. Does that sound right? Here are photos of Julia & Puff before mealtime. You can see her tummy is somewhat deflated, whereas he stays round all the time. After eating they are both very round but her belly disappears the next day. He is plumper overall, even his back is chubby!

Do you think she has parasites? Should I repeat treatment after 3 or 5 days?

Pokeystar, you're gonna love full marine - so much fun
I can stare at the tank for hours (while my husband rolls his eyes)

Aaaghhhhh! Fergus, my long nose hawk, jumped out of the tank!! I always count the fish when I pass the tank & when I didn't see him, I checked the floor and to my horror, there he was all dried up already
I have very tight fitting egg crate on top, but he must have jumped out right after feeding last nite before I put it back on I should have doublehecked. I loved that guy - he was so awesome. And I waited ages before there was one available. So so upset

RIP Fergus. You will be missed