Advice for a virgin keeper please...

[jhildebrand]

Hello all!

First post here. New to puffers, very experienced marine keeper. I got bitten by the puffer bug when a 4" porcupine gave me the sad eyes in his 20 gallon tank at the LFS. Normally I would have walked away as I have so many times before, but I had just picked up a 270 gal fiberglass tank another LFS sold me at a great price. This 3x4' tank is plumbed to my 260 gallon mixed reef which now has a total system volume of about 750 gallons with a good skimmer. His tankmates will be two rabbitfish (4" and 5") that have been living in my sump after sampling too many corals upstairs. I have a few questions for you:

#1 I want to move some of my softy corals to his tank. A lot of mushrooms, some leathers, etc... While I know they're not reef safe by anyone's account, they wont eat/destroy these, will they?

#2 He's been in a 30 gallon quarantine for 4 weeks and treated with Prazi as a precaution. What else would you do before his release to his new home?

#3 There will be some rock and halimeda in his tank and I've heard that sometimes snails and hermits won't be bothered if they're in the tank from day one. Any experience or advice with clean up crews and puffers?

Thanks...

[Myaj]

I've never kept a porc myself (currently have a burrfish though) but wanted to say welcome and where are the pictures?? heheh

My burr is good with mushrooms as long as they aren't ricordia, she tears those apart. She's so/so with zoas.. actually, now that I think about it, it might be pinks she goes after, anything I've had that was pink, she destroyed, hmmm... I don't really know a ton about corals, I just try to keep the water clean and make sure the burr isn't picking on anything, and they seem to be spreading.. I have various mushrooms, green star polyps.. and well, I can't remember what the other stuff is called. She destroyed pulsing xenia, which I half expected. I have not tried any snails/crabs, etc, as she just about comes through the glass for a clam or freshwater snail..

If the tank is ready to handle his extra bioload, I'd say you are probably ready to go.. IF, in the 4 weeks he's been in Qtine, you haven't seen any signs of illness or disease. I always like to wait at least 4 weeks from the last sign of anything wrong before risking an established tank.

[MMaddox]

Sounds like a great home for your porcupine. Have fun putting in all the soft corals you want, but just realize they'll probably become puffer buffet. While he may not kill them, he'll definitely be sampling, and possibly often. My first marine puffer was a porcupine! Have fun with him, and don't forget to feed him lots of meaty seafoods. See an article I wrote about marine puffers here: http://microcosmaqx.typepad.com/mike_ma ... -care.html

[Pufferpunk]

I've gotta ask... where do you keep your virgin?

[Porffor]

Am a newbie and 'wanna be' marine and puffer keeper.. plans are in the pipeline for 2009.

Had to smile at the puppy eyes of your puffer, they really do have the ability to grab you don't they. lol

Glad it's found a new home and indeed a very suitable keeper and set up! Am rather envious!

[jhildebrand]

Ha ha Pufferpunk....... No virgins in this house.

I am overgrown with certain soft corals that are causing problems in my reef, so I'm willing to sacrifice a few in the name of testing. I just want the tank's live rock to be a little more decorated and lively. The cleaners would provide more entertainment as well as the housekeeping function. Or the other scenario of being live food. I'll hope for the best. We'll see how it goes and I'll report back. His new 270 is about 2/3 full of R.O. water as we speak - he can see it from his 30 gal quarantine and I'll bet he's more than a little excited. I'll show ya some pics soon. Thanks for the comments...

[jhildebrand]

Nice article, Mike. My biggest concern is that of deteriorating water quality in the reef tank that is attached. I know they're messy feeders, but his tankmates aren't finicky eaters and I'm hoping they help clean up after the puffer. Right now he makes a mess of the QT and doesn't bother with the small pieces of food that are expelled while chowing down.