puffers and reef aquariums

[The Bruce]

i've been getting uncured live rock bit by bit lately and the stuff that comes on it is really cool for about 2 minutes untill my dogfaced puffer see's the polyps and destroys. I'm about this close, [___] to taking my puffer back (which will be hard because he is a great fish) and getting some reef safe fish, however before i do this is there any corals or stuff like that that a puffer wont eat? or is it a decision between puffer-plain live rock, small fish-corals

[Jager]

well I trianed my puffer to eat only foods offered in cube form and while he does pick around the corals i have had no problems with sponges various soft corals zooanthids and even the odd hard lps coral. as for the SPS corals IDK as my MH lighting isnt due for a few weeks then I will be g;ad to report on the progress.


in your case try always feeding in one corner. then add frags of corals to the other side at the bottom. also add the uncured LR tp the tank side while feeding the puff at the other, you may notice he doesnt even realize anything is new.

[PetPirate]

Add uncured rock to a stocked puff tank??

[wolfgang270]

I have a white spotted puffer in my reef tank and it seems to leave my soft corals alone. I think it helps that I keep it well fed. I do get a kick out of it when I add a new piece of LR. Man does it ever get "inspected". Between my puff and my Mandarin Dragons there is not much hope for any shrimps etc. that come with the rock.

[Arothron Junkie]

It is his natural response to pick at those. Try feeding him to the point of him ignoring further food before putting more LR in. Keep him well fed and your chances are better. Still, he is just doing what comes naturally....

[Jager]

jhong when i said uncured i meant rock that has been at the LFS for a while. I really didnt want to word it that way, but a single piece (<1lb)with great corals or other growth is worth the very minor die off issues.

not true uncured though.