The Puffer Forum

I have been looking at getting a sw tank. I know nothing about it I'm just getting some info because I want a Porcupine Puffer. I have started reading about them online and talking to people at the lfs and I was wanting to know, do they really need 120 gallons at least? I have always been really into fish and I would really like to venture into sw, but the biggest tank I have had is a 75 gallon fw tank. I don't want to jump into this unless my certain about everything because my dad used to have 3 sw tanks when he was younger and he said it wasn't worth the money and they have many problems. If people could just post their stories or suggestions on how to go about this I would love to hear from you! Like I said I don't have one yet as I can not afford one right now but its never to early to start learing about them!
Thanks!

120 gallons at least, I would go with more like 150+ gallons really though so then you can get many other cool fish too.

SW tanks aren't really that hard I've found. My dad also had bad experiences with SW many years ago, I think that the main reason for that was because the hobby has changed so much in the past 10 years. (I just wrote a research paper on history of fish tanks and the improvements) I have a 55 gallon fowlr and I haven't had any problems, really just the cost of stuff kills me.

Yes I would like to start a sw tank with many different kinds of fish but I looked at 150 gallon and I couldn't afford it plus I am a college student trying to get through school, and right now I live with my mom because I can't afford to be on my own and I tried to talk her into a new tank and the one she wants is 56 tall but she is willing to go up to a 90 gallon, but no bigger. What do you keep in your tank if you don't mind me asking?
Well thank you I guess I will have to wait and win the lottery hee hee!

I would wait until you're out of college, I'm in college now and trying to keep up with everyone on my 55 is hard enough!

I have live rock, hermit crabs, snails and the fish I have in my 55 are a Valentini Puffer (the cutest little guy every) coral beauty, midas blenny, royal gramma, ocellaris clown, and a watchman goby.

You could always start a smaller tank with a toby. I love my valentini and I know he'll never outgrow my tank. He had a ton of personality and is cute And he is the typical puffer, very piggish!

Well that sound very cool. So you have all that in a 55 gallon. I have 4 tanks but my boyfriend has 2 of them I have a 14 gallon w/a f8 and a bumblebee goby and a 29 gallon with a cichlid. I can't wait till I can redo my 29 gallon because "beast" as we call her b/c I can't put any other fish in there with her and I she hates it when I redo my tank and so I don't ever change my decor shes about 6 now. What is the min tank for a Valentini puffer? Well I want at least a 56 gallon but its gonna cost me at least $400 if I buy it from petsmart but I am trying to find one on craigs list but I can't find one around my area. I have a friend that has my old 75 gallon and I am trying to get it back but its out of state. Thanks for the help!

I'm not sure about minimum size for the valentini but I couldn't see a toby in less than 55 just because of the amount they like to swim, he loves swimming back and forth and checking the rock out.

I would definitely agree to try and look in craigslist. I know pittsburgh craigslist is awesome, there are tanks on there all the time, I just don't have anymore room for tanks!! There are also tanks on ebay, you just have to look up through your location because they're all pick up only.

I really love the fish I have in my 55. They all have their special areas but most of them swim through out the tank, they use up the space really well. And they all have their special personalities!

I live in missouri and they have a lot of tanks on there sometimes but right now there isn't too many big tanks. I have been looking in the paper thats where I found my first tank it was a sweet deal someone was selling a 75 gallon with two stands for $100! I wish I could find that deal again. I don't know if this is true but they say the bigger the tank s/w tank the eaiser it is to take care of is that true? Since I have never had a s/w tank do you think I should start small and then go bigger or just start big and hope for the best. Also I know this is off topic but I have a GSP and he isn't eating I have tried everything except frozen food and live food do you think I have switched his diet too much or is he just sick. I have had him for like two weeks and he was so fat when I got him and now he seems to be getting thin. Thats how I lost my last GSP he stopped eating I don't want to lose another. I just wanted to know maybe if its something I'm feeding him. Does your puffer ever not eat. Its been about 3 days now he might be eating when I'm not around but I don't know! Sorry for being off topic but I have asked this question on another forum and haven't gotten an answer, I just don't want him to die.

minimum for a Valentini is 25gal. but as said, I would always get a bigger tank to add a few more fish. there are a few other Canthigaster puffers in the market, so as always, go check out the PufferPedia
I'm starting a SW tank soon, and unless I can find a better deal, it will most likely a 40 breeder.

It is easier to start out sw bigger, like more than 30 gallons, because its easier to maintain water quality and not as much water evaporates causing salt creep. Hopefully you can find a good deal, it just takes some patience.

For your GSP, I suggest making a new post in the hospital section and answer all the questions at the top of the thread, then we can help you better

salt water tanks are easier now than they used to be, as RO water is readily availablle (essential for keeping masrines) and also things like protein skimmers have advanced.. there is also access to live rock.

imagine trying to keep a marine tank on tap water, no lie rock and an internal filter, keeping your nitrates down would be almost impossible...

a few things to remember with SW, (and i've learnt most of these from the 6 months i've been keeping marine!)

1) a bigger tank is easier and more forgiving as you're learning... a small tank evaporate the same amount as a big tank (maybe a little more) this raises the salinity, and as its a smaller tank it will raise it faster. Means you have to top up with RO practically daily to prevent swings in the SG from stressing the fish and killing and coral.

I started with a 20G and ended up upgraded to a 60G to stablise the parameters.

2)QUARENTINE. I've never done it before and have kept fish for 11 years.. but marines are alot more sensitive to things like ich, puffers are reknowned for not being able to fight it, and treatment is long and complicated involving leaving your main tank empty for 6 weeks and putting ALL your fish into hypo.

I learnt the hard way, introduced a new clown with no signs of illness, within two days, it had ich, killed all 4 clowns and my valentini I did manage to save my lionfish.. but it wiped out my whole tank. My biggest mistake when going marine was not quarentining.. I now have a 10G QT tank!

3) get a refractometer, they are more reliable than a hydrometer and read far more accurately.


4) enjoy! yep, its expensive when you start, and yep, it'll stress you out at times... but then there is a moment, like i'm having now, where you look up, and your beautiful marine puffer is chasing round corals trying to get a shrimp, and you think... yeah, this is cool!

Keeping a HOB filter with low flow constantly on your large marine tank or sump is a handy way to always have a cycled filter for a quarantine, for anyone wondering how to make sure it's safe when it's usually empty.

Keeping a fish only marine tank is a LOT easier than trying to keep corals. That's what makes a saltwater tank so expensive and hard. They are very very sensitive.

For a 75, a burrfish might be an option, but yes, a porc would get way too big.

Ok I would really like to get a valentini. I have seen many pictures and I really want one, the problem I can't find one anywhere! I am still calling places. I am getting a 55 gallon and then I am still trying to get a 75 gallon. I am moving my gsp to the 55 as I am getting that first and I already have the gsp, I know almost nothing about this puffer, could I keep them together? My puffer is really sweet, I don't want to put two puffers in the same tank that will kill each other. Any information about valentini would be great since I can't find one around here it could be awhile before I get one and if I do get one I would like to have as much info as possible.