The Puffer Forum

According to the PufferPedia, any number of dogface-type puffers require 100g and can grow up to 13". Another posting on the forum says that in captivity they generally don't grow over 8".
Also, my LFS has a "gulf Puffer" (I'm GOING to get a picture of it; I swear!). I've read they get to be over 20". Anyone know for sure?

Are there any large puffers I can house in my 75g? If so, are there any fish I could house with them? How are they with mushrooms, star polyps, and zoos?

Thanks!

J Bishop

Regardless of size, whether it be 8 inches or 13 inches, you have to look at the bio-load that they put off. Will your filtration be able to handle that amount, will you be able to do weekly large scale water changes? I have seen large puffers in captivity larger than 8 inches and have actually owned one myself. I don't know if I would be able to handle two puffers or large size. I am not saying it cannot be done but....I wouldn't do it personally. I don't have enough time in the day to work on the ones I have now. lol

As far as "gulf puffers", the only one I have ever heard of was the Sphoeroides annulatus...??? They almost remind me of larger fugus. I know nothing about them other than that... Picture ID is great if you can get one, or perhaps Corvus can chime in on what he believes it can be. ??

When it comes to corals and puffers...IME especially with the Arothron species, I have found non willing to turn a nose to coral. I have fed leathers to puffers on purpose and I have witnessed my dogface destroy rocks of mushrooms, despite the tale that they are bitter and most coral munchers will turn away from nipping at them. It's something you should introduce slowly, or it you don't mind spending the money just have some mushrooms and leathers and see where that takes you. Each puffer has a different pallete.

Good Luck!

Thanks, yuna.

So, just to clarify... is there any large-bodied puffer option I can include in a 75g by itself? Is there anything else that would fit in with it?

Some people say you could house a porc in that size tank, but I wouldn't. You could keep a few smaller puffers (like valentini's) and tankmates in that size tank though.

Sounds great! Just figured I'd check.... I think I'm going to move my GSP over to that tank. what would be a couple of good stocking ideas that you might put in a 75 w/ him? PS I want this to be my show tank...so color is good!

Thanks so much, Rocco.

Jess

Your welcome!
Lots of fish can be put in there, so long as your GSP gets along with them.
You could get a small wrasse (like a 6 line or fairy, so long as the tank is well covered, wrasse or jumpers) and a dwarf angel (Coral Beauty's come to mind, they start off rather timid, but are really pretty and kinda personable too after they adjust) Clownfish and chromis are also good small fish, that are pretty.

SO I came up with this REDICULOUS list (I was bored...and my husband was busy playing "Halo"....) - Here's 11 different options...some are probably overstocking...but I wanted some feedback, guidance, and opinions for 'em...so here goes: (C'mon everyone....this is your chance to live vicariously through my new 75...it can be yours too ) [BEWARE: This list is LONG....oh no, Paul's rubbing off on me...lol]:

*~*75g Saltwater options*~*
---------------------------

GSP CRAZY OPTION

- 2 GSPS
- 1 Ocellaris Clownfish
- 3 azure damselfish

----------------------------

CARDINAL OPTION

- 1 Kaudern's Cardinal
- 1 GSP
- 1 Spotted Cardinalfish
- 4 Yellowstripe Clingfish

-------------------------------

NATURE'S BEAUTY OPTION

- 1 Kaudern's Cardinal
- 1 GSP
- 1 Flame Hawkfish
- 2 Ocellaris Clowns

---------------------------------

TROPICAL SHOW OPTION

- 1 Heniochus black/white butterfly
- 1 GSP
- 1 Bicolor Angelfish

---------------------------------

GOBY-DAY OPTION

- 1 GSP
- 4 Catalina gobies
- 2 Clown Gobies, Citrinis
- 1 Pinkbar Goby

----------------------------

COLORING BOOK OPTION

- 1 GSP
- 1 Yellow Tang
- 2 Azure Damsels

-----------------------------

BLENNIES!

- 1 Midas Blenny
- 1 Bundoon Blenny
- 1 Stiped Blenny
- 1 Tail Spot Blenny
- 1 GSP

--------------------------

ODDBALLS!

- 1 GSP
- 1 Kaudern's Cardinal
- 1 Longnose Hawkfish
- 1 Green Mandarin
- 1 Jade Filefish
- 4 Yellow Stripe Clingfish

-----------------------------

PSEUDO OPTION

- 1 GSP
- 1 Bicolor Pseudochromis
- 1 Blue Flavivertex Pseudo.
- 1 Purple Stripe Pseudo.

--------------------------------

PUFFER ADDICT Tank Option

- 1 GSP
- 1 Valentini
- 1 Papuan
- 2 Neon Blue Gobies

-------------------------

GSP/WRASSE TANK OPTION

- 1 GSP
- 1 Exquisite Wrasse
- 1 Labout's Fairy Wrasse
- 1 McCosker's Flasher Wrasse, Male


Well, there it went. Thanks in advance everyone. I know I'm a total pain in everyone's arse....I appologize.
LOVE YAS!

Hey, I love setting up a new tank!!! We are cycling our 125 now and I cant wait myself!! We have a 45 going right now in it we have a mated pair of Clarkii, jeweled rockskipper blennie, a dragon wrasse (he's really cool, he actually picks up pieces of crushed coral with his mouth and moves it around and then sleeps under the substrate at night, he looks awesome too) and we are getting a fingerprint Toby puffer on Saturday. He's really cool he only gets to be like 5 inches and he has awesome color! Look into the Toby and the dragon wrasse!

A dragon wrasse would outgrow Jessica's tank, it could work if there were no other fish in it though.
You have some really good combo's there it's kinda hard to choose lol.
I love Banner fish (Heniochus black/white butterfly) and it really catches everbodies eye. I think it might outgrow that tank though for they like lots of room to swim (thought liveaquaria says it is fine in a 50 which I think is a bit to small.)
Also mandarin's are very picky and should only be kept in well established tanks (2+year old tank) with lots of pods. I would not reccomend them.

But those combo's are all pretty good, you really can't go wrong with any of them.

Will hold off on the mandarin, Rocco. Thanks for the info! Glad to feel like I'm finally starting to get enough grasp on all of this to be able to successfully manage this tank! So much to learn though....I have to tackle all the stuff on my live rock next...IDing macroalgaes, critters, etc.
Thanks for everything...
I'll let you guys know which one my hubby chooses!
(I try to let him have some say since it's his paycheck right now that's paying for my addiction while I'm in between jobs LOL!)
Love ya's:
jess

Wow, I love the list! Just a few quick notes for you though.

First, don't put a kaudern's and a pyjama cardinal by themselves in the same tank, they are both interesting fish and very peaceful species but tend not to get along so well together. I would go for a pair of one or the other.

Secondly, Catalina gobies are temperate species and require lower tank temperatures than clown gobies which are tropical, it is not recommended that you keep Catalina's in tropical temps, they tend to whither and die.

Third, butterflies need to be trained to eat, this is true with the heniochus especially. Do you have the time, commitment and expertise to do this? That is ultimately up to you to decide, but keep that in mind when thinking about them. Also, I wouldn't keep anything with long flowing fins like a heniochus with an angel, especially a dwarf angel like the bicolour as they can get a bit nippy (not always, but often enough to be worth mentioning).

Finally, with the wrasse option, I think keeping that many wrasses together is asking for trouble (I know there's only three) as they tend to beat up on each other. Sometimes they're ok, but usually not.

HTH

I wouldn't put gobies with a GSP. They lay around a lot & will get nipped.

MTV wrote: Third, butterflies need to be trained to eat, this is true with the heniochus especially. Do you have the time, commitment and expertise to do this? That is ultimately up to you to decide, but keep that in mind when thinking about them. Also, I wouldn't keep anything with long flowing fins like a heniochus with an angel, especially a dwarf angel like the bicolour as they can get a bit nippy (not always, but often enough to be worth mentioning).

Mine was probably the biggest pig of a fish I've ever heard, way worse than any of my puffers.

I tried 3 different Copperbands to get them to eat aptasia--all 3 starved to death in a tank full of aptasia.