The Puffer Forum

I finally picked up my new Porc yesterday. It's about 9" long and as big around as a can of coke. He was doing great in the tank at the LFS, but was VERY unhappy as we tried to catch him and bag him. As soon as I put him in the tank he acted pretty stressed, which was expected. sticking to one back corner of the tank and pacing the glass. He has slowed a bit, but still pacing the glass and going between the 2 back corners of the tank. Water is A-ok. 1.022, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, 8.2-8.3ph, 79-80deg. Is there something I can do to make him more comfortable, or is this common from a porc this size?

What is your ammonia? Kind of worrying that you don't have any nitrates showing, you should have a small amount showing as part of the nitrifying process....are you fully cycled?

If ammonia/cycling is good, then maybe he's just settling in.

ammonia is also 0. I test the water atleast 3 times a day.

how large is the tank? a small tank can also stress him out. at 9 in hes already a big guy

DRRT wrote:how large is the tank? a small tank can also stress him out. at 9 in hes already a big guy

I believe that it is in their sign that it is a 72gl which is a bit small for a 9" porc. I really do think it is time to get that 150 gl set up. Good luck with him/her.

How about the live rock? They need lots of caves to retreat to, so they feel safe. When I go diving, they are almost never out & only at night. They are one of the shyest fish in the ocean. So if there is not enough cover, the poor fella will be freaked.

sorry, i missed that. and i agree that you need to look into upgrading asap. puffers are large, waste making machines that need a system that can support their bioload.

and, to add to what pp said, i think i've only ever seen one porc out and about in the middle of the day. other than than, i have to keep a sharp eye under coral heads or in caves, and even then they usually back away and freak out. (probably my insane desire to get macro shots of their faces)

there are only about 10lbs of rock in there right now. i have about 60lbs waiting to finish curing. it may be the hiding places, i'm just use to my old porc that never hid and was very much a people fish. i'll get some more rock in asap.

I plan on a larger tank soon, but this waste in the 72g should be no problem. i have a 16x exchange rate on the water. the sump has LOADS of carbon and purigen and a 200gph skimmer with a modded pump. there may even be to much current in the tank.

I had to do constant water changes with my last porc, i didn't want that problem again.

Sounds like he's in good hands!

Pufferpunk wrote:Sounds like he's in good hands!

Thanks. I like to think so.




I do believe I have discovered the problem with my dear little porc. It seems all this "he" talk may have been a bit premature. I came home this afternoon to discover, what looks to be, puffer eggs all over the sand. The current in my tank didn't allow them to stay in a pile. She acts very distressed about the eggs not being in one place. Should I get them out of the tank or would that just make it worse.

Nevermind. She is acting 100% normal now.



She's not going to get in this mood once a month now is she?