porcupine puffer size and growth rate

[daffydase]

Diodon Holocanthus - porcupine puffer

so i have done ALOT of looking in to these,

you guys and the "pufferpedia" say 19 inchs
5 lfs's say 10-12" MAX
seaworld 12"
online 5 info sites say 12"
one says 4 foot

so whats the crack?? who is wrong and who is rite?

i have one put aside, he will have been at the lfs for a week 2moro and is ready for me to collect, he is 3" and is going in my 200 litre tank.
he will be housed with 2 clowns, 1 cleaner shrimp, hermits, snails, i am aware the crabs and snails are probally going to be dinner....
and a chance he may eat the shrimp but ill try, have seen alot of people online keeping them in harmony, and people keeping crabs ok as they hide all day, so if a few survive then its a bonus if he eats the lot then thats life, he is very calm and not attacking anyone in tank at the lfs

why is there so much misinformation on these...
how big is yours?
how long have you had him/her?
what tank mates do you have?

[daffydase]

so any keepers, ex-keepers with info?

[purplecandle]

LFSs usually underestimate the size of fish because they want to sell fish, most people do not have tanks big enough for this puffer. The LFS doesn't care about the fish in the long run, just long enough to get it sold.

Then people take that same misinformation and put it online as fact.

Fish keepers and more LFSs then read that information, considering it fact, and the cycle continues.

If you do a you tube search you will find plenty of videos of porcs getting to 19+, most of those are in the sea and not captivity, but if given the proper environment a porc in captivity should reach that 19 mark or at least come close.

[daffydase]

LFSs usually underestimate the size of fish because they want to sell fish, most people do not have tanks big enough for this puffer. The LFS doesn't care about the fish in the long run, just long enough to get it sold.

Then people take that same misinformation and put it online as fact.

Fish keepers and more LFSs then read that information, considering it fact, and the cycle continues.

If you do a you tube search you will find plenty of videos of porcs getting to 19+, most of those are in the sea and not captivity, but if given the proper environment a porc in captivity should reach that 19 mark or at least come close.

yes i no lfs tells lies, but 3 i spoke 2 dont have them and dont get them, so had nothing to gain by telling lies,
and seaworld........they dont sell fish....and still said small,
the pufferpedia also says dogface is 17" i think and i have seen bigger in lfs today, and they ALL say dogface is a mch bigger fish,
so anyone keep a porky and how big is was he and after how long?

[sevenyearnight]

Well I'm sure you're already going to expect everyone to tell you that your tank is too small, and it's going to be overstocked. I have no experience housing a porcupine puffer, but I did grow up on the big island of hawaii, I can say from personal experience snorkeling that these things are most definitely close to 2 feet long.
They would bite and steal the bag of peas right out of my hand and swim away with it. They would ruin the fun for everyone. I was afraid of them, so was everyone else. (The reef fish that is)

[daffydase]

Well I'm sure you're already going to expect everyone to tell you that you can get too small, and it's going to be overstocked. I have no experience housing a porcupine puffer, but I did grow up on the big island of hawaii, I can say from personal experience snorkeling that these things are most definitely close to 2 feet long.
They would bite and steal the bag of peas right out of my hand and swim away with it. They would ruin the fun for everyone. I was afraid of them, so was everyone else. (The reef fish that is)

yes im sure most on here will tell me im overstocked, but if i dont reserch and gather fact i will be walking in the dark,
so i ask and see...if keepers can confirm they get this big and a growth rate then i will upgrade, but as yet even online i see no picks or fact, just opinion,
do fish grow bigger in the sea than a tank? i read regals grown 20cm in a tank but 30 plus in the ocean

[purplecandle]

Well I'm sure you're already going to expect everyone to tell you that you can get too small, and it's going to be overstocked. I have no experience housing a porcupine puffer, but I did grow up on the big island of hawaii, I can say from personal experience snorkeling that these things are most definitely close to 2 feet long.
They would bite and steal the bag of peas right out of my hand and swim away with it. They would ruin the fun for everyone. I was afraid of them, so was everyone else. (The reef fish that is)

Ok, I have to ask..why did you have a bag of peas in the ocean?

[daffydase]

Well I'm sure you're already going to expect everyone to tell you that you can get too small, and it's going to be overstocked. I have no experience housing a porcupine puffer, but I did grow up on the big island of hawaii, I can say from personal experience snorkeling that these things are most definitely close to 2 feet long.
They would bite and steal the bag of peas right out of my hand and swim away with it. They would ruin the fun for everyone. I was afraid of them, so was everyone else. (The reef fish that is)

Ok, I have to ask..why did you have a bag of peas in the ocean?

i was wondering this.. lol

[sevenyearnight]

To feed the reef fish, they eat from your hands. A parrot fish accidentally bit me once.

[purplecandle]

OH, I thought that might be the reason ~

But, I wouldn't have let no porc take my peas, I am too gangsta for that

I'll stop hijacking now

[sevenyearnight]

OH, I thought that might be the reason ~

But, I wouldn't have let no porc take my peas, I am too gangsta for that

I'll stop hijacking now

Lol! I've stood up where the water wasn't too deep, pulled him part way out of the water and shook him, he did not let go.
I didn't want to touch him so I just let him go.

[trekenk]

dsffydase I think we have been over this before. I do aquarium maintaince for a living and yes I have seen Porcupine's 18+ inches in home tanks. As far as their growth rate it depends on many things. Tank size, diet, water conditions ect. Any responsable fish keeper should have the proper size tank from the beginning. Too many people make the mistake saying I will upgrade when needed, without realizing they are hurting their pet from the beginning in many ways. I know you have your heart set on a Porc but please do wait til you can give it a good home, that being about a 450lt tank not a 200 ltr one. In the end everyone will be happy, after all they are living creatures that have been taken from their ocean homes, they do deserve that.

[sevenyearnight]

100% agree with trekenk.
One of my gsp is in a 29 gallon, 1 gallon under recommendation. He is still small at 2.5" and has no tank mates, and I still feel like a horrible mom because he will need a bigger tank, and should have that now.
I have to within the next month or so transfer him to either a 40 breeder or 55 gallon. This will be a huge pita and I wish I would have avoided it, but I was misinformed when purchasing them, but fortunately found this site shortly after. Had I been better informed, and researched just a bit more, I would have waited until I was able to get a larger tank.

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

Well with trekenk being into aquarium maintaince and saw porcupine puffer's that huge then I would say he is probley right. Dr. Burgess's Atlas says they get 50 cm's. Sorry had to pop in here....

[trekenk]

I would say he is probley right. ....

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