The Puffer Forum

hi, im currently setting up a 72"x18"x18" tank (101gallon) FOWLR main reason is to have a dogfaced puffer...how can u not want one....

anyways ive been doing alot of research and the other fish ill be able to keep with him are a similiar sized lionfish, maybe a niger trigger, and heres the question

can i keep a BIG frogfish 6-7" with a fullgrown puffer and lionfish, there all peacful to eachother and i figured since the frogfish can eat things twice his size the lion and puffer would be good match because they both are double its size and "appear" even larger due to fins/puffing

anyone have any advise? these three fish will be a heavy bioload so i will have a 50gallon max planted refugium and maybe even and FX5

any info on the fish as tank mates appreciated if you feel im "overstocking" keep it to yourself

thanx guys

all fish would also have to be introduced at the same time relitivley small

lionfish and puffers NEVER make good tank mates. Every combo of those 2 I have seen always ends badly, usually for the puffer.

+1

Someone on here tried that before and the puffer being curious, like they always are, got stung multiple times by the lion fish

I've kept a Dogface with a Frogfish before with no problems (so long as the DF is pretty big).

I to would be worried about the puffer being stabbed by accident when swimming past the Lion fish

appreciate the info guys, ill axe the lionfish idea, maybe stick to a big frogfish, DFP and what about a grouper what kinds would work?

Blue strip
blue spot
v-tail

which one do you think, it would jsut be the 3 in the tank

But you know the tank isn't big enough so why do it?

Groupers are gigantic.

any info on the fish as tank mates appreciated if you feel im "overstocking" keep it to yourself

This is a really silly thing to say as you are talking about 3 very large fish in a tank too small to house 1 alone. Also, this instantaneously confrontational approach is generally frowned upon. I shall not keep this to myself, these are living creatures that did not ask to be taken from their ocean home, not just inanimate material possessions.
If you have no empathy, then consider this financially; those fish will not survive long in a 50 gallon, so it's a waste of money. Why not spend extra and get a larger tank so that the fish can at least have a better chance at surviving?
The idea of keeping those fish in 50 is so ludicrous, it almost makes me think you're either kidding, or trolling for a fight.

ummm...seven year night its a 101 gallon WITH a 50g refugium....so a 150 gallon system please actually read the post b4 u voice an opinion making yourself look.......silly a 12' DFP 5"frogfish and a 11" grouper should have no problem living in a LONG 150 gallon system..........

That's still not large enough, I assure you I don't feel or look silly. It's better, but it's still not minimum, or perhaps just barely requirements for one of those fish. I still stand by what I said.

*Edit: I know I just look like I'm being a giant off-key harpsichord, but that system would be fine, if you just had the dog faced puffer, and he *will* be an awesome enough fish to make that worth it without complicating it with tankmates, irregardless if that space requirements are met. I don't normally post on these kind of threads because it's just super frustrating when someone starts the thread with comments that seem stubborn, and lacking in empathy.

I agree, thats not enough room for those 3 fish, they wont stay that small. They will out grow that tank quickly. I assume you have LR in your tank, that takes up a good bit of room so your tank isnt actually as big as it measures too

was planning on putting the majority of the rock in the refugium only bout 30 lbs in display for more room, ill skip the grouper then, but i dont see an issue having a dfp and a "smaller" frogfish they stay on different levels of the tank and its going to be over filtered if thats the worry, my local FS has a s&s puffer DFP and 3 other fish in what looks like a 30g devided tank, reguardless of anything the tanks we own are much bigger and will be better for the fish the what they live in at a LFS

POLSCOTDP wrote: the tanks we own are much bigger and will be better for the fish the what they live in at a LFS

This I do agree with, but it still doesnt mean its ok to knowingly overstock.

I would be afraid that the puffer would nom nom nom all the interesting little things off of the angler, like his dangler.