The Puffer Forum

Hey everyone, I've kept dwarf puffers a few years ago, but have not had much experience with puffer's other than that.
My college has a 150 gallon tall fish tank that is completely empty, and open to suggestions. The prof in charge has said that whoever wants to stock/take care of the tank is totally free to do so. I'm at the research phase of my decision for jumping into saltwater and was wondering if a porcupine puffer was an appropriate selection. I noticed the pufferpedia entry says they need about 120 gallons. My question is does floor space matter for porcupine puffers(I'm assuming it does)? By 150 tall I mean this tank is annoyingly tall(I can't reach the bottom if I drop something in the tank). It's a nice sized tank, but I'm afraid the dimensions will require me to choose something much smaller fish wise. I've basically come to the conclusion that a tall tank is not the ideal dimensions for a porcupine puff, but I would love to get one, so I thought I'd double check here.
I'm considering getting a gsp if the dimensions of the tank will not be ideal for a porcupine, because as a freshwater only person myself, it will allow me to slowly make the transition to saltwater. Also gsp's are easily available at walmart, and any care I can offer it will surely be far better than some random dude who probably thinks they're freshwater puff's(and possibly lower any guilt I suffer if I do happen to make a mistake from being new to salt).
With the limited research I've done so far, for either stock it's going to be a fowlr, 150 gallons, it's got a nice 30 gallon sump, and plenty of live rock in the tank. There is nothing in there right now but snails/hermit crabs(expendable in my opinion), and whoever is currently in charge of the tanks has turned the filter off, so I will most definitely have to start the cycle up again, but it's a nice base to start with.
If anyone has any other suggestions that may be a better selection for a 150 tall saltwater tank I'm totally open. Not even 100% sure if it's going to be a puffer tank, but they prefer it to be a saltwater tank and have mentioned they would like it to be a predator tank. I figured a puffer would be interesting to watch, and also satisfy the predator tank desire. And I kind of miss my dp's, but I don't have any more tanks open.

I believe you measurements would work for a Porcupine Puffer . Most likely your size will be something like this 48 x 24 x 31 . A porc can get about a foot long . But they are very entertaining to watch . I love mine !

What happens to this fish during breaks?

Someone whose going to be there over the break takes care of the tanks. I'll take some measurements tomorrow and see what they actually are, but I'm pretty serious when I say this tank is annoyingly tall.

My porc puff requires some form of attention everyday, and regular feeding.

And you have to feed them in very particular ways, its not just like throwing flake food in the tank, I hand feed mine shrimp dipped in selcon and some harder foods like half shell clams and crabs etc.

If you can't guarantee the puffer that kind of attention and regular feeding idk if i'd keep one in a tank on a college campus, also I noticed with mine and others that they are rather nocturnal.. mine sleeps in a cave all day and comes out at about 8pm on the dot every night and waits for me to feed him, not sure if a porc puff will be super interesting on a campus during the day if thats your goal.

They are super entertaining though.

I house a porc puff, yellow tang and large maroon clownfish, I find it a fantastic combo, they get a long and follow each other around its quite interesting.

With a tall tank, it's not likely you will be able to keep a puffer. You could however just start a reef tank. Even without livestock the corals and everything are VERY interesting.

i have 2 gsp's and love them both a lot. they are great. and keeping two gsp's would be nice because they would entertain each other like mine do thus requiring less attention (they still get a lot from me though)