The Puffer Forum

Hi All!
Currently I have a 75 gallon tank that I'm setting up for a puffer. Prior to salt, I've done FW with clown knifes, larger fish like that, but I've always wanted a puffer (much like a porcupine puffer or something of that sort). I've done research and it's pretty obvious porcs get too massive for a 75. However, there's the Orbiculate puffer/bird beak burrfish, maxing out at around 9-11 inches. I think that it would be much better suited for a 75, but research does show that they're not very resilient to IP and ich? Yet other sources claim they are much more like porcs, and are generally more hardy then other burrfish i.e. striped burrfish. Does anyone happen to have or had an Orbiculate puffer, and which case does the Orbiculate puffer fall into; hardy and porc like or more like your average burrfish?

Thanks in advanced,
MLZ

Hi and welcome to the forum. I don't have sny info or experience to share on that particular puffer but I'm certain someone will have some info for you soon. You could house a pair of gsp puffers in there?

If this species is anything like other burrfish species, it'll need to be medicated for IPs several times throughout it's life. I'm not sure about crypt (Ich is a FW parasite) but my burrfish eventually succumbed to that.
Regular dosing of the tank with vitamin C, may help a lot in keeping this species healthier.

Thanks for the great feedback and welcomes!

@bertie83 Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm not as keen on GSP's, I was looking more for a Diodon like species rather then a Tetraodon, considering the fact that a) the diodon appeals more to me and b) tetradons like GSP's start in fresh/brackish then move to full SW.

@Pufferpunk
I don't think IP medication would be that bad, from what I hear it would be as simple as feeding Prazipro or Metronidazole soaked food to the puffer in a QT? Although I agree, it seems to be quite a hassle to some degree, thus I'm still interested to know if the orbiculate puffer (cyclichthys orbicularis) is more like a porc puffer than a burrfish.

Thanks for all the help so far!

also a bit of good info... further research led me to the info that the orbiculate puffer is:
Scientific Name: Cyclichthys orbicularis
Family: Diodontidae
Category: Porcupinefishes
Also known as: Birdbeak Burrfish
Size: Up to 6 in. (15 cm) (although max specimen found was at 10.something inches)
Depth: 15-120 ft. (5-37 m)
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef

Sorry I just realized this is in the wrong section! Would a mod/admin be so kind to move this to the "marine puffers" section? And I'm still interested about this orbiculate puffer if anyone has one!

Sorry to bump, but does anyone have any other info around this puffer? Update wise, lfs told me they could get one for about $55, which is a pretty good deal in my view.

(btw is the post - awaiting moderation for users who have under a certain number of posts? Just curious.)

Yeah, sorry--too many spammers.

You can start out GSP's in full marine by drip acclimation as they are more likely to be healthier and more active and are considered to be quite hardy in relative of other puffer species, especially in a marine tank. IME