The Puffer Forum

I recently had to rehome a beautiful dwarf potters angel that I loved due to aggression issues towards my porcupine puffer. All I have in my tank now is the porc and a yellowtail blue damsel. My tank looks kinda lonely and I'm considering 1 or 2 new fish. Just curious if anyone has any suggestions for peaceful and colorful mates that will go well with my crew. Im mainly looking to find fish that won't bother my puffer. I've thought about a starry blenny and a two spotted bristle tooth tang. Any ideas if these guys could be good matches or others that might be?

How large is the tank?

Right now their in a 150g. So I'm only researching future mates. I'm looking at a 300g. I kno 150 is not large enough for a porc but he's only 4".

If it is a common porky puff the minimum tank size is 120 gallons. You will be fine with the current tankmates. However, do not try clown fish as one user on here had his porky munch on one of them.

I've heard that clowns can b aggressive. And I have a FOWLR tank and clowns prefer reef. All I have for fish other than my porc is the one small damsel. I had to find a new home for my angel and I don't want the same problem. I don't want to over crowd. I don't kno if juke is a common porc or not but everywhere I've read says 180g min.

Feel free to check out the PufferPedia. I have provided a link to the Diodon Holocanthus (Common Porcupine Puffer) and you can also look at the pictures below the profile so you can get a positive ID.

ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Marine/D_Holocanthus/

Your Damsel might be in danger, especially when the puffer grows larger. But if you keep your porky well fed it might minimize his curiosity to munch on tankmates.

He looks similar to a couple of those pictures. How many different types of porcs are there? My profile pic is my porc Juke. Is that a common porcupine puffer? I would guess yes but not entirely sure. He doesn't seem to bother the damsel, he's fast! I hope he doesn't start to. He is definitely well fed. But still always wants more food. Wicked bad begger.

It looks like you have a yellow color phase porcupine puffer. Mine was like that at that size, but has turned more tan and red as he grew. He's now 6-7 inches. It only took a year for him to grow that fast. I currently have a 180g and have in it a porcupine puffer, powder blue tang, sargassum triggerfish, flame angel and two black & white clowns. The pbt is an aggressive fish, but he keeps his distance from the puffer as do all other fish. When it's feeding time, the puffer eats first and everyone else waits their turn.

I got him at 3" and he was very yellow. Since then he has grown an inch and changed color slightly. Juke is now more tan n maybe a little reddish. Is that a common porc? And is a 150g ok for a time? I kno that larger is always better and I would love to eventually get a huge 300g but will he be happy for a while in his tank? That is y I haven't gotten more tank mates yet because I feel so terrible about having him in a tank slightly too small. I would love to keep him in this tank for a while and get another fish. Is that ok for him? Ever since I rehomed my angel, he has appeared more active and confident and I don't want to take that away from him.

As the smallest tank for a porcy in pufferpedia is 120g your 150g will be fine for him. That gives you 30g for another fish you want to add.

I guess where good then. I have a yellowtail blue damsel also. He's about an inch in size. Didn't kno what else would be a good companion. But he's fast so they don't bug each other. But I hope to get a larger tank so I can add a few more fish.

Damsels are schooling fish. 5-6 of them would be quite impressive & add a splash of color to the tank!

I would want a larger tank than a 120 for a porc alone. These are large boxy fish, not the most agile fish around. But I do admit that I am neurotic about tank sizes.

I have a 150g. Is that large enough for a porc and 5-6 damsels? And can u mix up different types like yellowtail with chromis? Or is that a bad idea? I had 2 yellowtail origionally and one bullied the other badly n then we never saw him again.

Yep, that's what happens when you only keep 2 of schooling fish!