have porcupine puffer...Quick question

[SalteeDogg]

Just got this guy he is pretty small (3-4") and he is in the tank with my clownfish that is nearly 2" long. clown stays in his anemone ALL day but the two have already looked at each other. What are the odds he will eat the clown? Im just hoping they can become friends. Im going to try and keep the puffer full most of the time to keep his apetite down. Also what is a good fish to feed it I bought some baby feeder golds, but want to switch it to something more healthy. TIA

 

[reeffreak]

I used to feed mine feeder guppies(not recommended,this was back in 92').Nowadays,people feed freeze dried krill,squid,silverside.They will need hard crustaceans to wear down their teeth,raw table shrimp with shell and all will work.

 

[SalteeDogg]

thanks!!! im just worried about my clown now but everyone has told me it can go both ways and that clowns usually make the puffer a good friend but I dont know. Hope he behaves he acts like he has got more personality then most other fish I have seen. He has been at my local petco for 5 months and everyone in the store was about to cry when I got him. He checked out ok health wise and doesnt show to have any ich. I know its a gamble when getting fish from petco but I couldn't not get him with his bizarre personality.

 

[reeffreak]

I kept a puffer with a large maroon with no problems.I'm not sure with smaller clowns and other fish.I figure a small clown might look tasty like a feeder fish.

 

[Doc]

If I were a betting man (which I am, I rule in Vegas), I would not put any money on your clown. he will most likely be toast. Puffers do great in FOWLR systems with angelfish, groupers, etc. Small fish are lunch. I hope you can be the exception.

-Doc

 

[SalteeDogg]

how many times a day should I feed him?

 

[Doc]

it won't matter. About a year ago, I had a lionfish that I kept fat and happy, but he still ate smaller fish whenever the opportunity presented itself, even with a stomach bulging with krill and silversides. I had to feed my angels 4-5 times a day to keep them from eating my LPS corals for a year and even then they nipped at them from time to time and ate my Xenia. We can try to curb what nature intends to do, but at the end of the day, if that clown comes too close and the puffer gets a hankerin', kiss nemo good-bye. Sorry for being a downer, I want it to work for you, but fish are just fish. I have seen my shark throw up food to eat more food when he was clearly stuffed. Predatory fish just have that instinct.

If you want to try to curb it, feed him 3 times a day, little bits at a time and in a corner away from where your clown lives. Hopefully he will associate the location where you put food as the only place he can eat. My angels did that and would tell me when they were hungry by schooling in the corner where I put food. Best of luck to you

-Doc

 

[Doc]

I assume he is in the 30gallon tank? are you planning an upgrade for the puffer? If so, you might be able to hold out from him eating Nemo until you get your bigger tank up, say 4 months or so? If you are not planning an upgrade, that puffer will get too big in about a year and it will die.

I forgot to mention, feeding so much food creates a HUGE bioload problem and will shoot your nitrates up like a rocket. I was doing 25% weekly water changes in my 125 when I was feeding heavy and could never get my nitrates below 20ppm and my Phosphates were off the chart, like 1.0 - DAMN that was high. my corals didn't die, but I could never keep pompom xenia. Now, I can. Just more info for your "gee-wiz" collection

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

I fed twice a day.
Look for jumbo size freeze dried krill.

 

[Doc]

hmmm. Here I am trying to write a novel and you are dropping one liners. Am I being too long winded? I don't want to end up like RC!!!

-Doc

 

[reeffreak]

If your asking if you talk to much then the answer is yes.Well,in this case ''type'' to much.

He only ask how often did you feed,not a lecture....sheesh!

 

[Doc]

ok, ok, ok. I can take a hint

-Doc

 

[FNG44601]

I'm currently in the middle of an experiment with a porcupine puffer.... I think the biggest mistake you can make is offer him any live food. Mine is also housed with 2 clowns, 1 banggai cardinal, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp 1 TINY scooter blenny and a striped damsel. We feed this guy salad shrimp, frozen peas ( he loves it) and of course he partakes in the feeding of the krill or other frozen foods. We only feed him on the left side of the tank- as my little clowns are "home" on the right. Keeping him hand fed and training him which side is best to eat has seemed to work. Zero catastrophies!!!! other than the smallest snails and crabs.

Your rockwork should have some easily accessible "escape routes" for the smaller guys. But even more important- try to build this puffer a cave. Our guy will stay wedged between rocks UNTIL it's time to feed.

Good luck

 

[SalteeDogg]

thanks for all the input!!! Yeah I woke up this morning to what sounded like a gunshot!!! Got up and saw that he drilled a snail up against the glass and im surprised the glass didnt break it was a hard hit. He got one of my smaller snails so I guess only the strong survives! When they say that they arnt reef safe what reefs do they tend to eat/go after? I have a few corals and anemones but so far so good>>>>>fingers crossed.

 

[FNG44601]

I've found out that anything smaller than a nickel is DOOMED!!!!!!!!!!! so for my cleanup crew I've switched gears- LARGE TURBOS, queen conch, blenny, etc.... Also have an emerald crab but he tends to keep his head down!! lol. But go BIG with the snails. And I think the key is kinda training these guys, feed em in the same spot, lay off the live feeding- they really dig the salad shrimp and frozen foods(krill,brine) and keep em fed. Since accepting the fact that the little guys are collateral damage- my tank is very peaceful.

 

[SalteeDogg]

I bought the porcupine puffer a friend today (niger trigger) and they have been acting like they love each other until bed time came around. my puffer sleeps in my only cave and the trigger has been picking at him trying to get him out. After back and forth picking the puffer went and layed in the sand like he gave up his cave to the trigger. If the trigger makes the puffer mad I think its going to be a dead trigger but hopefully they are just getting used to each other. Both are same in size. I have seen a couple pet stores with triggers mixed with their puffers that why I made the decision to go that route. I guess we'll see what happens!

 

[reeffreak]

I kept an Undulated with a Puffer with no issues,you should be okay,IMO.

 

[SalteeDogg]

did they pick at each other at first? The trigger doesnt really attack him its more like a quick push off with his mouth, same with the puffer. Puffer hasnt puffed up at all so I know its not that serious for the puffer yet. Im guessing this just normal for a new trigger?

 

[reeffreak]

None whatsoever but they were introduced at the same time.I had to eventually sell the trigger.....I was getting tired of it rearranging the rocks.Hopefully,things will settle down in a day or two.

 

[SalteeDogg]

yeah its weird cause one minute they both will be in the cave squeezed side by side not moving or nothing but after about 5 minutes, 1 will get irritated and start picking on the other and then they calm right back down and start swimming together its weird.