Porc Puffer

[saltyfreak]

Here's my intro before the quetions. I've kept brackish GSP's before, then I switched my 55 gallon tank to SW about 3.5 months ago. God di I have a rocky start! I lost 3 fish, I jumped in way too fast. I had to learn the hard way, I lost $100 dollars worth of fish and about $40 more in feeder fish. But now I just have some live rock, a Yellow Tang and a Percula Clown left in my 55 gallon tank. I miss my puffers so greatly..I've never had a better fish than a puffer. So I want to get a porcupine puffer. I want to get some advice first...

Of course I'll be letting my tank sit for at least 2 months before I add any living thing again, get everything ballanced, in order, and make it a livable tank again. In that time I'll be getting more live rock and saving my money.
I want to get a porc to go in there. Of course it wouldn't be permament and I would move him to a 90 gallon tank in the future. I was wondering...if I do get a porc, do I have to take out my Tang and Percula? Or can they just stay in there with him...?
Also, can I get an anemonae for my percula (if I can keep my percula) without the porc getting into trouble with it? Thanks guys!
SF

[Tasher80]

They cannot be with invertabrates in a tank. They are good for a tank with low aggressive behaviors. Tangs are pretty nonaggressive with fish that don't look like a Tang. So I would say that it would be fine but you can't have anything invertabrates in teh tank or they can get killed.

P.S. If anyone finds flaws in what I'm saying at anytime please let me know. A lot of this stuff I know comes from books but first hand accounts can be better.

[Paradox]

You can probably keep it with the clown. Get a small puffer. Feeding the puffer live food may not be a good idea, because as it gets bigger, it may start trying to eat anything that fits in its mouth. A tang should be fine. Ive seen puffers and kept ones in fish only tanks all the time. I dont know if your going the reef route, but keep in mind that they will eat corals...

D.

[saltyfreak]

Thanks guys...sounds good. No I won't be going reef, those were my options, a colorful reef tank or a tank with a fish with great personality. I choose the puffer. I'll be feeding him, frozen and live foods. Is a 55 gallon too small for the porc?
Dan

[Paradox]

No, I had one in a 55. Of course bugger is better, but its not always possible.THey do have great personalities. Its probably because they always look like they are smiling and although you think they are following your finger for fun, they are just thinking its food... =)

I would emphasixe the (getting a small puffer), so it can learn to be with the clown. Also, Ive never seen ones attack anenomies, so you may be safe there as well, but I cant be positive.

D.

[saltyfreak]

Thanks a lot! I understand, every fish is differant. If the porc would try to attck teh anemonae, wouldn't it sting the porc? My LFS has porcs that are around 2-4 inches. I'll get the smallest one I can find.
Dan

[Junkzoo]

Dan, a 55 might be ok for a while, between it growing , and the fact puffers are messy eaters , on both ends , a 55 might be too small to keep water quality at it's best..

on live food, i recommend NO live food ie: shiners, comets, guppies etc., for many reasons. When you go to pick out your puffer try to find one that already is eating prepared, non-live food. easier on you, and much heathier for the fish.
We had a foot long Porc at the shop years ago, ate only prepared foods , fresh fish,squid mussels etc. plus plenty dry and pelleted food.

got a porc puffer at home going on 10 yrs now, never had "feeders" since i had her , I know it's a "her" cuz she expells eggs at least twice a year, so she must be happy,,,
she eats Hicari pellets, Tetra food sticks,FD krill,any frozen aquarium type food, Tilapia fillets,squid ,shrimp, mussels ,thawed peas etc., all soaked in Selcon,,,i can't go to the freezer without everyone in the 180 splashing water ,with their noses stuck to the front glass,,,,

Feeder goldfish are not good food for SW fish ,especially Lions,,,
plus the fact that porc puffers are chow hounds,i never had a problem getting one to eat other foods.
If you get a smallish puffer, feeder guppies might do for a while until you get them converted over to prepared foods.

Also, you have to watch puffers with fish smaller than them, for that matter anything the puffer thinks might make a nice meal,,,
since you are planning on non-reef, no worries about inverts etc..

[saltyfreak]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it a lot! I didn't mean like live fish, I meant like live blood worms, earth worms, shrimp, ext. I learned the hard way that feeder fish are not goo at all. Lost a burrfish and lionfish to that. How fats do the porcs get. I can always add more live rock and maybe another power filter to keep the mess down.
Dan

[Junkzoo]

Dan , i would say avoid all the live stuff you mentioned, try to stick with either frozen or prepared food,,,
how fat do they get? hmmmmmm,they do know when to stop, most of the time it's 10 minutes after they had enuf LOL.
Like us and most fish,if fed too much they will sulk at the top/bottom of the tank, and prob regurg some of the food anyway,making a problem for your tank,,,,,you'll get the idea of how much they need,i can tell when my lion or puffer is really hungry,they will come to the side of the tank by my chair, and bug the daylights out of me ,going at the glass, rubbing noses against it and just plain bothering me LOL.
Use their hunger to your advantage in converting their eating habits, you kinda want to feed when they are fairly hungry,,then they will attempt to eat whatever you give them,,,making offering frozen/prepared food easier to get them to eat

[saltyfreak]

Opps, sorry! I must have spasmed out when I ask you how fat they get. LOL That was a wierd quetion!!! I meant to ask you how fast they grow. lol Alright, but can I give it to the porc as a little snack every once and a while? Or not at all?
Dan