bought two fish...need to take one back

[rtgordon]

I bought a valentini puffer and a dwarf fuzzy lion for my FOWLR tank. Compatibility charts and LFS said these two are fine together. Many other people say that I will end up with dead lion as puffer (esp valentini) will nip and tear the fins of the dwarf lion. I don't want to risk it and potentially end up with a dead lion fish.

Dilemma: Which one to take back? The puffer or the Lion... If I keep the Lion, which is a very beautiful fish, (and don't get other fish that eat like the puffer) I can get some hermits, etc. to help kep the tank clean as well as open up some possibilities with inverts. On the other hand, I have heard though that puffers are the most personable fish that you can buy (not that lions are impersonable). That is why i bought the puffer.

Any thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Gordon

[BigE]

Just my personal opinion but I'd probably keep the puffer. I've had a lion before and although they are very intruiging, they aren't the most exciting or active. The only time they show much enthusiasim is when its feeding time and then its back to chilling out on a rock.

[Cosine]

I second the puffer.
But I'd vote for any puffer over mostly any other fish.
But this is a personal opinion gotta make the choice yourself!
good luck
what else have you decided on putting in there?
that might simplify the decsion

[rtgordon]

Originally Posted by Cosine

I second the puffer.
But I'd vote for any puffer over mostly any other fish.
But this is a personal opinion gotta make the choice yourself!
good luck
what else have you decided on putting in there?
that might simplify the decsion

I haven't decided on anything else.... probably depends on which fish i take back

I was thinking small Kole Tang or Marine Betta. I am leaning towards taking the puffer back in favor of Lion. If I do this, I will probably put another lion (a radiata or dwarf zebra in it's place).

What do I put in there to keep the LR clean with a puffer??

gordon

[Cosine]

I don't have a pred tank so I'm not much help but I think bigger inverts like urchins are alright with puffers ezpeically little ones I would think.
Do different species of lions get along?

[rtgordon]

I have been told that they do. If someone knows otherwise, let me know please!

[taboo]

maybe you need to get another tank a puffer tank and a lion tank. I would if i had the room.

[BigE]

I don't beleive there is a problem keeping several different species of lions in the same tank. From what I've seen, if a lion can't fit something in its mouth, it doesn't care about it.
To keep the live rock clean with a lion you could use snails or hermits. Shrimp and blennies would become snacks.
Not sure what to do if you keep the puffer in regards to keeping your rocks clean.

[rtgordon]

Originally Posted by taboo

maybe you need to get another tank a puffer tank and a lion tank. I would if i had the room.

My wife said don't encourage !

[rtgordon]

I took the puffer back I wanted a puffer, but I wanted a lion more. Now I will get two lions instead. I traded the puffer for a small Kole Tang (he/she had a chunk out of the tail and looked a little skinny... some garlic soaked food will help him/her right along). I will post pics in a little while.

Thanks for the help!

gordon

[ruhspolostar]

your sure you dont want to wait & see how they act, maybe the puffer will be a good citizen

[JennM]

I have kept lions and puffers together, and multiple specimens/species of lion. I wouldn't have been so fast to take one back... I would have watched to see how the individuals got along.

I've got a HUGE black volitan in my 1000, and a medium stars and strips puffer. They don't even give each other a second look.

In my sale displays I often have several lions in a 75 and I currently have 2 dwarf lions and a little porcupine puffer together. No worries.

Jenn

[ruhspolostar]

thats what i thought jenn