Porkypine Puffers

Gaspare · 08-12-2003, 02:55 AM

My wife has fallen in love with this puffer at the store. I have a 75gal tank that I am still cycling and I know it will be a long time before I can house a fish like this. But I do not know much about them. Can they be kept in a reef tank? Do they have a special diet?

Matt Rogers · 08-12-2003, 10:52 AM

This came up a couple weeks ago and the consensus was 'no!' they are not reef-safe. Check out their diet:

"A varied diet of live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, earthworms, ghost shrimp, uncooked "people" shrimp, clams, mussels, oysters, silver sides, crab, squid, brine shrimp, and snails is a vital part of keeping your puffer healthy. "

http://www.petfish.net/puffer.htm

Gaspare · 08-12-2003, 03:01 PM

Thank you. I'm glad to find this out before purchasing one. I don't think my wife will be to happy to hear this. Perhaps you know of some other puffer fish that is reef safe?

Craig Manoukian · 08-12-2003, 04:19 PM

Puffers are not reef safe and if they die they can really poison even a fish only tank. Beware if you choose to own one.

Gresham · 08-12-2003, 09:14 PM

Puffers wiping out a tank with their poison when they die? Don't you mean, boxfish, cowfish or soapfish?

No reef safe puffer, sorry. If there was such a thing, I'd have it, I love puffers. Puffy puppy dogs that eat inverts with a gusto.

Gaspare · 08-13-2003, 01:05 AM

Thank you for letting letting me pick your brain. I will stay clear of all puffer fish. The last thing I want is to possibly lose all the tank inhabitants.

Craig Manoukian · 08-13-2003, 07:45 PM

Gresh, thanks for the bail out! Yes Box Fish poison, Puffers eat inverts, my bad!

marinenut · 01-14-2004, 04:51 PM

Hi Gaspare,

Porcs are a great and I mean GREAT personality fish. I am a puffer addict and have kept several species at one point in time. Unfortunately, none of the puffers are reef safe fish. In their natural habitat, they dine on corals. But they are definitely worth the time and effort to set up a fish only tank. The tetraodonts(puffers, triggers, boxfish) are considered the most intelligent of all marine fish. They will recognize and enjoy human interaction. The porc that I had was very enjoyable. For a fish only tank, I would highly recommend them. If you enjoy puffers, this is a great fish to start with.

karlas · 01-19-2004, 02:05 AM

ive only had one puffer it was a green spot not quite a salt puffer. but still he liked ghost shrimp, clam, live crayfish and such. the diets for most species are similar lots of crusteaceans. they need the hard shells to trim there beaks if not taken care of the beaks can grow to the point where they cannot eat. also you need to rotate food because they can acutally get bored whith what they eat. they were a great fish but need major diatary needs