Green Spotted Puffer in a Reef

I have a Green Spotted puffer that if fully acllimated to marine, I would like to add him to my main display which is a reef set-up. I am aware of this fish's diet of snails and small crustations but all my snails and hermits are much larger than him and there is no way he will be able to fit them in his mouth for many years. I have read that these are very inteligent fish and that if feed a specific diet can live secsessfully in a reef set-up. I just wanted to hear a few oppinions before adding this fish to my main display.

Thank-you

 

personally i wouldnt place that guy in a reef setting. he will eat anything that looks tastey.
ive had GSP in the past and i have some FW right now. it doesnt matter if their mouths are too small or not they will try and eat it anyway. they got big chompers, your inverts and most likely your corals will be doomed

 

I have one in a reef set up and it is a great addition IMO. It does try to eat the snails even though they are larger than him but once the snail(s) retracts back into their shells, he cannot get to them and gives up. I think as long as you feed it well and supply a good amount of prawns or ghost shrimp, it should be fine!

 

Hi, look at this way, you spend good money for Coral, why chance that the puffer will leave them alone? I have lived on the edge with FOWLR tanks but when I got into Coral I repented from taking chances. I did make one mistake however, a LFS person convinced me that this real nice Green headed Wrasse would be o.k. primarily because he was small. Well things were good for about 8 mos. then the Wrasse got about 5-6" and wreaked havoc on the tank. Now...you have a problem child in there and how do you get it out! Fortunately for me, the Wrasse was very trusting and when he came to eat from my hand I netted him and exchanged him at the LFS.
Really consider your choices.

 

The GSP will destroy your reef, he'll eat all the crabs, snails, ect no matter what size they are and maybe your corals too. I would'nt do it.

 

Well I don't have any ornamental shrimp or crabs in my tank (just hermits and snails) and like I said, every once in a while (especially in the beginning - not so much anymore) it will go after my snails but once they retract, it gives up. It definitely doesn't go near any coral either so maybe I just happen to be lucky 8) - I do keep it well fed so that may have something to do with it too!

 

GSP green spotted puffer also means green star polyps. i was alil confused for a second.

its hit and miss with basically all puffers some a reef safe some arent, they are RSWL reef safe with luck

none are invert safe however. your snails and hermits should be ok since they have a protective shell.

also puffers may try to eat anemones, when i had mine it started to bite the tenticles down and spit them out lil by lil.

 

i didnt know you could convert those guys

 

Too bad all fish aren't reef/invert safe/non-agressive.. there's so many cool looking fish out there... but maybe that's half the fun for some FOWLR owners.

 

Well I took the plunge, or should I say the green spotted puffer did. I have added the fish to my reef and he seems to be doing great. I am in the testing phase to see if he will wreak havok or not, and if he dose he trust me enough to hand feed him and is easy to catch. I will post a few pics if he works out. I'm feeding him small snails, ghost shrimp and Mysis that seems to be the only things he is interested in eating and pays no attention to the hermits and large snails.

Thx everyone for the in-put I will update with pics in a week.

Cheers