Puffer In Reef?

[yeahitsgotahemi]

Hey Everyone, I think my fav fish in the reef is a puffer. Is there any that would go okay in a mixed reef tank? I havent set my tank up, just in the process. I am building a list of species i would like to include in the tank and checking compatibility. Its 90 gallon tank. Any thoughts?

 

[sedor]

I have heard of people having sucess on a few occasions, but most of the time I think you will have problems, especially if its an SPS based reef. Besides the fact that they will grind on the skeletons, they are also fairly large and clumsy and will probably do some damage to frags you may have sitting around.

If you were going to attempt to do this, I would suggest making the puffer the main focus and building the tank around him as opposed to just tossing him in as another fish in the tank. If that makes any sense

 

[miked0523]

I dont think I would do it

 

[tom atchison]

my porcupine puffer doesnt touch my toadstool or gsp etc. but when adding snails and hermits he will catch and eat them by the time they hit the bottom.everybody loves a puffer. .

 

[reefergeorge]

I have a porcupine puffer in my reef. He is fine with corals, but nips hermits, and snails.
He has also ate two clown fish. So small fish are not a good idea.

I tried a dogface in a reef once, and he ate a whole colony of zoas in an afternoon.

edit: My porc is in with zoas, shrooms, a large leather, polyps, and rics.

 

[rioshilo]

my dogface is in a mixed reef and it has been hit or miss as to what he will go after. For sure zoa's and mushrooms. He will clean out entire colonies in minutes after finding them. I am successfully keeping some shrooms and zoas on the other side of the tank around the nem and clowns as the big maroon is able to keep him shoed away. Corals that are in there with the dogface that he leaves alone are zenia, kenya, colt, pipe coral, green mili, gsp, toadstool, finger leather, hammer, and a couple brains.

It's been a learning process to find what he will leave alone. Even if he doesnt eat it he can demolish a colony just playing around with it

 

[falconut]

I've been considering the same thing in my 90. I think the one's that have the best chance are Blue Spots and Valentinis. I believe both these only get around 4". I haven't been able to find too much information on them in reefs though. They are the two I've been considering. HTH

 

[quadrantkhan]

I have a porcupine in a mixed reef, mostly LPS and it has not touched anything at all. Does not mean he won't ever, but have had it for a while now and its been good.

 

[deviilsadvocate]

Well I know this may not count as a "saltwater" puffer but I have 2 green spotted puffers in my reef set up and they've been model citizens. Aside from one of the puffers getting stung by an anemone on occassion, they don't eat my snails, my cleaner shrimp or bother any of my corals. Love those 2 little guys.. Plus they are relatively small compared to other puffers.. I had them since ther were tiny and they went from fresh water to brackish water to full blown salt water.. =) Any questions let me know..

 

[Zegg]

havent had a problem with a porc puffer in my 90g reef yet, only been a 2 months though. Leaves the cleaner shrimp alone, turbo alone, even hermits. Only thing tat has suffered since adding him is my xenia. think its more of a wwatr quaity issue than the puffer though. Time will tell.