puffer lookout

[xhaust50]

I'm looking for a small puffer to add to a 55G tank. Dogface's and porc's are going to be too big, but if you see any other puffers at an LFS please reply! Or if you are placing an order with SWF and I can jump in let me know. Thanks.

 

[NickDig]

A green spotted puffer would be perfect, and while only high brackish fish in the wild, seem to thrive at full marine. Like all puffers they can be nippy and territorial, and may eat your coral, but your tank info says FOWLR and aggressive, so the GSP might fit in just fine.

 

[NickDig]

I also really applaud you for realizing it's too small for the larger puffers you mention, they get simply huge and need massive space, yet many buy them on impulse or because they're just far to cute.

 

[xhaust50]

Thanks for the response. I already have a green spotted puffer in the tank though. I saw a Blue Dot puffer at SCFR, I might go back and pick him up.

If anyone else sees something please let me know. Thanks.

 

[jnfallon]

I was at "lunch" on the napeague stretch and they have fried pufferfish on the menu. yum, yum.

 

[xhaust50]

Aren't they poisonous?

 

[jnfallon]

I sure hope not.

These are the local puffers.

 

[NickDig]

Even the northern atlantic ones sure are poison Capt'n Cook and his crew fed them to the pigs after they felt numb and tingly when eating them themselves, and all the pigs died, in the first ever western case of fugu poisoning. That said, as long as the skin and organs are all carefully removed they're perfectly safe to eat and atlantic puffers of various species were important food fish before being depleted past profitability.
On the original question - a valentini puffer would be a good choice, and a Hawaiian spotted might work as well, or even a pink spotted.

 

[xhaust50]

Picked up the blue dot puffer. I will continue to look for a Valentini or one of those local puffers. Please respond if you see one. Thanks.

 

[NickDig]

I think the local puffs might get a big large, a bit over a foot, but I'm really interested in getting one myself, they're actually very unique, while active hunters, they have eyes moved towards the top of their head and will burrow into sand, and have very pretty bluegreen eyes.