Questions about Valentini Puffer

[lespaul339]

Thinking about adding one of these to my tank. I also want to get a matted filefish. Would there be aggression between the two? I know I'm taking a chance at adding both of these to a reef, but I need the filefish for aiptasia, and I've read that both the Valentini and Matted Filefish can be reef safe. I'm willing to take the gamble. I will QT and they will go through TTM. I'm a little worried about doing TTM on the puffer since I read they aren't supposed to puff up in open air. Is that something I need to be concerned about or would it probably do fine with TTM?

How often do you need to feed meaty items to these Valentini's to keep their teeth worn down? Feeding clams won't be a problem, I can get them locally. I already feed the occasional clam to my copperband.

Any other thoughts and tips on the Valentini would be greatly appreciated. Just looking for any and all info I can get on these guys. Thanks.

 

[mitchrapp]

I've done ttm with a valentini with no problems. I've also done it with a blue spotted puffer with no problems.

 

[MuShu]

Valentinis should be okay with just mysis for their teeth. I have one, and it even leaves my micro hermits alone, so I don't think it would know what to do with a clam. I have seen mine eat the hermit crab molts, but it does not bother any invert in my tank.

Valentinis are kind of goofy fish, and mine is not aggressive at all.

 

[lespaul339]

Cool! Thanks for all the input.

 

[arashsheikhpoor]

I had a blue spotted puffer and a aiptasia eating file fish in the past. The file fish destroyed the aiptasia but soon started eating scans and palys. The puffer however started nibbling on my montis within an hour of being in my tank. So make sure you have a way of removing them if you need to.

 

[Silly clownfish]

My Valentini was not a problem for TTM.

Her tank was supposed to be FOWLR, but I keep putting frags that break off of coral in my main tank in there. She has not gone after any of them. I probabaly wouldn't chance expense corals or clams.

Snails don't seem to last in with her and I haven't tried shrimp, crabs, etc. i don't know that it is worth it.

As for teeth, from what I have read this is not as big of an issue with Valentini's as the larger puffers. I do give her large pellets when she gets pellets so that hpshe has to work on breaking them into smaller pieces and chewing.

Kim