I didn't know where to put this thread, but I thought I should share my experience with keeping a green spot puffer in my reef tank.
A while ago I asked on a few forums about reef safe puffers, I got the answer, none are, unless you get lucky.
I wanted to know, because I saw a yellow cubicus (boxfish) and fell madly in love, however I knew my 55gal. Tank was too small, and too rough for him. (Even though he was about .25 of an inch at the time)
So I set my heart on a puffer. My LFS happened to have "freshwater" green spot puffers in stock, I read up on them and found out they can live in saltwater, and do in the wild at adulthood. I bought one keeping in mind my snails, shrimp and hermits would most likely disappear.
I acclimated him so saltwater pretty quickly (was an accident really ) over the course of one night. And he did very well in the time I had him,(a few months, maybe a year)
I fed him frozen shrimp every day, he became the highlight of the tank easily. And NEVER EVER, bothered a crab, shrimp or snail.
( though he probably would if they were smaller or if he was hungry enough )
He didn't bother my corals either, and he was a superb citizen. The most perfect citizen!
Alas his time came early, my powerhead malfunctioned and went from "blow mode" to "suck mode" and I assume his small fins couldn't save him from the suction. So he was chopped up. I realized he was gone almost instantly, because I loved him so, and he was always at the front begging for food.
I am moving soon, and when the fish are settled back in their tank for a while, I will definitely be buying another, and I will put a mesh over the powerhead this time. I'm sad for my loss, and realize I must have gotten lucky to have such a great tank citizen puffer, but I will try my luck again.
Ill try to post some pictures of him too, I only have a few since he never sat still.
RIP my Bumble bee
A while ago I asked on a few forums about reef safe puffers, I got the answer, none are, unless you get lucky.
I wanted to know, because I saw a yellow cubicus (boxfish) and fell madly in love, however I knew my 55gal. Tank was too small, and too rough for him. (Even though he was about .25 of an inch at the time)
So I set my heart on a puffer. My LFS happened to have "freshwater" green spot puffers in stock, I read up on them and found out they can live in saltwater, and do in the wild at adulthood. I bought one keeping in mind my snails, shrimp and hermits would most likely disappear.
I acclimated him so saltwater pretty quickly (was an accident really ) over the course of one night. And he did very well in the time I had him,(a few months, maybe a year)
I fed him frozen shrimp every day, he became the highlight of the tank easily. And NEVER EVER, bothered a crab, shrimp or snail.
( though he probably would if they were smaller or if he was hungry enough )
He didn't bother my corals either, and he was a superb citizen. The most perfect citizen!
Alas his time came early, my powerhead malfunctioned and went from "blow mode" to "suck mode" and I assume his small fins couldn't save him from the suction. So he was chopped up. I realized he was gone almost instantly, because I loved him so, and he was always at the front begging for food.
I am moving soon, and when the fish are settled back in their tank for a while, I will definitely be buying another, and I will put a mesh over the powerhead this time. I'm sad for my loss, and realize I must have gotten lucky to have such a great tank citizen puffer, but I will try my luck again.
Ill try to post some pictures of him too, I only have a few since he never sat still.
RIP my Bumble bee
