Valentini Puffer / Mix?

[edwar050]

Valentini puffer lone fish, thinking about adding dwarf zebra lionfish or Antennata Lionfish. My valentini does not munch down of softies so I am wanting to keep an aggressive 55 but I like the valentini so much "shes 3in" that I don't want to risk loosing her. How reefsafe are the Dwarf and Antennata Lionfish and do you think they are compatiable with smaller puffers? "no inverts in tank except longspine urchins."

 

[Torno]

Do not add a lionfish, I had to get rid of my valantini for the exact reason. They do not leave the spines of the lions alone and quickly stress them out.

 

[Petstorejunkie]

i agree, i love my toby but he is currently living in a critter keeper inside of ;my 30 gal because he has been kicked out of every other tank for nippy behavior

 

[LRS078]

Anything to live with a canthigaster genus puffers best not have big fins. Lions are double bad as when they get bigger the puffer is on the menu as it will fit in the mouth if the puffer hasn't destroyed those lovely long fins already. Not to mention puffers are toxic if eaten so that could kill the lion. Not a happy cycle.

I would recommend a bluejaw trigger (most reefsafe of the breed) or a dwarf angel (not really reef safe but neither are canthigaster puffers).

 

[edwar050]

Blue gaw/throat trigger is a good idea, didn't think of that one. Agreed on the lionfish as it could eat the puffer and that would not sit well with me. The puffer used to be housed with bangaii cardinals and never messed with any fish's fins in the past. I have decided to break down the 55 and add the puffer to my 120 reef. The valentini is such a cool fish I think she will enjoy the 120 much more and I will not worry about the corals. I origionally moved her becasue of the phosphates during the double daily feeding. Guess I will just handfeed from here on out.

Once again good advise and it was right on par with what I was thinking so thank you for reinforcing my thoughts.

Brad

 

[Absint Reefer]

more aggressive clownfish would go well to like a tomato, maroon or cinnamon

 

[edwar050]

Any body know about the cinamons aggressiveness. The maroon gets to big/aggressive for my taste.

 

[edwar050]

Tank was sold, puffer moved into 120. Ditched aggressive tank. Puffer housed with powder blue, yellow tang, two black and white occellaris, chromis, bi-color blenny, mandarin dragonette, and a scalet skunk cleaner shrimp. Valentini has been a model citizen in a mostly softie tank.

 

[prugs]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8251685#post8251685 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by edwar050
Tank was sold, puffer moved into 120. Ditched aggressive tank. Puffer housed with powder blue, yellow tang, two black and white occellaris, chromis, bi-color blenny, mandarin dragonette, and a scalet skunk cleaner shrimp. Valentini has been a model citizen in a mostly softie tank.

Should we start praying for the mandarin dragonette, and the scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp?

 

[Monkeyfish]

LOL

 

[edwar050]

You can pray all you like, both are doing very well. I have had the mandarin for two years. The valentini puffer has not bothered the cleaner shrimp at all. Its calculated risk, I did not just chuck them in the tank and keep my fingers crossed. I would not reccomend doing this unless you know what your doing.

BTW my valentini is a small female saddle not a hawaiian saddle. Shes very reef safe-

 

[Bghost]

I agree. My Crowned Saddle Puffer is in my 55gal mixed reef with my Cleaner Shrimp for 8 months now, and hasn't gone after it. Infact the little guy goes to cleaner shrimp to get cleaned once in awhile. I guess the cleaner shrimp has to be there 1st for a while, than you can add the puffer. Almost the same thing with a niger or blue throat trigger.

 

[Bghost]

BTW beautiful pics. I wish I can take pics that are small enough to fit on here.

 

[LRS078]

Canthigaster genus puffers are the worst fin nippers I have ever observed. They just can't seem to help themselves. Your lion will get nipped to all hell and someday when he is big enough he'll eat the puffer which will easily kill them both. (the puffer from being eaten, the lionfish from the puffer's neurotoxin/tetradoxin)

One of the worse matchings in the home aquarium..... An aggressive centropyge angel is a far better choice...say a flame or similar should be able to keep up with the valentini and not have such an problem.

 

[edwar050]

Agreed with the dwarf angel, though I do not have a lion. I was only wondering about compatability due to the lack of the puffers aggression. My valentini is not a nipper at all. I have seen her pick at a couple of snails and a little monti cap. The monti cap still outgrew her trimming her teeth and for the snails I don't really care. Never had a problem with her fin nipping, but with a lion I suppose you never know. Another note, she has puffed up twice, once during a move. Be sure your powerheads/pumps/intakes are screened off as many puffers will get stuck- One more reason for the crazy looking seio mod - anyone say closed loop

Thanks for the prop on the pics, the photos are really not that great, just didnt feel like saying it when I could just show it. You can go to download.com download a photo editor such as irfanview for free which allows you to change basic photo settings, then photobucket. Does not take longer than a coule of mintues.


BTW I sold the 55 have a nano quarantine/hospital and am going to start trying to raise the clownfish fry very soon-

Brad