Valentini puffer

[ice440]

some sites saying there some wat reef safe, some say no. Anyone have any experience with them. Theyre pretty cool little species of puffers, if there some wat reef safe maybe ill take a chance?

 

[Elysia]

I had a female for a few years, during which time she grew from very very small to close to her adult size. I had almost no problems with her, although I did not tempt her much. Upon being put into the tank she pretty much desimated the hitchhiker feather dusters that were on my live rock (but I think she was just hungry, because later she showed no interest in the few that lived.) She occassionally picked at a snail or two, but most learned to press up against whatever they were grazing on as she swam by (and I never saw her actually get a snail off a rock -- but she would nip at them if they were exposed.) Similarly, she seemed to enjoy going after hermit crabs, but I don't believe she ever ate one. I had a mature cleaner shrimp, a serpent star and a brittle star (both of whom had cover under rocks), and some gorgonians and soft corals that the toby never bothered. I also had a pencil urchin that went about its business (eating my corals) without ever being bothered. I really loved that little toby -- she was a very interesting fish and I wouldn't hesitate to get another one.

 

[Romewhip]

I've never had a problem with them eating soft corals, and I don't have any stony, but mine was pretty tough on my hermits and snails. It may have nipped at soft corals, but I had enough it wasn't noticeable. They are a fun little fish with lots of personality!

 

[treylane]

I too grew a very small valentini puffer to nearly-adult size in a reef tank. They're certainly not going to be as coral-safe as a fairy wrasse - mine nipped at any "new and interesting" sps I added to the tank until they weren't "new" anymore - about a week. Not a huge problem, just meant that I couldn't buy any speck-sized frags. He ignored softies and other fish, but he harassed plate corals and snails. Overall though it's pretty doable. If it's one of your favorite fish and you're willing to keep a somewhat limited range of LPS, go for it.

 

[AfricaOffroad]

Puffers and clams dont mix well, so be careful.

 

[Angel*Fish]

I had pretty much the same experience as others above - I wouldn't get another because of the clam and snail issues. Mine jumped twice when it was in my 55g - in both cases, it was spooked by "the hand". I learned to be very careful and had no problems after that.

It was very cool at night - different kind of sleeping habit. Nice alternative to a trigger, similar in some ways.

The weird thing was when I upgraded to my 100g tank, it developed the habit of swimming back and forth by the front glass as if it was looking for a way out. I've heard of this behavior with triggers but not little Valentini puffers.

 

[ReyR]

I have one now, and thinking of trading it in for another. I've lost a few zoa frags to it. And now I have a couple new small sps and it's been nipping at them...mostly the Birds of Paradise. He's eaten a couple hermits and a couple turbos. I can't feed him enough. He gets fed mysis and flakes daily. I will say the zoa frags were new, and under some stress from acclimating...but they never had a chance to recover. My other established zoas are not bothered.