which is your favorite puffer?

[geaux xman]

just started warming up to the idea of having a puffer too. still waiting for my 180g to be delivered, but i want to keep an eye out for them at my LFS's.

i dont know much about them except for the selection i see on LA. is the dogface the main showstyle type puffer? willing to spend up to about 200

co-tank in habitants will be fairly tamed type ish... 3" bluejaw trigger, 3" swallowtail angel, red tail trigger(dont have yet), except for the 3" emperor angel.

crowded all full grown, but i'd still like to entertain the idea of getting a puffer.

thanks.

 

[LisaD]

I like dogface puffers the best for a more mellow tank - they aren't as aggressive as some puffers, and on the other hand, they aren't able to stand up as well to really aggressive fish. My favorite puffer. They also stay moderate sized, maxing out at 12-13", where some other species can grow truly huge.

The Solomon islands black and dalmation color morphs are very attractive, IMO, and would be within your maximum budget. Otherwise, the more common color morphs are more affordable.

 

[agreeive?fish]

dogface seem to have more "attitude" hense the name dogfaced because they act like a little lost puppy dog and i think they desire personal interaction between the aquarist and themself

i have had dogface,porcupine and stars & stripe and to me the dogface was always more interactive with me

i also think you will find many different color morphs in the dogface for a reasonable price compared to some of the other puffers

but that being said my stars /stripes liked to be held and would swim up to my hand to lay in it and he had a panther grouper tank mate that they had to be physicaly touching each other to sleep(rip from studip mistake tank crash during a winter house move)

 

[DoubleM 10]

i dont own any puffers anymore. i had a blue spotted toby. i really liked him. if i had your tank porcupine would be mine of choise (also my gf's fav puffer lol)

 

[StayPuft]

Out of the puffers I had, the dogface was my favorite for the reasons already mentioned. The stars and stripe was pretty cool too.

 

[Stuart60611]

+1 to the above. In a 180, the dogface puffer is going to be the largest puffer you are going to be able to fit in a 180 (stars and stripes, porcupine, and anthron species get too large). Any toby puffer will work also. Plus, you can keep a dogface puffer and a toby puffer (even several) together in the same system without any problem. My dogface and blue dot toby have lived together without the slightest hint of aggression for several years now. I would add that you are going to need to get a larger tank than a 180 or rehome the emperor b/c he will not do well in a 180 for more than at most 1 year.

 

[Juice It]

I have a golden and a yellow starry puffer together and they are very cool but are quite a bit of work. One chews on my faux reef constantly and they beg for food as soon as you go near the tank. Mine aren't big on pellets so they get shrimp/clams and other things that can be a pain if you are used to throwning in some pellets and thats it. My biggest issue is having someone else have to do this when I am away but they are super cool. The dogface is probably the best bet.

 

[Adam S]

I love my dogface even though he is just the regular morph of grey with black spots. Even when he was sick he was still swiming around begging for food and now that he isnt sick he wants food all the time. Very peacefull fish as well.

 

[j4mypets]

Kind of hard to be objective here- but my porc is my favorite- I think he has a personality all his own. Not aggressive at all. He is my favorite fish. However is growing fast, and is going to require me to spend more money ( what a suprise in this hobby) and upgrade to a 340! Well i don't know if he requires it or i do!!!

 

[flameangel88]

I loved my mappa but it grew over 2" a year and ended up giving away. Very mellow and gets along with all other fishes. Always swim toward me when I'm near the tank. It ate everything from frozen to large pellets and even the 1mm NLS pellets.