I have seen schools of porcs while diving in the Caribbean. In Australia we even saw pairs of them swimming together all over the place. They get along fine in the ocean (like tangs or most fish) but not in aquariums...not long term anyways. You will hear of people saying its fine but usually they have not had them together long (under a few years) or as I said, one is small. It will work until that small one gets big. They are not like tangs where you will usually know right away if they are going to fight or not. They can be together for a while and then just snap one day. Almost always happens.

This is the only pic I could find but these two swam together on this entire dive. They stayed in our area the whole time too, it was very cool!

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_2301copy.jpg

How big were these guys GSP? They look huge. Perhaps they were a mated pair, who knows? I don't know how fish work for mating and the likes. It must be awesome to see them in the wild like this. I hope that sopmeday I can go diving, but I don't know who will care for my fish.

I also have to ask about your porkies fighting... Did one eventually die. You mentioned going after the eyes, was there severe damage? Did they chase each other? Was one submissive to the other, and wanted nothing to do with the beatings?

I just want to ask for the next person that might be in this situation. I honestly would have never guessed they would end up like this, since they are so self absorbed, they don't seem to care about anybody else, but their bellies. I cannot keep up to his eating demands, let me tell you. I think my dogs eat less then him...

Also I forgot how big Griff will get someday, since he is about 8" long now? I will ALWAYS have him and give him the best that I can. My other fish love it when he eats his frozen home made puffer chow, since they clean up the carnage. They keep their distance, and nobdy messes with him at all. I also noticed the same when Ickie came home. She's a ting dogface but my Emperor was on the warpath with all the other new fish but not her.

She lives in the big monti cap I bought and loves this sleeping spot... She nestles right into the corner in a safe and happy place. I love the nature of the dogfaced puffers and she is becoming my favorite.

Those guys are a different species of Porcupine Puffer and were about 18" or more long and about 8" or more wide. Massive.

The porcs I tried together years ago were fine for about a year and a half. One was much smaller than the other but as it grew and caught up to the other, I started to see problems. A bit of nipping at feeding time, a bit of territory disputes until one day they both snapped and it was all out war! They went for each others eyes...one lost an eye and eventually was put down. Even the one that won the battle was pretty messed up. It was pretty bad...a year and a half of peace and then within two days, one was dead and the other badly injured. He ended up dying a few months later. That was in a 180.

Here is a video if two "fighting" in the ocean. Not to bad of a fight and almost comical but you get the idea. They don't bite in the video but mine were doing this. You can imagine if they were squaring off like this and then one hits the glass and has nowhere to go, they will start biting. In this vid they don't really attack because they have lots of room to move around. In a huge tank they may not bite as much as mine did either...but I mean huge.

http://www.oceanfootage.com/oceans/s...rs+fight&Go=Go

Here is an idea of size and why a 50G is not suitable :) (first vid)

http://www.oceanfootage.com/oceans/s...+Current&Go=Go

Your dogface is beautiful...Here is a big one I saw in Australia...

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_1615copy.jpg

Mating Puffers :D

http://www.oceanfootage.com/oceans/s...ourtship&Go=Go


BTW, someone once was asking for proof that Guinea Fowl Puffers are Golden in their younger years and then switch to black and white again as adults...If this isn't proof, I don't know what is! These are breeding adults and certainly black and white. I don't remember if it was here or RC but I was saying the Goldens are very young still and people disagreed, saying they get Golden as adults. Not true. You are not going to find a Golden stage adult Guinea Fowl Puffer in the ocean...well I would assume some never change all the way but most will be black and white.

EDIT: of course after saying that I see down near the bottom there is a video of a bunch of adults swimming together and one is mostly still golden :) So there is always an exception ;) Pretty amazing to see all these guys swimming together.

well i feel silly you are right i wouldnt want to put a fish that size in a 50:wink:

Those are amazing videos, and pics Justin. As usual you are the puffer God... To see these guys in the wild must be so amazing. Thanks for all your knowledge, I never knew that much about puffers until I met you...

Oh no please don't feel silly :) I never meant to make you feel silly...