small puffers?

marcingo · #1 12-11-2006, 03:14 AM

Just wondering if anyone knows if there are saltwater puffers that stay under 3 or 4 inches in size? I tried to look it up on the internet but not much success. All I have found is brackish dwarf puffers.

Thanks.

Kabong · #2 12-11-2006, 03:49 AM

5" is about as small as salt water puffer's come
Saddle Valentini Puffer is probably your best option for small SW puffer.

marcingo · #3 12-11-2006, 03:50 AM

great thanks. I guess there goes my idea of having a small puffer in a 10 gal.

Pan · #4 12-11-2006, 04:20 AM

Valentini should not get more than 4 inches, the saddle puffer gets 5 inches or so...and the mimic saddle is about 4 as well.
but even these little guys are mean...

marcingo · #5 12-11-2006, 04:22 AM

i dont mind them being mean- since it would be the only fish in the tank. But do you think they would be ok in the 10? Probably not hey.

Chaloupa · #6 12-11-2006, 06:31 AM

my little Valentini isn't mean at all...he keeps to himself and always has...don't know that I would want him in a 10g though...he does enjoy a good fast swim along the length of the tank!

Flusher · #7 12-12-2006, 12:01 AM

That'll do it, I'm sure. Even a 15 long should be good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcingo

All I have found is brackish dwarf puffers.

I missed this earlier. Dwarf Puffers are one of the FW-only species.
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Mr. Scratch · #8 12-12-2006, 12:08 AM

i doubt anything less than a 30 should be used, but to each his own. I've had several and after some research and experience i realized they are quite messy, can be quite hostile to inverts, nip corals, other fish and create huge amounts of waste for a fish their size, for to grow the way they should they need a lot of food. Which is the reason i no longer keep them, well i have a little one i'm giving away but thats it (it was a gift from someone who should know better then to buy a fish for someone as a gift)

marcingo · #9 12-12-2006, 12:13 AM

great thanks for the help everyone.

Flusher · #10 12-12-2006, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Scratch

i doubt anything less than a 30 should be used, but to each his own.

Yeah, that might be true. I had a lot of FW puffers, so big water changes to offset their mess wasn't so much of an issue. Then again, an oversized skimmer and larger weekly water changes on a smaller tank should do the trick. I guess it depends on how much time you want to spend maintaining the tank. I was spending way too much time doing water changes back when I had a lot of FW tanks set up, so I downsized.

I knew a guy who had a small puffer in a 10 gallon tall tank. apparently it did well until the tank crashed. Go figure...
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