Porc puffer friends?

[banditpowdercoat]

I am getting a 150g tank next week. We were toying with the idea of housing a Porc in it? But, not sure who would be friends with him? Would larger fish, as in a Yellow Tang and Powder Blue be ok? Rabbitfish? Or should Porc's be better in a spiecies tank? I may have a empty 45g corner for him too???

[my2rotties]

I have chromis, ,foxface, 3 tangs, a trigger, regal angel, cowfish, scooter blennies, a cleaner wrasse, gobies, a lawnmower blennie, and a few shrimp and other fish with my big guy. The only fish I could not keep with him was smaller clownfish. I have a saddleback and maroon clown but they are too large for him to eat. He allows the cleaner wrasse as well as cleaner shrimp to clean him up, and makes no move to eat them. He is very well fed... so he does not turn to his tankmates for a snack. It was rough when I first got him, and he was new to aquarium life. Now that he has been in my tank a few months, I don't worry too much about him. He knows where the food is coming from now.

He has a fire shrimp he swims around with at lights out and has not eaten any of my peppermints, or cleaner shrimp. My only issue with him is that he eats smaller snails whole, and they make him sick. Usually the snails live under the sand but when they surface he nabs them. Because he cannot digest the shell, he will puff up to try to spit them out.

I have a lot of rock work so smaller fish like the scooter gobies are not easily accessed by the puffer, and can dart under the rocks. I find the puffer keeps to himself and does his own thing. So long as the fish are bigger then bite sized, I have had no problems with housing them with my gigantic puffer. He is a fun fish and is quite endearing with all his begging... and he starts when you are across the room from him.

[banditpowdercoat]

Thx, that sure opens up alot of choices for me I sure do love the comical erxpressions and personality of others puffers that I have seen.

Now what about Corals? Will they nip Softies? Clams, SPS or LPS?

[my2rotties]

When you get a puffer make sure he is with you for quite some time prior to adding any smaller fish. My biggest mistake with Griff was adding him to my tank with two false percula clowns. He is a mature fish that spent his life in the ocean and was an opportunistic hunter... he ate the clownfish in a couple of weeks of him being home. I added the chromis and the scooter blennies awhile back and he ignores the chromis, and the scooters live on the bottom where he really has no interest in going. They also see him coming and take off.

With Griff it was trail and error and he is a really big puffer. I have never seen one for sale the same size that he is. Everybody has had different experiences with their puffers and bringing Griff home has been a challenge. People are blown away by the fact that he has not touched any of my shrimp, and hangs out with a fire shrimp. I will never get any small clownfish since the colour and movement of the species is much like a fishing lure when you think about it.

He is a glutton of all gluttons and when I hand feed my large cowfish, I have to have both hands in the tank. One to feed to the cowfish, and the other to bock Griffie from coming and eating the cowfish food. He is a beggar and will press his eyeballs and half of his face against the glass to get my attention. I was told puffers need to eat every 2-3 days but I feed mine twice a day. If he is well fed, I have no problems.

My guy is huge and I am not sure the smaller ones will be easier to accustom to tank life or not. I think it is a lot of trail and error, but he pays no attention to any of the otehr fish in the tank and vice versa...

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

Thx, that sure opens up alot of choices for me I sure do love the comical erxpressions and personality of others puffers that I have seen.

Now what about Corals? Will they nip Softies? Clams, SPS or LPS?

[my2rotties]

As for any types of corals... he pays no attention to any of it at all. I have a full reef tank and he does not bother anything.

[banditpowdercoat]

I have been told that we are to get a baby porc, no exceptions LOL. So, if the rest of the tankmates are larger, when we get him, and he grows up with them, my thinking is that they should get along

[my2rotties]

The baby porcs are the most adorable thing ever!!! It looks like they have the same sized eyes as my big guy, and they have to grow into them. I wish I got a baby but Griff was my first new fish into the 260g and my hubby wanted me to get him. I took one look a Griffie and was in love...

I did read the baby puffers do eat other fish when they are growing up sometimes... however at least you won't be mortified when you see him take a poop and find a long term fish in there...

Good luck in finding a nice fat baby puffer and make sure to post pictures of the little dude.

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

I have been told that we are to get a baby porc, no exceptions LOL. So, if the rest of the tankmates are larger, when we get him, and he grows up with them, my thinking is that they should get along

[Oxymoron]

Is there any puffer's that would be suitable for his 45g besides a valentini?
Perhaps a brackish water species?

[my2rotties]

He is setting up a 150g and the puffer would go in there. Lots of room for a young puffer.

Originally Posted by Oxymoron

Is there any puffer's that would be suitable for his 45g besides a valentini?
Perhaps a brackish water species?

[Skimmerking]

YES Griffie is quite a ham..... we loves him alot... I wonder if I should get a griffie junior, or another type of one. they are cute thou...

oh ya BY the way how is griffie doing