To the puffer experts out there...

my2rotties · #1 01-03-2009, 09:26 PM

You all know I have a very large and happy porcupine puffer named Gryphon. He is about 8" long and gets along with all my fish, that he can't fit into his mouth. No fish bothers with him, and I added a dogfaced puffer, and he pays no mind to the little fellow.

There is a member desperate to find a home for her foxface and porkie. I am adopting the foxface, but she still needs a good home for the puffer...

When I bought Gryphon he was houseed with smaller puffers just like this fellow member's. This new puffer is smaller then Gryphon by a decent chunk but is not tiny.My dogface is really little and there are no issues with bullying or chasing between him and Gryphon. I feed home made puffer chow and everybody is happy with lots of ample space and cave to hide and play in.

Is it worth trying to bring this other puffer home? Gryphon is my boy, and he eats before anybody else and I put the dogfaced puffer's food on the other side of the tank while Gryphon pigs out. I know I could provide this new guy a more then awesome home, and would love to give it a try...

Any opinions or worries. If worse came to worse I would find the perfect home for the new puffer, which the other member would have to approve. Puffers are my favorite fish, and I know I can give them what they need space and diet wise.

I Pmed the member about this, but am posting to find out if this is worth a try or not. Thanks in advance.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #2 01-03-2009, 09:35 PM

Not worth a try at all, IMO. You have things working well now and adding another porc could just mess everything up so quickly. I would say 99% of the time one ends up dead eventually. It can take years but it always seems to happen. They just do not get along once both are adults. It often works when they are small (especially when one is much smaller than the other) but once they get close to the same size, they get territorial. I have unfortunately tried it

Please don't take this the wrong way but I would say for some people it may be worth a try but knowing you and how much you LOVE these fish, I would not do it. Its just too much of an experiment...especially long term. I think if your tank was a big bigger, it may work but a 280 is pushing it.

One of the worst parts about porcs fighting each other is that they seem to go for the eyes first

At least mine did...you can imagine how messy that was. They were together for about a year before the real fighting began. But that was also only a 180, so obviously way too small for two adult porcs.

The one way it can work is the same way some people keep many angels or tangs together and that is to severely overstock the tank and never allow the fish to claim territories. I guess if you had like 50 fish in your tank, the puffers would probably leave each other alone but tanks like that are so horrible IMO. All your doing is keeping the fish stressed 100% of the time so that they don't single other ones out.

And I know you would never do that

my2rotties · #3 01-03-2009, 11:12 PM

I should have just Pmed you... I don't know any other puffer expert on here. I recall you mentioned certain puffers could not be kept together. I was hoping it was not the porkies. I would never try to keep things together without asking first... I learned the hard way with Gryphon.

Thanks for the info, it would not even be considered now. I figured I would see if was an option. I wish I could have helped this canreefer out.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #4 01-03-2009, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

I should have just Pmed you... I don't know any other puffer expert on here. I recall you mentioned certain puffers could not be kept together. I was hoping it was not the porkies. I would never try to keep things together without asking first... I learned the hard way with Gryphon.

Thanks for the info, it would not even be considered now. I figured I would see if was an option. I wish I could have helped this canreefer out.

There are very few times multiples of the same species will work in an aquarium long term. You will hear people say all the time "We'll my guys have been fine together..." but usually they are either still very young or there is a big enough size difference to make it ok, for a while. But long term (over a few years), its just a bad idea.

my2rotties · #5 01-03-2009, 11:59 PM

Yes, and you know I plan on keeping everybody long term. When I brought Griff home I had problems that we because my lack of knowledge. It was a bumpy start, but I would never even consider bringing my big boy back or selling him. He's more work then I expected, but worth all the work I put into him. I tried feeding him for company to behold his "eating habits" and of course he did not perform for them. I guess that means he must really like my hubby and I

.

Ickie is doing great and she knows just to wait for Griff to eat. There is always carnage and all the fish gobble up the bits and pieces. You were right about the dogfaces, they are very shy and don't get in anyone's way. Ickie does not go to the bottom of the tank and submit though, she just waits for the right time to nab her food. She is still getting used to me and I know she will eat from my hands soon... if Griff doesn't come swipe it first.

I'm sad I can't help out with the puffer, I really wanted to give him a nice home. His owner really loves him, and wants no hard to come to him either. It's sad I couldn't help out.
I really have no idea of how much that guy could eat...

GreenSpottedPuffer · #6 01-04-2009, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

Yes, and you know I plan on keeping everybody long term. When I brought Griff home I had problems that we because my lack of knowledge. It was a bumpy start, but I would never even consider bringing my big boy back or selling him. He's more work then I expected, but worth all the work I put into him. I tried feeding him for company to behold his "eating habits" and of course he did not perform for them. I guess that means he must really like my hubby and I

.

Ickie is doing great and she knows just to wait for Griff to eat. There is always carnage and all the fish gobble up the bits and pieces. You were right about the dogfaces, they are very shy and don't get in anyone's way. Ickie does not go to the bottom of the tank and submit though, she just waits for the right time to nab her food. She is still getting used to me and I know she will eat from my hands soon... if Griff doesn't come swipe it first.

I'm sad I can't help out with the puffer, I really wanted to give him a nice home. His owner really loves him, and wants no hard to come to him either. It's sad I couldn't help out.
I really have no idea of how much that guy could eat...

You have a good thing going there...

Sounds like a typical Dogface. They can don't completely back down or submit but they certainly do stay away from "trouble" and don't usually start things with other fish. Porcs are quite different usually.