has anyone kept a puffer in a reef tank

[AndrewT]

im wanting to get a bigger tank soon and ive been thinking of adding a puffer ive heard of a few people successfully achieving this, but what is the probability of it? And is it even worth attempting? Also whats the minimum tank size for a cortez ray?

[Derek]

I kept a bluespot puffer in a reef tank successfully. My clowns bullied him so I got rid of him. Wen I got a larger tank I tried to add various dwarf puffers unsuccessfully. They were all fine until the got hungry. I think if the tank is fed two times a day it'd be fine, but beware the hungry puffer.

[Gonzobob]

The advice I've found on this in the past has led to a few conclusions:

Puffers are most happy eating pretty much the same critters we use as clean up crews

Puffers are messy eaters and produce a heavy bioload for thier size

Bigger bioload, more need for clean up crew

These statements pretty much did it for me. No puffers in my tanks.

[polarbear]

hey andrew. talk to Dena. she has a puffer in her large reef tank. i dont know what type of problemes they have with it in there but she can give you some ideas.

[AndrewT]

thanks guys... i know at one point kacey had kept a spiny puffer in his reef and he said he didnt bother anything really. Im wanting to do a 180 maybe in a wall and im really wanting to throw some cool critters in there. Ive seen on many sites that the dogface and i believe the spiny puffers are reef safe with caution.

Edited March 9, 2010 by AndrewT

[+Hydro]

I had a blue spotted puffer that was awesomein our reef tank, it died (long story) and we replaced it with the exact same kind of puffer. It ate at least $100 worth of zooanthids in the first few hours of being in the tank. He got moved to our 40 gallon refugium where he seems happy.

Moral of the story is that puffers have a mind of their own and can go either way. Puffers are awesome though.

[Derek]

Maybe we need a puffer hypnotist. One who can hypnotize the puffers not to eat corals.

[Brooks]

Maybe we need a puffer hypnotist. One who can hypnotize the puffers not to eat corals.

I smell a new profession.

[Christian]

What about towbys will they pick at corals? I like their size and their bright colors, but i don't know if they will work for a reef tank.

[Crab Rangoon]

By definition, the Puffers you are looking for aren't Tobys, but technically Tobys are Puffers On that note, I've had a couple Toby varieties in tanks I've kept with coral, all to no ill effect. I realize that most people want a Puffer for their size and face, but its really their size, appetite, and mouth that are what make those such poor candidates for coral tanks.

The Toby is just safer for coral tanks for the same reason Xanthichthys Triggers are compared to their larger counterparts - smaller size, far less predatory by nature, and not being equipped with a mouth suited for destroying shells, crabs, snails, or corals.

And regarding the mention of "Bigger bioload, more need for clean up crew" - the larger puffers won't allow for you to have more clean-up crew, as they're pretty well known for eradicating your snail & crab population, which leaves your tank needing more manual cleaning input by you, rather than from critters

[Derek]

By definition, the Puffers you are looking for aren't Tobys, but technically Tobys are Puffers On that note, I've had a couple Toby varieties in tanks I've kept with coral, all to no ill effect. I realize that most people want a Puffer for their size and face, but its really their size, appetite, and mouth that are what make those such poor candidates for coral tanks.

The Toby is just safer for coral tanks for the same reason Xanthichthys Triggers are compared to their larger counterparts - smaller size, far less predatory by nature, and not being equipped with a mouth suited for destroying shells, crabs, snails, or corals.

And regarding the mention of "Bigger bioload, more need for clean up crew" - the larger puffers won't allow for you to have more clean-up crew, as they're pretty well known for eradicating your snail & crab population, which leaves your tank needing more manual cleaning input by you, rather than from critters

When I had a bluespot puffer, my bluegreen chromis would follow him around when he'd eat. They would eat the smaller pieces of food that would get spread about. I may actually try a bluespot again when I get my larger tank this summer.

[Quicksilver525]

i had a porcupine puffer in my tank before all was going well until one night when i turned off the lights to go to bed and all i hear is this big crunch noise. i turn the lights back on and i see my porcupine puffer chewing spearmint gum. he ate 1 of my heads of my neon green candy canes. it was ok i wasnt mad at him i just moved the coral to another tank lol but still porcupines are not reef safe IMO.