Canthigaster Valentini Questions

[xautomaticflowersx]

Hi there!
I haven't set up a marine tank yet as I'm still in the thinking/planning/researching stage. I've kept freshwater for years and for quite some time I had a freshwater puffer who I was very fond of. I'd very much like to have a puffer again, but go for a marine species this time. However, I have a few questions before my mind is made up!
I've found a lot of conflicting information about Valentini tobies regarding tank size. Some people seem to be keeping them successfully in tanks as small as 20g, while others claim that something along the lines of 40g is a bare minimum. So I'd really appreciate some opinions on this.
Also, would I be able to keep some polyps and zoanthids in the tank or will they all be wrecked and dead in no time?

Many thanks!

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Anybody?

 

[shibby]

i have one in a 50us gal .... a little tiny one ive seen them triple in size pretty hefty one was at the aquarium!!! so i would say the more room the better for them. there worth it


as for corals, il tell you when i get some what it does, im just gonna get a few soft easy corals mushrooms and leathers, polyps im not sure about i doubt they would go for zoo's since there slightly poisounous but again not sure ...... the theory is a well fed puffer is a happy puffer that wont nip or eat corals!

 

[Lynden]

I have a Leopard Puffer in with all kinds of invertebrates. He has never touched anything but a feather duster, which he 'trims' from time to time. I expect the same results to come from a Canthigaster's inclusion in a reef tank (and do plan to try it), especially since Tetraodon are naturally carnivores while smaller Canthigaster are herbivores.

 

[shibby]

let me know how that goes lynden, after ive got my t5's im addign a small cluster of polyps and going to watch my valentini like a hawk!


as for tank size, all books that i had a look at today so 20gal, english gallons that is. or imperial i think is it name cant remeber!

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

I used to have a freshwater puffer, Tetraodon cochinchinensis, which are very antisocial! So I know a little about puffers in general and I know that they can be nippy with pretty much anything that looks interesting. But I don't know a lot about marine puffers and valentini's in particular, so thanks for all of your responses!
I'll be very interested to hear about yor experiences of keeping these fish in a reef setup with corals. I don't think I will be getting a valentini any time soon as I really only have the space for quite a small tank (possibly even a nano), which is obviously less than ideal for this species. However I was very interested to be told that they are herbivores. I thought that they were omnivorous, eating both meaty foods and algae.

 

[Lynden]

They do eat a small amount of meat, mostly in the form of benthic animals that happen to be clinging to agal fronds.

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Any further updates or comments?

 

[Lynden]

My puffer still has not killed any ornamental invertebrates, though he did pick at a dying/dead piece of a Sarcophyton base.

 

[shibby]

il be able to give you my review tomorow as my valentini will be returning back to the tank after being treated for whitespot. ive ensured i have a cleaner shrimp alot biger then the valentini i doubt anyways that it would attack one but better safe then sorry i hope, and i have a variety of button polyps which im hoping a well fed puffer wont be tempted by!!

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Well I've got my fingers crossed that your puffers remain content and don't try to make their own fun at the expense of your corals!

 

[Lynden]

I came home the other day (was absent the entire photoperiod) and the puffer had a full belly. I searched the tank and found my cleaner shrimp dead in the clearing at the back of the tank, with chunks missing out of it's whitened flesh.

This may seem to be a set back, but there are several points in the puffer's "favour".

-The shrimp was old and near the end of it's lifespan.
-The puffer used to be chased out of the shrimps territory on a regular basis.
-My arrow crab has been seen overpowering the shrimp.
-The pep shrimp are still alive (they were much smaller than the cleaner).

 

[shibby]

mine must of eaten the snails since theres no snails or shells to be viewed! i think the cleaner shrimps still alive .... it hasnt gone for the corals yet though!

 

[Lynden]

Doubtfully... my snails have disappeared for days at a time. Small puffers are only capable of eating tiny snails anyway; certainly no ornamental species.

 

[shibby]

then where have all the snails gone! i started with 8 took out 3 since they died, ive striped my tank down at least twice for catching fish and reaquascaping! yet only sign of one snail alive and no shells, a mystery it is.