Pig-nosed Puffer

[qoftheq]

I'm thinking of getting a Pig-Nosed Puffer and putting it in its own tank (I know just by looking at them that they would probably eat ME if I was in that tank). I simply enjoy how horrible and ugly and evil these fish are, and I want one! I have a 20 gallon that I will cycle and overfilter before adding the fish. I know he'll need live and crunchy food for his teeth and sand so he can burrow and be generally antisocial. Anything else I've missed or need to know before I start setting up and cycling his tank?

 

[Fella]

I'm thinking of getting a Pig-Nosed Puffer and putting it in its own tank (I know just by looking at them that they would probably eat ME if I was in that tank). I simply enjoy how horrible and ugly and evil these fish are, and I want one! I have a 20 gallon that I will cycle and overfilter before adding the fish. I know he'll need live and crunchy food for his teeth and sand so he can burrow and be generally antisocial. Anything else I've missed or need to know before I start setting up and cycling his tank?

Typically require a 30g, they do grow to a reasonable size.

Don't require live fish at all. They are ambush predators in the wild, and piscovores at that, but that's no need to feed them live food in home aquaria. Suitable alternatives would be sand eels and silversides.

No need for crunchy teeth so much with these fish, but if you feed them a regular diet of mixed food (like you should with any puffer) mussels in shells/cockles in shells/shelled prawns will all help, as would large snails like ramshorns.

You're right he'll require sand, but it's not guaranteed he'll burrow. He'll appreciate a planted tank.

Please don't try any tank mates with him in a tank of 30g or less!

Hope that was some help

Craig