Porcupinefish Diodontidae

[seffieuk]

I have always adored puffers, kept two fig8 when I had my brackish tank and always told myself one day................

Anyway, as most of you know am curently setting up a 400 litre tank and my mind is starting to wander to fish stocking lists

I love the idea of a puffer but most are not reef safe although looking and researching around the dog faced I could probably get away with him or maybe a valentini (bit small though) - I am happy to lose snails etc. but have read if you feed a couple of times a day they will leave the bigger inverts alone.

But ever since seeing Andywg's video of his porcupine fish I fell in love..............what a gorgeous fish I can't seem to find out much info. on Porcupine fish, most people seem to get mixed up with porcupine puffers I know he will take some inverts if hungry and may nip corals - but again I think this is if he gets hungry and would probably be worth it anyway, so:

Does anyone keep one?
Does anyone know of a good resource?
How do you tell the difference between the puffer and the fish?

I do remember Lyden writing something about Porcupinefish, but I can't find it and of course good old Andywg, have read his posts.

Not much chance of Andywg answering though unless Nina is about somewhere and can ask him? But hope that Lyden might pop by or maybe some of the more experienced salties will have some thoughts

Seffie x

 

[ben1987]

i dont know seffie. But andy had joined UR. maybe pm him on there.

 

[seffieuk]

i dont know seffie. But andy had joined UR. maybe pm him on there.

Thanks Ben, trod had his email secreted away so have now sent him post

Seffie x

 

[Lynden]

I prefer to dodge the entire common name issue altogether by just referring to them as 'diodonts'.

I bought mine fairly small, and he attacked hermit crabs at first until he began to accept food from me. They never nip corals and mine hasn't killed anything I know of, and this seems fairly consistent with the majority of reports I have read about them. Of course, if people have never kept one, and do not have a first or second hand account with the habits of one, they usually think of them as being veritable biocides as they do with the rest of the entire order Tetraodontiformes.

So basically, buy one small, and keep it well fed... and give my article a read.

 

[STD]

They are lovely fish & great characters

Downside is they are prone to itch

Also they can get too tame - when I had one it used to come to the front of the tank and circle whenever it saw me - got irritating after a while

 

[bagu]

They are lovely fish & great characters

Downside is they are prone to itch

Also they can get too tame - when I had one it used to come to the front of the tank and circle whenever it saw me - got irritating after a while

lol i would love that! at least someone in the house would be glad to see me

 

[Lynden]

Forgot to add... magnificent animals and one of my favourite fish. They were the reason I wanted a SW tank in the first place. They are very intelligent, and their eyes are unbelievable, being capable of monocular or binocular vision.Their jaws are very powerful (have been bitten, so I know), their swimming method very precise and efficient, and those spines... no wonder they have a worldwide distribution and only a handful of predators (tiger sharks, dolphins).

Even by tetraodont standards they represent a highly refined and effective animal. The perpetual grin and puppy-like personality ensure that they'll soon become anyone's favourite.

 

[seffieuk]

Thanks Guys

Lynden - I knew you had written something - but where is it please?

Seffie x

 

[Lynden]

In my sig... "Un-Reef Safe" fish for reef tanks.

 

[seffieuk]

Ah ha, thank you very much - I had read it before and thought it was interesting but seemed even better this time

Seffie x