We need some help with a stocking list for a new tank we will be setting up soon. We will have a 135 gallon tank that will be a FOWLR and it’s for my wife and boys. She loves the spiny puffer and until now we haven’t had a tank for one. With that said we need help stocking a tank that will have a spiny puffer. What fish would go well with the puffer and add some interest to the tank. I was thinking maybe a niger trigger would work but I’m not really sure. I would like to have something with a little color to add to the tank. Other things she likes are starfish and urchins as well as the other odd looking inverts and anemones…
dont want starfish with puffers, they will be dinner. Sounds like a good start to a predator tank though. I think a Niger would be fine, maybe an eel of some kind but definitely no starfish. Good Luck!
oh yea and there are some really cool angler fish that may work out for you. And if you can stand to read these pages, here is a good link to help you learn a bit more about what they can be with. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffercompfaqs.htm
I was thinking an eel would be cool to have but didnt know if they would work. An angler is another fish I like as well as the toad fishes. With predators I assume a good skimmer will be a must.
My suggestion would be to look through the marine fishes book that Tanner has and kind of get a feel for what fish you've got an interest in and then do your research on compatibility. Some tangs and angels do ok in fish only tanks as well as various other kinds of colorful fishies... But you'd do well to ask Norman his input on fish only. His 400 is amazing. You mentioned a trigger in your post... Urm what about a Picasso trigger? They're pretty colorful as far as triggers go.
Actually I am thinking very hard about a Humu-Humu Picasso. I love the fish and actually saw several while free diving in Hawaii. Its very high on my list as long as it will work with the puffer my wife wants. Tanner and I have both been reading the marine fishes book quite regularly...
i had a picasso, a niger, a sailfin tang, a maroon clown and a snowflake eel and it was cool for a while. The eel i believe was eating new members of the tank and the picasso started dragging the niger around the tank by its fins...it was funny to watch but bad overall!! LOL
I have a porcupine puffer along with these fish in my aquarium all still babies, but never had a problem with any of them being together Volitan Lion Dwarf Zebra Lion Snowflake Eel (most eels will work with that big of a tank) maroon Clown (might be a problem at some point when full grown) Sargassum Angler Electric Bullseye Ray Powder Brown Tang (any tang that is colorful to keep algea down since you can't really have a clean up crew) I love my evil little predator fish! Glad to hear someone else is starting one up.
Anemones will also be destroyed. U wont be able to keep any invertabretes. U will need to use ro water at the very least. I have had a a few puffers and they seem extra sensitive to water quality. Careful if u add a lion to the the tank. Lion and triggers dont match well either especially at larger sizes. It will b an all out war. I speak from some experience lions and triggers. Niger mAy work tho. I had a hawaiian black trigger and volitans in a 135 and they constantly fought. Predators r awesome just select carefully.
Looks like I will need something to eat algae since cuc's will just end up as food. I have ruled out lions in this tank. Have read to they won't work well as they mature. An angler would be cool as well as an eel. I dont want to overstock the tank that's for sure.
An angler would be nice. Very cool fish. Which species of angler r u considering? I like the Sargassum and Striated. These two reach upwards of 8 inches when grown. That would be a site to see. I mean an 8 inch block of pure food devowering aggresion. AWESOME Â As for algae. Go with a Rabbitfish of any sort or an Algae eating tang. Oh and if funds alow I would try and get a uv sterilizer. Puffers are known carriers of ich. I would diffinitely quarintine before adding to display tank. Maybe even add some meds to rid it of parasites. Others will hopefuly chime in on these suggestions.
What do you use to treat saltwater ich? How do puffers fair with copper based treatments? Also have read they need to be wormed... I was looking at the Sargassum Angler, cool looking fish and when grown would be the showpiece in the tank unless i get a dragon moray then it would be a close tie...
Copper would probably work just fine. I would read up on it. I would not treat tho unless u get an outbreak of ich. A uv sterilizer would prevent an out break from occuring to begin with from my understanding. I would worm it for sure tho. Sargassums are awesome.
I will read up on it for sure, we use copper at work for ectoparisites but its on freshwater fish and they have to be acclimated to it before using a full dose. Will see where I can find an angler... would be a cool fish to have...
This isnt wrote in stone but this is what Im thinking about. Any input is very welcome. I can reduce the amount of fish if this is too much. Spiny Puffer Trigger Fish (Picasso or Blue Jaw or Niger) Angler Fish Yellow Head Moray Eel powder brown tang rabbit fish (foxface most likely)
careful with that powder brown, they are prone to ich. I would also not get the picasso although they are one of my favorite fish. They can be quite nasty once they get some size to them. i do like the bluejaw and niger!! Good choices. What about a wrasse too? Make sure not to add copper to your DT. Dont wanna ruin that rock for when you get tired of algae and make it a full reef tank!! LOL I speak from experience
I really like the looks of the niger overall... Dont have to get the tang. A friend has it and he is being a bully in his tank. A wrasse would be cool, even thought about one just didnt want to overstock the tank. What wrasse would be good. Are the tusk a good choice? The yellow head eel may change to another eel. I like the idea of having an eel to help stir the substrate... I want to try a long spine urchin also and hope the puffer leaves it alone.
get a tang just maybe not a powder variety. Im getting the urchin will get eaten but then i had a anemone with a dogface and he never bothered it and neither did the triggers or eel.Â
I would stay away from yellow head eel. I had one of those for awhil also. Extremely aggresive it had to live alone. Go with snowflake or zebra moray
