Opinions, please... (and I know we've got 'em!)

[dave green]

I'm getting closer and closer to firing up the 125 tank and I'm thinking about livestock.

FOWLR and other critters like anemones and such...

I'm trying to wrap my head around this, but for some reason, I'm kinda fixated on a Volitan Lion, a Porcupine Puffer and a Harlequin Tusk, and I'm looking for words of advice from y'all.

I haven't found anything that says these guys won't get along for sure, but I am not trusting my research on this.

I'm sure there are other considerations... like having to replace a clean up crew a whole lot more often than I would like to, not being able to keep shrimp in there like I like to, and knowing that I've got to buy shelly stuff just to keep the puffer's teeth filed down - with the hopes that he gets to them before the lion does.

Cleaning will also get to be a little bit interesting, too... even with it being at a manageable height.

Ideas? Thoughts? Warnings?

 

[dakota9]

The Lion and Harlequin would, in my opinion, be fine together. Every Porcupine I've ever seen became stressed very easily, but again, these are the ones I've seen, and that isn't a lot.

I say go for it, but curious as to what others have to say....

 

[musicalocean]

I've always wanted a lion but from what I understand anything that will fit into their mouth is fair game. Try buying them all at a decent size so he can gobble them up. I had a H tusk & loved it!

 

[shrimpy brains]

Puffer will most likely pick on the Lionfish, being attraced to it's fancy fins. It will abuse it to death!

 

[musicalocean]

Don't puffers make alot of ammonia too! I've never had one but seems like somebody mentioned they put off alot of it. Really turned me off on getting one even though they look like cool fish

 

[puffer9375]

I do not know much about the Porcupine Puffer. I have kept other puffer fish in the past and I know my golden puffer ate anemones. I do love puffer fish they are very cool fish. Everyone I had seemed to enjoy watching me as much as I did them.

You should put a red coris wrasse in there also they are really pretty and fun to watch.

Good Luck

 

[musicalocean]

I love my RC wrasse especially fun watching them change.. I'm getting a bananna/sunset wrasse from Rit soon. Those are flashy & friendly as well.

 

[raisedonnintendo]

I don't play with to many things that sting me. Puffer have beaks n love to chew on stuff. Never had to much problem with those just keep pristine water. N maby add him first

 

[tehawesome]

I wanna do a puffer, lion, tusk, and trigger

 

[dave green]

The trigger was my original thought instead of the tusk, but I read way too many times about them nipping lions' fins down in order to get at them.

 

[tehawesome]

So far I'm lucky, my green spotted puffer hasn't bothered anything. Great addition to a reef tank.

 

[skriz]

Rather than the puffer, go with some butterflyfish. THey'll add colour and movement, but will preclude you from adding anemones..

 

[gnashty]

Shrimpy Brains;585325 wrote: Puffer will most likely pick on the Lionfish, being attraced to it's fancy fins. It will abuse it to death!

This is likely true

musicalocean;585328 wrote: Don't puffers make alot of ammonia too! I've never had one but seems like somebody mentioned they put off alot of it. Really turned me off on getting one even though they look like cool fish

they are piggys that create alot of waste so I would just factor this into your filtration needs and husbandry frequency

BigJohn;585330 wrote: would any of them nip at the anenome?

I would bet the puffer would tear up an anenome beore he could get all the frillys off the lion

TehAwEsOmE;585351 wrote: I wanna do a puffer, lion, tusk, and trigger

My neighbor has a FOWLR and keeps a large lion, clown trigger, huma trigger, and a dogface puffer, a HK, and several large showsize tangs, angels with lil to no issues, its a 375 though... The lion is the largest fish in the tank, about 12"+. He has no CUC so his sand bed always has a light film of algae.



Dave- Porc Puffers have awesome personalities and is one of my favs....I will say that porc puffers are very hardy (I have heard of ppl cycling with them to create alot of waste fast to speed up the cycle). They are also known (from my research a couple years ago) to develop health problems over time, sometimes from poor nutrition. Blindness and digestive issues being some of them. When I first set up my 210 it was a FOWLR, the porc puffer was my main attraction along with triggers and tangs. My puffer developed a prolapsed colon (his butthole blew out) and he died. I got all my advice at the time from WWM, primarily Mr. Fenner and he basically told me that the puffer was ingesting too much veggies (from the nori the tangs eat)and had a very hard time digesting it and caused the prolapsed colon. he died about 48 hrs after the symptoms were noticed. RIP Gizmo....</em>

You also have to be ready to burp them at times, if they get a little water or air in their tummy (or wherever they puff from) you have to burp them. gently grab the fella and turn him up (mouth facing up, but still in water) and massage the belly until you see small bubbles come out. I had to do this once or twice..

 

[gnashty]

one more thing.....Puffers and Triggers are uber sensitive to copper based meds.