Stars and Stripes Puffer

[tmcpeek]

Does anybody know if I can add one of these to a FOWLR. I have a 225 gallon that has about 300 lbs of live rock. I plan on picking up an anenome from a friend so I can get a mated pair of clowns. My son really wants a puffer but I am wondering if it will destroy the live rock/anenome. The lfs says no but he may just want to sell me a fish

 

[seaham358]

I have a DF puffer and they are a cool fish. As long as you don't have corals a Puffer will be fine and he will love that large tank.
It may nip at the LR looking for food but it will not destroy it. You will need to direct feed the puffer its food. Mine eats frozen krill that I feed him with a small set of tongs. If I don't do this the other fish take it from him because they are not the fastest fish.

 

[tmcpeek]

Great thanks for the advice. The puffer at my lfs is very friendly. If you put your finger by the top of the tank he swims up and sticks his mouth above water and spits at you so I would assume he would be easy to feed with tongs. Will a puffer harm an anenome?

 

[seaham358]

Not that I know of... Nothing I read said anyting about that. Watch your fingers they have large teeth that look like a beak and I would hate to get bit by the DF. the SS is a cool puffer. I wanted a baby masked puffer but could not find one after looking for 6 months so I got my DF when it was about 2.5" long. They grow fast.

 

[ellisz]

I would think a puffer would eat an anenome. How would it be any different to soft corals and puffers are not reef safe? I have read some have success with them in a reef but most do not try.

I would be wary.

 

[seaham358]

What I have read say there not reef safe becasue they eat shrimp and inverts.
I read some will eat hard corals, I saw nothing about anemones.
Like anything its 50/50, some fish are cool others are nasty all depends on the fish.

 

[tmcpeek]

Seaham I have read the same thing about the shrimps and inverts but cannot find anything on anenomes.. All I read is that they are not reef safe but basically I have a FOWLR with one anenome so I was curious. May have to skip the puffer just to be safe.

Thanks for the responses. I think I will be wary as well.