puffer

[mupwi]

hi How hardy are puffer fish to keep do they have any special requierments I often see them when im diving and was thinking of including one in my soon to be 20g tank any special conciderations?

 

[austinsdad]

20g tank could be a problem being so small.

Read up on these....

Puffers

 

[mupwi]

I was thinking seing as I will be colecting them in the wild that I would just get a small one and if it starts getting too big release it back into the ocian and get another small one I see plenty on a weekly basis in the 1.5-2" size or would this already be too big for the 20g

 

[mupwi]

I am also planing on having a 10-20g sump/refuge on this tank btw.

 

[Jimbo7]

You really shouldn't release any fish you put in your aquarium back into the ocean. It can develop or carry a disease in captivity that it can spread back into the ocean. 20g is too small for a puffer, they are pretty active fish and get huge.

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

i'll have to agree. i have my green spotted puffer in a 20gal. but hes only an inch long, within the next couple weeks he's going in a 30gal. i'm just waiting on a heater, the tanks already cycled. but they do much better in a larger tank.
if you leave a puffer in a tank thats too small (or any fish) for too long, it will stunt their growth.
and a +1 to jimbo, you should never put a fish you keep in an aquarium back into the wild.

you can also check out The Puffer Forum you'll find tons of experienced puffer keepers there!

 

[Jimbo7]

I'm pretty sure he is talking about SW puffers, much larger usually then their FW cousins

But pretty much everything you said still applies, and is correct. Most SW puffers should not be housed in a tank less then 100g, and you should realize they will get huge. A local store had one that was over a foot long that spit water out at customers.

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

yes, i realized that lol, it was the point that they do need lots of space because they are active.

 

[austinsdad]

I wouldn't worry too much about captivity diseases spreading back in the ocean. Ocean is way too big for that to be a concern in my opinion. It's just that a fish used to captivity might not use his "wild" skill much any more or not at all and perish anyway.

Just get a bigger tank if you really want one.

 

[melosu58]

I agree also that a bigger tank is needed. Does not really mean anything if they are smaller. They need plenty of space and smaller tanks will bring on a quicker onset of disease and parasites.

 

[mupwi]

thanks for the advice guys I didnt think disease would be a problem reintroducing them to the ocean as all of what im going to be puting in my tank is coming from the same ocean what size tank would be sutable all of what im reading says they need space but not how much

 

[mupwi]

I was always under the impresion that they wernt verry active fish after observing them on the natural reef

 

[pat8you]

What type of puffer are you looking at collecting?

 

[mupwi]

the one I primeraly see is I think the white spoted puffer

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

Here's a link about the white spotted puffer
it needs a minimum of 180gal but they say 300gal is better.

White Spotted Puffer

 

[mupwi]

looks like I have a 20g sump for my tank im yet to buy then