Looking for tankmates...

[JustinReef]

Looking for tankmates for my Green Spotted Puffer who lives in a 65G FOWLR. He is about 4" long and is very "soft", unlike a lot of puffers. He grew up with lots of other brackish fish such as mollies and archer fish and has never once nipped a fin. He is currently living with a small blue green chromis. So he is not aggressive but I have found adding other puffers to his tank a bad idea because they seem to pick on him. So another puffer is pretty much out. I wanted to go with a yellow tang but dont feel a 65G is big enough. Wish I could though! I am also looking at a dwarf lionfish. Any thoughts on that? I have found one that is eating frozen foods and looks very healthy. Just not sure about the two of them together! Are there any tangs that you could recommend for a 65G or are most too big? Any other interessting fish you can think of? I am really open to anything right now!

Thanks.

[porksoda]

Well if i were you i would go with the yellow tang but i would go to the pet store and get about a medium sized tang a large tang is just too big. But a medium sized tang should do u right cuz i used to have a medium sized tang in my 55 gallon and it worked out great! Well let us know on how ur tank is going. later.

[Frostyeel]

I would look into the dwarf lionfish, because it would be more suited to your tank size than a tang and might work if your puffer is as peaceful as you say it is. I have had one before and they are cool fish.

[JustinReef]

Is it possible for the poison from the lionfish to kill my puffer if he accidentally was pricked with the back spines? I know for humans its like a bee sting but I worry about my puffer...Is something like this common or not so much?

[Monkeyfish]

The chances of a fish being "accidentally stung" by a lionfish are infinitesimal. I'd be more concerned with whether or not the puffer will fit in the lion's mouth.

[Deacon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8843072#post8843072 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by porksoda
But a medium sized tang should do u right ....

...medium sized tangs have this pesky habit of growing into large tangs...;)

[JustinReef]

So if it is not common for fish to be stung by the lion then this might work ok. My puffer is too big for a dwarf lion to eat, he is about 4" right now...well I think that is too big?

[xhaust50]

I just added a dwarf zebra lion to my 55G with a GSP that I have had for about 1.5 years. Like yours, my GSP is wimpy. There are no aggression issues whatsoever. I haven't been able to get the lion to eat frozen foods yet, but I breed mollies and ghost shrimp so it isn't a problem for me.

You may also want to consider a dwarf angel. I have a flame angel, and it is very eye-catching and much more active than the lionfish. He gets along with the puffer too (but will be moved into the 45G shortly).

[finsurgeon]

My son's dwarf lion has been housed with a fiji puffer for about 9 months with no aggression issues at all. There's a list of other occupants on the other ongoing lionfish thread, but I'd consider a dwarf angel (coral beauty or flame or other), almost any wrasse that stays small enough, or even an anemone and pair of clowns as other or additional options.