How bad could Saddle Valentini Puffer be in a reef

[tprize]

I mean come on there so cute! How bad are they in a reef. Would they really be that bothersome in a 75G reef?

[Travis L. Stevens]

They'll take down most of your cleanup crew....

[tprize]

Even if you feed them mysis and such?

[tigerstripes]

I don't have any experience with them but I know speaking with some of our LFS owners they say don't even try it or your corals are going to be gone in a matter of months. (we have a 72 bowfront and looked into getting one before we did our research). Kinda an expensive fish to keep if he's grazing your corals plus the food you offer them. :) It would definately be cool if you could keep one though.

[Travis L. Stevens]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9543394#post9543394 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tprize
Even if you feed them mysis and such?

Yup. And surprisingly enough, they can jump, too.

[bureau13]

I was at an LFS and they actually had a little spotted Fiji puffer in their acro tank. Rumor has it it was put in there by accident, but whatever...I saw one somewhere, and decided to try it. I like the edge, I guess. At any rate, he's been in there about two weeks so far. I've personally witnessed him take out a couple of Nassarius snails....whatever, I can resupply the cleanup crew as needed...I would classify him as worth that. However, I've also seen him try to munch on the tip of one particular acro frag, and just because I haven't seen him attack anything else doesn't mean he's not doing it. I think I'm going to have to pull him out. I may keep in my QT for a while until I can figure out a way to convince my better half that we need a FOWLR tank as well.

jds

[jay2525]

kept one for a couple months. and he started attacking my clams without regard...

[dragonforce]

Watched my mom put one in her 24g nano and it went straight to the bottom and ate 2-3 snails/hermits and then i pulled the guy out, took him back and made it clear that I won't tolerate typical LFS treatment in my family.

[Esper]

puffers (esp. sharpnosed) like to bite things in general. IME they typically prefer snails, then crabs/shrimp (more of a challenge for them to catch, although sometimes they seem to like the sport)...then everything else in the tank. my valentini didn't eat much but didn't live long either. the blue-spot pecked at everything, even coralline algae (doubt he ate much of what he nibbled on, though). neither ever ate corals that I could tell, although they may peck one and decide it tastes good.

my gf's greenspot & figure 8 puffers nibble on things but competely ignore the mushrooms & softies in her tank. the hermit crabs are left alone if mysis is provided.

edit:

also, established corals/inverts may be treated as "scenery" while new introductions may be interpreted as food by the puffer, so it may help to add them last.

[Blue H2O]

I've had a Valentini for almost 2 years now and am planning on upgrading the tank to a soft coral reef. The puffer ignored the mushroom corals that I had, which were eventually eaten by my Camel Shrimp. My puffer hasn't eaten any hermits or bothered any other fish or snails. It does nip at the LR, and I could see how it might do the same to stony corals.

My puffer never bothered the camel shrimp that shared the tank for more than a year, but it did eat a few peppermints. I currently have a peppermint in the tank that has managed to stay hidden for a few months.

In my experience a Valentini Puffer would/ will make a good reef inhabitant if the right species are added. Soft corals and larger inverts should be fine with a Valentini.

[wayne in norway]

I have a C janthinoptera in my reef, and have had him there for 6 months. He has not touched my mushrooms, zo's, euphyllia, monti or pavona, but I did see him touch my turbinaria once - most of it is still there tho'.
Most of my clean up crew is gone tho. He hasn't touched any of my fish. I think these fish are utterly hit or miss.
Most anything except gobies will eat clams now and then, or open brains, so I wouldn't risk those

[handapanda]

I tried a Hawiian Blue Spot in my reef tank. I put him in there because I didn't have many hermits or snails left and figured I could always get more of those. However, he wasn't so interested in eating those, as he was in devouring my acro and monti. I think he was in my main tank for about 2 hours... then back to the 'fuge.

[cdangel0]

I have a green spotted in mine - never touches corals - but forget about adding anything after him. I bought 100 nasarius snails off Ebay for like $17 - as soon as I dropped them in he went nuts - between him and my Cuban Hogfish I think they ate all but 10-12 of them in 5 minutes.

I put a tomato clown in and he no sooner hit the water before the puffer took a bite out of his back. Fortunately he lived and everyone cohabitates very well now, but I will not be adding anymore fish to my tank while he's in there.....'cept maybe a shark to teach him a lesson.

[jft]

I have had my Valentini in my reef for over a year and he doesn't each any of my soft corals or hard corals. I added some acros a few weeks ago and he ignores them. I mightve just got lucky though. He is also very docile and not aggressive to any of the other tankmates.
I also had a Papuan puffer- similar to a bluespot puffer- in the same tank and he doesn't eat any corals either. And they get along with each other fine.
I also have snails, hermit crabs and two Redline cleaner shrimp in the tank which they ignore. I think i might just be lucky though :)

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m86/bonnie3188/diddddd.jpg

[BULGARIA]

I will trust you. I will give more time to my Valentine .didn't tuch anything in my 135G loathed with corals and fish reef aquarium

[AUFishGuy]

I kept one in a mixed reef for 2 years. Never touched corals but hermit crabs and snails were fair game. For me this wasnt a huge deal, they are a relatively inexpensive snack and he wasnt just crushing them all at once. He would just take one or two from time to time. Big issue was the clam, they will tear them up pretty quick. That said they are great fish with awesome personalities.


Definitely can jump like someone said earlier. Woke up one day to him dried up on the floor:sad2:

It was a pretty sad day

[jraker]

Best case scenario: they don't touch anything.

Worst case scenario: your reef is now a fowlr

[tripdad]

I was at an LFS and they actually had a little spotted Fiji puffer in their acro tank. Rumor has it it was put in there by accident, but whatever...I saw one somewhere, and decided to try it. I like the edge, I guess. At any rate, he's been in there about two weeks so far. I've personally witnessed him take out a couple of Nassarius snails....whatever, I can resupply the cleanup crew as needed...I would classify him as worth that. However, I've also seen him try to munch on the tip of one particular acro frag, and just because I haven't seen him attack anything else doesn't mean he's not doing it. I think I'm going to have to pull him out. I may keep in my QT for a while until I can figure out a way to convince my better half that we need a FOWLR tank as well.

jds
This is how I ended up with a FOWLR, my daughter thought it was "really cute dad", just can't say no to those puppy dog eye's.

[cmbspd]

I mean come on there so cute! How bad are they in a reef. Would they really be that bothersome in a 75G reef?

mimic filefish is a nice alternative that looks identical and ignores most reef invertebrates.