Need advice regarding my puffer

[derick75]

Just received my pork puffer today. He is about 2 inches, just a baby. I have in my 75 gallon tank. he is the only resident. I will be going for a 125 or 180 by fall. For the last 7 years I have kept a sps reef tank. That is what I know..reef so I have a few questions for you guys.

1. Is 3000 gph too much flow for him? I reduced the flow from 4200gph to 3000.

2. When i had my reef I had 280gph going throught the sump do I need to boost this for a fowlr? I have a mag 7 and my ehiem 1250. 3-5 turnover for reef have no clue for fowlr

3. I adjusted my salinity from 1.025 down to 1.023. Is this the norm for fowlr The salinity of the water he was shipped in was 1.021. I guess to reduce disease and stress??

4. Can I get any startfish with this fish? My daughter keeps asking for the "purple star fish" i think it is called linki or something.

5. how much and of what should I feed him, remember he is only 2 inches. I have freese dried krill and want to pick up silversides or shelled shrimp but do now what is best.

6. And lastly how fast do they grow??...thanks for the help

[LisaD]

1. Where is the flow directed? If you can keep it lower in his main swimming/eating/resting areas, I think it would be better. For example, if flow is at the surface, to a spray bar, behind/under rock, etc, it is not the same as running it right across the middle of the tank. 40X turnover seems high to me, I'd go for half that. But I'm not sure, so maybe someone else can chime in.

2. I would think your turnover in the sump is fine. Do you have a refugium section in the sump?

3. Either 1.025 or 1.023 would be fine, IMO. If you keep inverts, like star fish, I don't think I'd go lower.

4. Linckia stars are a bit delicate, but you could give it a try. You might try a hardier species first. Porcs and other puffers are "pickers" so there are no guarantees a starfish would survive long term.

5. I'd feed him what he can eat in 5-10 minutes once or twice a day. Younger fish are growing and have a limit on what their stomachs can hold, so I'd feed AT LEAST daily, maybe twice a day. Meaty foods are good. Try some frozen Ocean Nutrition cubes for balance and vary the diet as much as you can. You could also try a good quality pellet, like Spectrum.

6. Not sure - I've never raised one that small.

[derick75]

I have no fuge in the sump, the bm200 take up most of the room in the sump. I just reduced the flow in the tank ..2 koralina 4 (1200gph) each It still seemd like alot of flow, perhaps removing 80 pounds of rock has something to do with it..

.http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/1137952010.jpg

[Kanicky]

4. Can I get any startfish with this fish? My daughter keeps asking for the "purple star fish" i think it is called linki or something.

I don't suggest it, but it's really touch-and-go. My little Valentini, as small as he is, likes to pick at slow-moving things.

5. how much and of what should I feed him, remember he is only 2 inches. I have freese dried krill and want to pick up silversides or shelled shrimp but do now what is best.

Freeze-dried krill is all right, but definitely switch it up. Shelled shrimp is great, clam or mussel on the half shell, crab, lobster, scallops, etc. My Valentini also goes crazy for thawed Emerald Entree. Remember, they love meaty foods :)


6. And lastly how fast do they grow??...thanks for the help

They don't grow super fast, but they can grow somewhat quickly, depending on a number of things, I'm sure.

If you add any more fish to the 75, it might be too little for him...

[derick75]

the 75 will be his home for another 8 weeks. I will pass on the starfish.. right now I am biting my tounge because I had 2 people just tell me i need 500 gallons plus going through the overflow...Now in my reef I had 280 gph for 7 years and i use little electricity and it is very quiet..but I am not sure for my new setup so I am quiet about that.. what are you guys runing for returns on your tanks

[JStorey]

I have 4 koralia #4's on my 135 and he doesn't seem to mind the flow at all. They are messy eaters and if you don't have a lot of flow and a good skimmer be prepared to fight cyano( I know from experience). Mine is not real active except at dinner time. He eats almost anything I throw in the tank and will literally eat until he blows up if I would let him. He has tripled in size since I got him 9 months ago. I feed freeze dried krill, shrimp, squid, octopus and clams. I have a couple of choc chip stars in my tank and he never bothers them.

[derick75]

I will keep the two 4's in the tank thanks for the info. I guess I will wait and see what the personality of my prcupine puffer will be before I deside on any Inverts, besides the few snails that are in there.