Lions and puffers

[Japheth]

I've heard differing opinions on keeping lions and puffers together.

Does anyone do this or is it a bad idea?

And if so, which varieties work well together?

Thanks.

[reeffer1]

I have a 5" dog face with my Volation lion. They do not seem to pay much attention to each other.

[LisaD]

a puffer could nip a lion's fins, so some people recommend against keeping them together.

[ledford1]

Generally, lions and puffers don't mix because of a puffer's fin-nipping tendencies.

However, upon a few references saying that the Dogface is one of the least likely to nip (but certainly no guarantee), I too have kept a Volitan and a Dogface together with no problems.

[justgeorge]

I also have a volitans and a dogface puffer with no problems. They totally ignore each other.

[LRS078]

Puffers and Lions....

Everyone has their stories and opinions but from what I have observed Canthigaster genus puffers w' any lions are not a good idea.

However, Arothron and larger lions (volitans) seem to do okay. Yes, the puffer can still nip fins and the lion can sting and kill the puffer but that holds true for most any fish w' a lion that it doesn't consider a meal and a few it does. (note canthigasters above) Lions never bother anything that they don't think can fit in their mouth.

I would advise getting an arothron puffer first and if he isn't nippy w' tankmates think about getting a lion. You can also feed the puffers first w' frozen and their regular fare and when they are full (or as full as puffers ever think they are) put in the live feeders or food on a feeding stick for the lion. If the two fish don't compete for food directly that may help.

[Japheth]

The pufferfish that I'm wanting to get is the porcupine puffer (Diodon Holacanthus) and one of these three lions:

volitan Lionfish (pterois volitans)
fuzzy dwarf lionfish (dendrochirus brachypterus)
Dwarf zebra lionfish (dendrochirus zebra)

The other tankmates are:
(1) cinnamon Clown (hopefully another soon)
(1) picasso triggerfish
(1) blue velvet damsel
(1) longfin damsel (Stegastes diencaeus)

I also have some majano in there that I got from a friend. Only (2) so far. I know they are pest anemones but I don't mind because they are really nice looking and there isn't going to be any coral in there that they can hurt.

[Chappy]

I have had a porcupine and a volitin at the same time. The lion doesn't care about the porcupine at all. The only time things got interesting was feeding time. As long as you can keep them apart, they will probably be fine. Had a niger trigger at the same time as those, he is the one that nipped the lion.

Whatever lion you get, be careful. If the other fish aren't at least twice as big as his mouth, it's just an expensive meal.