puffers in reef tanks

[fishybizzness]

I have a sharpnose that was doing great until he decided to taste my Duncan! Now he's in the sump. Everytime I go to feed him he spits water at me! Cutest thing ever!

 

[Rudefish]

I have had a Sharpnose puffer now for almost 2 yrs in a 280 g mixed reef and he/she has been a model citizen. No corall picking and have not seen any sign of him/her messing with any inverts, not to say it does not but I have not seen it personally.

 

[Leo_ian]

Gosh I thought only the safe ones were leopards...
I guess it depends on the fish right?

 

[bnord]

I went the compete opposite route and got a cow fish. Hands down the coolest guy I've ever owned. He left everything alone including the shrimps. Best part was when I came home from work he would start swimming up and down in the tank and change from yellow to brown. When I would walk over he would spit water out thet top at me. So amazing!

doesn't answer the question, but I have a Valentini in a 100 gallon live rock curing horse trough

without a doubt the fish I spend the most one on one time with

He/she reminds me with spitting water sounds that I have not paid enough attention to it. and by attention of course that means food

closest thing to a dog I have had that is not warm blooded

there are "too big for the display tank" inverts in with it, so not a good gauge as to harmony with inverts

and by the way - picked up a Stars and Stripes to go along with it, and never see it except for it to dart out and grab food. neat looking but can't find any personality there

 

[Reef Racket]

I love my blue spotted toby!!! He nipped at my two smallest Monti Digi's on the tip the first 3 days after being added to the tank. I didn't have luck with clams on a half shell or with hardshelled shrimp/krill. I figured pellets may be hard enough to help him with his beak so i tried it. He's crunches down "New Life Spectrum - Marine Fish" pellets like I crunch down cereal. I read they wont eat pallets but he absolutely loves it and hasn't nipped at the monti's since.

*Thought*
I have also ready that some puffers will exclusively eat Plankton?? So I ordered this vacation feeder stone called "Giant Plankton Banquet" and thought that it would attract him more than a coral, being that its food, but I haven't tried it yet. I figure it may give the same satisfaction of a coral but more so that it smells and taste like food haha.

Good Luck Puffer Owners!!