Mimic Saddle Puffer

[mrcote1]

Anyone here have a mimic saddle puffer in a reef tank? My wife wants a puffer but I dont want to lose all my snails and cleaner shrimp. Valentini puffers seem too iffy but then I saw these mimics but not much first hand experience from people online. Anyone here have a success story with them or could tell me no way?

 

[kgstei]

I have a blue spotted puffer in my 120g mostly soft coral tank. No issues.

 

[mrcote1]

Never picks on snails or shrimp? That is probably my largest concern. Would you think anthias would do okay with a puffer?

 

[jasonrusso]

If you have a puffer it will eat snails and shrimp. It has to chew on shells to wear it's teeth down.

My porcupine puffer ate the Xenia I put in the tank as a test, lol. I wanted to see if I could put some coral in my Fowler, nope.

 

[kgstei]

The blue spot is a small puffer,about 4-5". I had him with fire, peppermint, cleaner and coral banded shrimp. I never observed him showing any interest in them. He is a very curious fish and I have seen him pick on a snail or two but not having any impact on the population. I give mine mussels on the half shell (after I take most of the meat out) so he has to scrape the what remains out. There are no guarantees but I think the blue spotted is the one most likely to succeed. If it turns out it to be a no good, coral nipping, shrimp munching, snail crunching SOB, then it shouldn't be to hard to remove and pack his bags. Good luck.

 

[mrcote1]

Can you net a blue spotted or will it puff up?

 

[kgstei]

I've never had to net it and its never puffer up.

 

[Matt W]

I had a green spotted puffer in a mixed reef. Slowly transitioned over to salt (FW to brackish; then very slowly dripped to 35 ppt). Very small and cute. In this instance, shrimp ok, corals ok, would pick at snail but that was no worry.

It was a fun fish to have in a nano tank. Very active and would feed from hand.