DOG PUFFER

[EXVISOR]

Hi all ,newbe here
I have a puffer that I got about two months ago, i was doing a reef tank but I really missed having a puffer so I gave up the reef tank
Anyway my puffer is 12 inches long ,he was tank raised and at one time would not eat anything but freeze dried krill
I know have him eaten allot of good stuff ,he is a gentle giant and does not want to eat smaller fish, had him in there with a small wrasse about one inch long and he was afraid of it
Anyway decided to try another fish so I went with a spotted grouper, the really get along well except the grouper took his bed, i call it is bed because that's where he likes to sleep, he hates laying on the sand so I built him this little house with live rock, even has a bottom so he does not ha to lay on the sand
Anyway now he lays on the sand right in the front of the tank close to the glass looking sad and hurt
I Hope you don't think I'm crazy but puffers seem to show more of there feelings or when there upset or hurt
I feel really bad, thinking maybe I will take the grouper back to the store, the guy already told me I could bring it back if it does not work out, told him I have a puffer that's a big baby and love to be the center of attention, i do love him though ,there personality is what made me switch to salt water years ago

[Reptoreef]

Please, post some pics... I used to have a large porcupine puffer, an epilet shark, a flame snapper, a morangae moray eel, and an extremely large spotted puffer in a custom 400. About the sleeping situation, can you make another rock arrangement that is similar? Hey, glad to have ya aboard.

Repto

[bjpembo]

try building another hiding spot for him, the grouper cant take both at the same time so maybe either the grouper will move or the puffer will take up in the new one.

[EXVISOR]

I created some new spots, the grouper seems to take them, my wife said I should not worry ,she said she saw them yesterday sleeping together in one of the caves, she also said when the puffer wants to be alone he kicks the grouper out, having seen this yet but that's what she said she saw
I will get some picks together soon

[Reptoreef]

Cool. I would imagine a 125 to be ok space for 2 larger tank sized fish.

[EXVISOR]

I believe the space is even ok for a third, did alot of research and found out the best way that alot of people in the trade go by is a few different scales ,one has to do with weight and lenth od the fish which is complicated the other is by the tank ,for example if you have a 125 tank there 6 ft long which is 72 inches so you have no more 72 inches of fish ,
So i figure if I have a fish thats 12 inches and two fishes that are 10 inches that would be fine
The guys in the fish store all tend to say something different like one fish per 3 gal or 1 fish per 5 gal
The article i found that says go by inches seems to make more sense to me because there talking about having enough oxygen in the tank for fish as well as not producing an overload of waster
Not sure how accurate it is but makes sense aout of all of them

[Reptoreef]

Makes total sense... those guys at the LFS want more of your $$$ LOL. Your reasoning sound like it's right on.

Repto

[dakar]

Makes perfect sense to me.... the LFS notion says I could put 60 fish in our tank..... NOT! By our own figuring we are pretty close to maxed out for fish right where we are (well under 20, thats counting a dozen green chomis). Using your suggested formula it works out pretty close to 1/2 the tank length at full size for all of them. Think you have a good base formula there.

[EXVISOR]

I wish I saved the link for you to read , it was interesting

[EXVISOR]

Hey all, my fish guy just got in a nasa tang, big one ,what do you think about that as a third fish, I love tangs, I was either thinking a tang or an angel but I seem to have better luck with tangs