What Have I Gotten Into?

[JJ1234567]

Ok...so yea. Long story short, a friend of mine has two roomates who share a 55 gallon reef. Both of them know about as much about fish as the most junior member on here. One chooses to learn, while the other impulse buys. Which is why I find myself tonight in ownership of a puffer. I know NOTHING about this fish. I mean, I know about puffers, but I do not know what particular species this is. I think (big think) that based on the photos from burgess fish altas, that it is a Canthigaster Jactator. It looks like a few of the others, but it doesnt have spots on its legs, and the eyes seem to have that blue ring.

The problem begins as I contemplate if I can afford to keep him. Currently he is hanging in a 10 gallon I hastily set up. Now before anyone jumps on me, this is a VERY TEMPORARY situation. It was let him chill in a 10 gallon, or get flushed by the morons. I opted to save him. Sooo...either way with-in a week I will either make the 60 mile drive to the best fish store in west michigan (VIPets - shameless plug i know, but they do rock), and dropping him off....or buying a new tank. The questions Im wondering is can he be happy in a 4 - foot tank. I dont have room in my small house for anything longer than 4 - foot. Now...burgess says that he needs 100l full grown which is like ~ 30gal right? in that case could I do a 50 breeder? Just curious. anxious for some feedback. Either way I will be doing the right thing by this cute little fish (almost cuter than my GSP didnt think that was possible), he will not stay in the ten gallon one minute longer than he has too.

PS. Cant get a good pic of him in this bucket, I will try to upload a decent photo tomorrow when hes in the tank and has better lighting.

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, most resources I have available say anywhere from 30-50 gallons for a tank size and the fish only grows to 3-5" MAX. If it were my little guy and I had 4' of space, I'd setup a 30 long

 

[bunjiweb]

Well these "dwarf" marine puffers do stay quite small and aren't viscious at all from my experience. I have a Valentini which is very similar to the Hawiian Whitespot you have. I have my 1.5" specimin in a full reef tank and he has not touched anything apart from a clam and the odd nip at a sand burrowing snail (never succeeds!). I really dont think you would need much more than a 25Gal to house one of these puffers happily. Just make sure you give it plenty of rockwork to scoot around and feed it crunchy enough foods to stop its teeth overgrowing.

Well done for saving it, Its a shame to think it could have simply been flushed.

Ben

 

[JJ1234567]

Well...I was very excited when I saw that he wouldnt get very big. After a few beers lastnight I called the LFS and ordered a 30 long for him. In the tank he was in he was trimming the urchin down , and picking on the other fish. I didnt see any evidence that he was going after the corals, but...Im not sure I can afford another reef tank, my 20long pretty much drained my fish account for a while. Allthough...I do have a spare 36" fixture lying around....but I think 4x 96watt bulbs might be a bit much for that shallow of a tank. What do you guys think?

*edit* and Ben I hear ya on the shame of flushing such a wonderful little critter. Esp when the two idiots that bought him did ZERO research about what they were getting into. I have a hard time going to their apartment and looking at their "reef". Its a 55gal that is terribly over stocked. Just off the top of my head here are the fish I can remember them having in there: Brown tang, Foxface lo, 1 or 2 chromis, Mandarain (Ive asked them to return it before it starves, they just laugh), a large domino damsel, a large sandsifting goby of some type, a maroon clown, and a few more I cant remember. So including the puffer its not a suprise to me that he was getting upset considering how territorial these fish are supposed to be.

 

[bunjiweb]

They get upset by boisterous fish, the puffers themselves arent aggressive usually, however they obviously have the deffinsive capability to put up a good fight if something was being aggressive towards them.

Ben