What You Should Know Before Getting Your Porcupine Puffer

While porcupine puffers can get rather large and require a big aquarium, their care is easy compared to that of many saltwater fish. They can handle fluctuations in PH, temperature and salinity better than many other fish and don't usually go on hunger strike in response to stress. Porcupine puffers are actually rather sturdy creatures as far as saltwater fish go, so long as you give them proper care.

The first thing to do before you buy a porcupine puffer is to make sure you have a big enough aquarium to handle his size. Porcupine puffers are wide and bulky fish that can reach an adult size of well over a foot long. They are also inefficient eaters that make a lot of waste. As with all fish, you should always consider the size of adult porcupine puffers before deciding to put one in your marine aquarium. Diodon holocanthus, the species found most commonly in the aquarium trade, can reach eighteen inches in length. To stay happy and healthy, a porcupine puffer's tank should be no smaller than 120 gallons both so he has room to swim and to allow for enough biological filtration to handle his waste. Of course, never put a fish into an un-cycled aquarium. Only buy your porcupine puffer after you have a completely cycled aquarium with established biological filtration.

Because porcupine puffers make so much waste, be prepared to do a lot of water changes to remove this waste even if you have a plenum or other nitrate removing device in your aquarium. I'd recommend changing no less than 20% of your puffer's water weekly to keep up with his waste production. You can also keep the water more pure by removing any uneaten food and any visible waste using a tank vacuum to suck it out. If you feed frozen food, be sure to thaw the food thoroughly and discard any water it may have been packed in. The melt water usually contains food juices that will spoil quickly in your porcupine puffer's tank. Some aquarists also claim that feeding dry food can create more waste problems as it is not as completely broken down by your puffer's digestive tract as fresh or frozen foods.

Keep in mind that porcupine puffers are predators so some saltwater aquarium inhabitants might be seen as food rather than tank mates. Snails, crabs and hermit crabs, clams, barnacles, and shrimp of all kinds are all part of a porcupine puffer's natural diet. Corals, however, are a very individualized matter. Some porcupine puffers will eat or bite some or all types of coral while other individuals will leave your coral alone. Polyps of any sort are particularly tempting, even if they are not edible, most porcupine puffers will take a little taste.

The teeth of porcupine puffers continue to grow their entire lives and must be ground down by the food they eat to prevent overgrowth which can prevent your puffer from eating. To keep your porcupine puffer's teeth healthy, feed him crunchy foods such as mussels, clams, crab, snails or shrimp - all with their shells still on - at least several times per week and preferably at every feeding.

Porcupine puffers are one of the most personable types of saltwater fish. Porcupine puffers quickly learn to come to those who feed them. Porcupine puffers can also learn that doing a little dance or spitting water above the surface can get your attention and may earn treats.

If you maintain a healthy aquarium and feed your porcupine puffer properly you can enjoy his antics for many years.

Sources:
Over twenty years in the aquarium hobby plus experience in marine aquaculture and saltwater fish breeding.