Valentini puffer nipping fins...

OUPike1833 · 05/17/2009, 10:20 PM

My new addition of a Valentini puffer to my tank has caused a problem. The fish has nipped one of my clown's fins down pretty bad in a very short time (maybe 2 days). The puffer has, also, nipped at another fish but not so bad. Is there anything I can do that will curbed this behavior or should this fish go back to the LFS?

I have had the puffer in the tank for about a week and have been feeding the tank a mix of flake and frozen brine shrimp.

Any help will greatly be appreciated as I don't want any more damage to my fish to occur.

stanlalee · 05/18/2009, 12:43 AM

well documented behavior. get fish that will kick its *** when it does this, get fish that are too quick and clever for the puffer to do this (not hard puffers are about the poorest swimming fish there is) or trade it in for another specimen not so prone to fin nipping. yours sounds more extreme than usual

iFisch · 05/18/2009, 11:58 AM

Puffers should generally be in a FOWLR tank. No corals, and mixed with semi-aggressive fish like Triggers, Lionfish, etc.

And they should be housed in something like 60g+.

OUPike1833 · 05/18/2009, 05:54 PM

I think I will be returning him tomorrow to the fish store. I think I will replace the puffer with something a little more fitting to the fish in my tank.

I knew I had second thoughts about picking this puffer up...

iFisch · 05/18/2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OUPike1833
I think I will be returning him tomorrow to the fish store. I think I will replace the puffer with something a little more fitting to the fish in my tank.

I knew I had second thoughts about picking this puffer up...

That sounds like a good idea. Even "Angels" are beautiful, but "may" nip at corals.

How big is your tank?

05/17/2009, 10:20 PM	#1
OUPike1833 I dose OxiClean! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 240	Valentini puffer nipping fins... My new addition of a Valentini puffer to my tank has caused a problem. The fish has nipped one of my clown's fins down pretty bad in a very short time (maybe 2 days). The puffer has, also, nipped at another fish but not so bad. Is there anything I can do that will curbed this behavior or should this fish go back to the LFS? I have had the puffer in the tank for about a week and have been feeding the tank a mix of flake and frozen brine shrimp. Any help will greatly be appreciated as I don't want any more damage to my fish to occur.

05/18/2009, 12:43 AM	#2
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	well documented behavior. get fish that will kick its *** when it does this, get fish that are too quick and clever for the puffer to do this (not hard puffers are about the poorest swimming fish there is) or trade it in for another specimen not so prone to fin nipping. yours sounds more extreme than usual

05/18/2009, 11:58 AM	#3
iFisch Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: FL Posts: 3,068	Puffers should generally be in a FOWLR tank. No corals, and mixed with semi-aggressive fish like Triggers, Lionfish, etc. And they should be housed in something like 60g+.

05/18/2009, 05:54 PM	#4
OUPike1833 I dose OxiClean! Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 240	I think I will be returning him tomorrow to the fish store. I think I will replace the puffer with something a little more fitting to the fish in my tank. I knew I had second thoughts about picking this puffer up...