The porcupine pufferfish, with its unique appearance and active personality, has become a favorite choice of many aquatic enthusiasts. However, to provide these fish with an ideal living environment, choosing the appropriate aquarium size plays an extremely important role. In this article, fishtankenthusiast.com will answer questions about porcupine puffer tank size and how to care for them.
What is a porcupine puffer fish?
Porcupine pufferfish are intelligent and attractive saltwater fish that look and act somewhat cartoonishly. They often learn to interact with their caregivers in strange and fascinating ways; some even respond to eye contact by swimming up and asking for food! Their attractive personalities, combined with their big eyes, chubby cheeks, and goofy smiles, make them adorable pets.
Sometimes called balloon fish or porcupine fish, these fish are slow-moving and can be easily caught by divers, so they are easy to buy and relatively inexpensive compared to most other saltwater fish.
Although they are quite large and require a large aquarium, caring for them is easier than many other saltwater fish. They can withstand changes in pH, temperature and salinity better than many other fish species and do not frequently starve in response to stress. These fish are actually quite hardy creatures compared to saltwater fish, as long as you care for them properly. If you maintain a healthy aquarium and feed your pets properly, you can enjoy their antics for many years.
Porcupine puffer tank size
One of the reasons it is considered difficult to keep is the large porcupine puffer tank size required to keep it healthy and happy. Some sources claim that 100 gallons is enough, but we personally lean toward the minimum of 200 gallons for this puffer fish.
The reason for this recommended aquarium volume is not just the size of the hedgehog pufferfish. Like other puffer fish, they are also very messy eaters, tending to spill food all over the fish tank and produce a lot of waste. In a smaller aquarium, water quality can quickly plummet.
In addition to a large fish tank, you also need a powerful filtration system. Provide plenty of hiding places, but also be sure to leave your porcupine pufferfish some space to swim.
Why do we need 100 gallon Porcupine puffer tank size
Like all fish, you should always consider the adult size of your hedgehogfish when deciding to add one to your marine aquarium. They are large and hardy fish that can reach an adult size of over a foot in length. They are also often sloppy eaters and produce a lot of waste. When it comes to aquarium fish, porcupine puffers are like SUVs when it comes to fuel efficiency. They consume a lot of fuel and create a lot of pollution.
How to care for hedgehog puffer fish
Water exchange
Since the porcupine pufferfish produces a lot of waste, be prepared to do several water changes to remove this waste, even if you have a drain or other nitrate removal device in your aquarium. I recommend changing at least 20% of the water in the tank every week to keep up with their waste output.
Diet of the porcupine pufferfish (Diodon holocanthus)
Before considering keeping a porcupine pufferfish as a pet, you will have to consider whether you are willing and able to handle the diet they need. Like rabbits, porcupine fish teeth never stop growing. This is helpful if you live on mollusks and other invertebrates with hard shells that can easily wear down your teeth!
In aquariums, this causes problems. You must feed the porcupine pufferfish a diet consisting (almost) entirely of hard foods such as mussels, clams, crabs, etc. Otherwise, your fish will eventually be unable to eat because their teeth grow too long.
Porcupine fish teeth can be cut or filed, but of course, prevention is better than cure. This process can be extremely stressful for your fish and if something goes wrong, it can even lead to death.
Vacuum (and minimize) waste
You can also keep the water cleaner by removing any uneaten food and any visible waste by using a tank vacuum to suck them out. If you feed your fish frozen food, make sure to defrost the food thoroughly and remove any water that may have been packed in it. Melt water often contains food juices that will quickly spoil in your display tank. Some fish farmers also believe that feeding their fish dry food can create more waste problems because dry food is not completely broken down by the fish’s digestive tract like fresh or frozen food.
Conclusion
Choosing the right size puffer fish tank is an essential first step in creating an ideal living environment for these fish. Take the time to carefully learn about the biological characteristics of fish, consult with experienced people and choose a fish tank with a size that fully meets their needs. Hopefully the information shared in this article will help you give your porcupine pufferfish a perfect living space, where they can grow healthy and colorful.
