Experience with burrfish (spiny box pufferfish)

[mpatterson42]

A few times my LFS has had burrfish / spiny box pufferfish in stock and they look so cool! I was a big fan of porcupine puffers until I saw these ones that always have their spikes out. But in most online shops they are listed as EXPERT ONLY and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with keeping them and if they could speak to that. I have a 180 gallon tank that is almost done cycling and this fish on near the top of the list of what I want.

I've heard they can get scared easily and release toxins into the water. I do plan on having other predatory / aggressive fish in there. Snowflake eel, lionfish, flame angel, harlequin tusk, humu trigger and a niger trigger. Does anyone think a spiny box puffer is a bad idea? Dr. Reef sells them and I planned on buying from him since he'll go through the full quarantine process.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

A few times my LFS has had burrfish / spiny box pufferfish in stock and they look so cool! I was a big fan of porcupine puffers until I saw these ones that always have their spikes out. But in most online shops they are listed as EXPERT ONLY and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with keeping them and if they could speak to that. I have a 180 gallon tank that is almost done cycling and this fish on near the top of the list of what I want.

I've heard they can get scared easily and release toxins into the water. I do plan on having other predatory / aggressive fish in there. Snowflake eel, lionfish, flame angel, harlequin tusk, humu trigger and a niger trigger. Does anyone think a spiny box puffer is a bad idea? Dr. Reef sells them and I planned on buying from him since he'll go through the full quarantine process.

There are a few different species of burrfish. Overall, they are a bit more delicate than the average porcupine puffer. They don't release toxin into the water like some boxfish do. Feeding is sometimes a challenge, so the best thing is to see that it is eating well at the LFS before you buy one.

They DO arrive often carrying a high parasite load, so they need to go through a full quarantine process.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/

 

[Mike7744]

I have a spiny box puffer fish, for about a year now. He is an awesome fish. Lots of personality, very easy to take care of. Started feeding mine on day one with shrimp from the grocery store and he has been going strong on this food since day. One I have tried other foods with him, but this is all he likes. His tankmates are porcupine puffer, snowflake eel, dogface puffer. Foxface. 125 gallon tank