Mimic Saddle Puffer?

[Royal Gramma Man]

Hi,
I was wondering if whether or not I should purchase a Mimic saddle puffer (Yes I know it's not really a puffer and is in fact a filefish). I have a 35 gallon reef tank with plenty of rockwork. I have a clown pair, one royal gramma, and a cleaner shrimp. However, I've heard that these guys can potentially eat corals. I have mostly lps and soft corals so if they are at risk I may not but the fish. Any help will be great! Thanks!

Or if there are any small puffers I could potentially house in my tank (Because we have been wanting a puffer for a very long time) please tell me

 

[Sailingeric]

I have a valentino puffer for about 4 years with no problems but your mileage may vary

 

[vetteguy53081]

Having one dorsal spine instead of typical filefish 2 , these guys are friendly and should get multiple feedings assuring their diet includes shrimp, squid, scallop, mysis shrimp, freeze-dried krill and plankton

 

[mort]

Not reef safe ime. I don't think they are any better or worse then the valentini they mimic really. They are really cool fish and sometimes it's worth giving them a go but have a backup plan. Some puffers/files can pick at only one or two types of corals and then leave the rest alone, so they are possible to keep in a reef. I would however be worried about your shrimp, it's likely to be eaten some time.

A safer, perhaps the safest common puffer, is the leopard toby puffer. These are deeper water, so less inclined to nip at corals. They aren't as bold as some of the larger tobie but they are easy to keep and possibly the best behaved puffer there is.

 

[Royal Gramma Man]

Not reef safe ime. I don't think they are any better or worse then the valentini they mimic really. They are really cool fish and sometimes it's worth giving them a go but have a backup plan. Some puffers/files can pick at only one or two types of corals and then leave the rest alone, so they are possible to keep in a reef. I would however be worried about your shrimp, it's likely to be eaten some time.

A safer, perhaps the safest common puffer, is the leopard toby puffer. These are deeper water, so less inclined to nip at corals. They aren't as bold as some of the larger tobie but they are easy to keep and possibly the best behaved puffer there is.

What fish do you keep it with because they live aquaria says they aren't compatible with some of my fish

 

[najer]

I have two mimics and they chew my leathers but that is it, very personable and they will eat from my fingers.

 

[Royal Gramma Man]

Not reef safe ime. I don't think they are any better or worse then the valentini they mimic really. They are really cool fish and sometimes it's worth giving them a go but have a backup plan. Some puffers/files can pick at only one or two types of corals and then leave the rest alone, so they are possible to keep in a reef. I would however be worried about your shrimp, it's likely to be eaten some time.

A safer, perhaps the safest common puffer, is the leopard toby puffer. These are deeper water, so less inclined to nip at corals. They aren't as bold as some of the larger tobie but they are easy to keep and possibly the best behaved puffer there is.

Also what do you feed it. I have plenty of frozen but I know they should be fed clams right?

 

[mort]

What fish do you keep it with because they live aquaria says they aren't compatible with some of my fish

I mentioned a few different species in my reply but with both the mimic and toby puffers I don't think they are really very limiting with regards to tankmates. I only ever saw a little bit of fin nipping to begin with before the other fish got used to them, then nothing really happened after that and they all got on fine. You might have a little issue with slow sedentary fish but the average fish, at least ime, isn't a problem.
Having a quick look at the liveaquaria compatibility charts and it mentions either slow moving species like dragonets, timid ones like firefish, or larger fish that might be nipped by them. It's a sensible list but it has many combinations that do work, for instance they should be fine with damsels unless you have real monster damsels. It's also hard because not all filefish are the same, most are quite timid but mimics are bolder because they act like the puffer who fish know to be more wary of.
What other fish do you have and are we advising for the puffer or mimic? Sorry I've confused myself a little.

Also what do you feed it. I have plenty of frozen but I know they should be fed clams right?

Puffers yes, clams, mussel or larger meaty objects that they have to scrape their teeth on keep their mouths healthy. Hard shelled foods like mysis and krill also work as they have to bite through their exoskeletons. It might not seem like much but it's an accumulated abrasion factor. Food in a half shell is good but you can squash pellets into old shells and they still scrape their teeth. It's a balanced diet that's the most important.

For filefish you can feed the same foods but you don't have to worry as much.

 

[Royal Gramma Man]

I mentioned a few different species in my reply but with both the mimic and toby puffers I don't think they are really very limiting with regards to tankmates. I only ever saw a little bit of fin nipping to begin with before the other fish got used to them, then nothing really happened after that and they all got on fine. You might have a little issue with slow sedentary fish but the average fish, at least ime, isn't a problem.
Having a quick look at the liveaquaria compatibility charts and it mentions either slow moving species like dragonets, timid ones like firefish, or larger fish that might be nipped by them. It's a sensible list but it has many combinations that do work, for instance they should be fine with damsels unless you have real monster damsels. It's also hard because not all filefish are the same, most are quite timid but mimics are bolder because they act like the puffer who fish know to be more wary of.
What other fish do you have and are we advising for the puffer or mimic? Sorry I've confused myself a little.


Puffers yes, clams, mussel or larger meaty objects that they have to scrape their teeth on keep their mouths healthy. Hard shelled foods like mysis and krill also work as they have to bite through their exoskeletons. It might not seem like much but it's an accumulated abrasion factor. Food in a half shell is good but you can squash pellets into old shells and they still scrape their teeth. It's a balanced diet that's the most important.

For filefish you can feed the same foods but you don't have to worry as much.

I was speaking about the puffer in terms of fish compatibility

 

[mort]

Puffers are harder to mix with some species than the filefish but I don't think they are particularly limiting. Slow, timid species are the only ones that might be a problem with them, or much larger species with large finnage but it doesn't generally go further than the odd nipped fin (which soon heals). It is you cuc and some corals that are at risk from them.

 

[Royal Gramma Man]

Alright thanks!