Ok everyone it's been a long time since I have posted but I need help figuring out the stages of aggression in fish if there is any I have a predator tank in the living room and just discovered that my porcupine puffer ate my horned cow fish. The tank has a massive stars and strips puffer, a baby dog face puffer, porcupine puffer, snowflake eel, and was a horned cow fish. These fish have been together for over a year and all "hangout" no fights over anything not even food they all eat krill. A few days ago the porcupine puffer slowed down with his eating to the point he almost stopped and noticed today after work that the cow fish was gone and now the porcupine has been acting very sick. Mind you these two use to swim together take turns eating etc etc no bite marks no fights no aggression in the tank at all. I have had huge success with all these fish and only had to feed one type of food. Is there a stage in the porcupine puffers life cycle that causes a weird aggression. These fish never show territorial aggression and honestly all rest bundled up near each other. Also the porcupine has kept himself distant from the others when his eating slowed down. Please help so I do not make a mistake again, if I missed something important in the life stages of a puffer.
New aggression from porcupine puffer
- Thread starter FlReef
- Start date
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They are in a 120gallon but these fish were all bought as babies all the same size from the same shipment from the same local fish store(except the eel). I gave a list of fish (with my top priority of a few)to my local fish store to keep an eye out for the next time they go down to south Florida to hand pick fish( which is the only way they get fish). They do not ship fish in EVER if they can not see it before the purchase they do not buy it. When they got some of the fish on my list. I went down to them that day checked them out and paid for them. Of course my local store does not allow you to take them for a few days because they like to make sure the fish are eating and healthy which is why I love this store. When I finally got the fish home they were all introduced together and have been friends ever since. Just weird that after a year the porcupine decides to eat the cow fish that he literally has grown up with.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
The cowfish just disappeared? Nothing is going to eat a cowfish entirely. Cowfish produce a very effective toxin. If eaten the predator would be dead very quickly.
If the puffer were becoming aggressive you would begin to see it exhibit itself toward other tankmates. However, with the species in this tank aggression is an eventuality. And aggression rarely gets better once it begins.
Also, a diet of just krill has been linked to health issues in fish.
If the puffer were becoming aggressive you would begin to see it exhibit itself toward other tankmates. However, with the species in this tank aggression is an eventuality. And aggression rarely gets better once it begins.
Also, a diet of just krill has been linked to health issues in fish.
Yea I have heard that about the krill but they WILL NOT eat anything else I have tried everything including larrys reef foods they won't touch it. The porcupine also has a nice bulge in his stomach where I assume is the cow fish I have checked under all rocks and moved everything.... there is no sign of him in the tank
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Cowfish are mostly inedible exoskeleton. The puffer did not eat him. The cowfish may have died and broken down by microorganisms.
If krill is thing they'll eat then they'll need to be trained to accept other foods. Skipping a day or two of feeding and then introducing a new food is a good way to start this.
If krill is thing they'll eat then they'll need to be trained to accept other foods. Skipping a day or two of feeding and then introducing a new food is a good way to start this.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
More possible than being eaten by a puffer.
jasonrusso
2500 Club Member
2 puffers in a 120 is likely the cause of aggression. When they grow up they need more space and start getting territorial.
Also, I agree that a diet of krill only is no good. It is called puffer crack for a reason. My porcupine eats krill, clam, mussels, shrimp, oyster, etc.
Go to the grocery store and buy some uncooked frozen shrimp or oysters. Mussels if they have them loose. Crack the shell open and toss it in on the half shell.
Only buy 2-3 mussels at a time because they die fast in the fridge. You get weird looks at the store asking for 2 oysters and 3 mussels, but so what?
Also, I agree that a diet of krill only is no good. It is called puffer crack for a reason. My porcupine eats krill, clam, mussels, shrimp, oyster, etc.
Go to the grocery store and buy some uncooked frozen shrimp or oysters. Mussels if they have them loose. Crack the shell open and toss it in on the half shell.
Only buy 2-3 mussels at a time because they die fast in the fridge. You get weird looks at the store asking for 2 oysters and 3 mussels, but so what?
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