Papuan Toby questions

wantvws

AC Members
Jul 15, 2007
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Waynesboro, VA
My LFS has this Papuan Toby puffer thing that I thought was very cool looking. Looking in my book, there is nothing listed specifically for this particular fish, but the general write up on puffers makes me lean towards not getting it. But from poking around on Google, this sounds like it's not really a puffer....I'm confused. Anyone have one or have any past experiences with one?
I currently have 5 chromis, 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 coral beauty, 1 bangai cardinal, 1 lawnmower blenny, some snails and a pile of hermits and a peppermint shrimp.
Thanks!!
Robbie
 
Robbie: here is an article I hope you find useful. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2005/fish.html I have a saddleback but he is in a separate tank now, I never release him into my DT becuase I was concerned about trying to catch him if he presented the nipping trait. Also, I don't want anthing to eat my rics. The Papuan Toby is a beautiful variant in the sharpnose puffer family. As with all sharpnose puffers it appears that they are hit and miss on behavior and likely to change if they start out fairly passive. Good luck with your decision!
 
Hmmmm...not too promising. I think I'll pass on this one. I'm just glad I didn't give in to the "I want it now" urge and bring it home...
Thanks!!!
Robbie
 
I have one in my sortie tank. He's a perfect gentleman--never nips on anything. He lives with hermits (large-tiny), pepp shrimps & a cleaner shrimp. That said... you can never know with a puffer.

He's beautiful, a great eater & very personable, BTW.
 
The papuan toby is actually one of the least likely to go for inverts if a good feeding regime of vegetable matter and chopped meaty foods are made available to them..they are more likely to nip at the fins of long finned fish, and will fight with males of its own kind...A few calcerous chunks of rubble are good for it to chew on to wear down its teeth...

Just my thoughts..

Niko
 
I also have a Valentini & a baby burrfish in there.
 
Thanks for the replies....now I'm really on the fence about this one. It is a really cool fish.... this one is in a tank with lots of hermits and some snails and he doesn't seem to pay much attention to them. But, it's only been in there for a little over a week. I'm a little paranoid about getting a pugnacious fish and having to tear my tank apart to catch it.
I'll have to keep thinking about it....
Thanks!!!
Robbie
 
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