Animal-World > Marine - Saltwater Fish > Puffers - Boxfish - Porcupinefish > Porcupine Puffer

Porcupine Puffer

Porcupinefish, Slender-spined porcupine fish

Family: DiodontidaeDiodon nicthemerusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   This one is doing what most Porcupine Puffer or Porcupinefish do very well, (besides eating) it is puffing up! If threatened, they will fill themselves with air or water to become about 5 times their normal size! This one did it every time we moved it.

   The Porcupine Puffer or Porcupinefish will become accustomed to being fed and will eventually look to their owners for food and will take it from your hand. Many times this fish will become so large the owners will get a separate aquarium for it!

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance difficulty:    Although the porcupine puffer or porcupinefish is easy to feed and generally hardy, they require special care and a special diet to stay healthy.

Maintenance:   Puffers have strong teeth that grow throughout their lives. They need to be offered hard shelled live food often to keep their teeth worn down. For a better explanation and links to the practice of puffer dentistry (if needed) please read here. Because they eat a meaty diet and are often messy eaters, puffers will produce a large bio load on the biological filter of your aquarium requiring frequent water changes and good maintenance practices.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:   Indo-Pacific: Southern Australia from central New South Wales to a similar latitude in Western Australia.

Foods:  Puffers are primarily predatory fish in the wild, though they do graze on algae as well. Acceptable foods include shellfish, crustaceans and hard shelled foods such as snails. A large variety of all kinds of live and frozen meaty foods are best. It is best to feed small amounts several times a day. Some of the suggested frozen foods include prawn, crabs/crabs legs, bloodworms (live or frozen), blackworms (live or frozen), silversides, and mussels. Be sure to wash these foods thoroughly before feeding. Live foods can include snails, crabs, crayfish, shrimp (these are good for keeping their teeth trimmed), and earthworms. Live fish will also be eaten but it is thought it may cause problems such as 'fatty" liver and so should be fed sparingly or not at all.. Puffers are not picky eaters and will quickly become adapted to a variety of prepared aquarium foods and an occasional algae wafer. Flake food is not recommended. Even though they may eat it, puffers will not thrive on it.

Social Behaviors:    Found commonly in shallow bays. Nocturnal. Occurs in small aggregations. In the aquarium, they can be aggressive among themselves, and any smaller fish may be eaten.

Sex: Sexual differences:    Unknown.

Light: Recommended light levels:    No special requirements.

Temperature:    No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Length/Diameter of fish:    Porcupine Puffer or Porcupinefish adults can grow to 28.0 cm (11 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:    A minimum 75 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong    No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom    No special requirements.

Availability:    This fish is available from time to time.

• Diodon nicthemerus : $44.99

Porcupine Puffer Diodon Nicthemerus Large Fob 8 Next Day Offered By: Pets Warehouse Price: $44.99

Lastest Comments on Porcupine Puffer View all 25 comments on Porcupine Puffer Add Your Comment

Joe surf - 2012-03-18 I have a porcupine puffer his name is Spike. I love it they are fun and very social I feed mine krill and garlic. It helps build their immune system to help them from getting ick and keeps them healthy. It has eaten one of my blue led crabs they are cheap and it helps with their teeth. I enjoy that mine gets along with everything in my tank and only eats a crab every once in a while great fish. It is like a puppy for the tank Reply

geoff - 2011-01-09 Need help my puffer got white spot badly treaded 3 times now still there open 2 advice please and only eat frozen prawns but is that ok? Reply

philip - 2003-07-31 im having trouble feeding mine. he just wont eat. what can i do? ive tried squid, shrimp, pawn, live feeders. he also only comes out at night, are they nocturnal? thanks. kirsty - 2010-11-24 Yea they are nocturnal I read up on it. Reply

SpikesRules - 2010-08-26 We have a new porcupine-puffer, Mr. Spikey, and we are wondering how much he should be fed? It seems he will eat and eta, but since he is such a messy eater, I'm worried about our tank - although five days in, all the levels are okay. We have Krill, Bloodfish and Flakes (for the Damsels-2). He will eat the Krill and the Flake, not such a fan of Bloodfish! So, how much Krill should he get? Thanks!! Editor's Note - 2010-08-27 In general, you should feed him about as much as he can eat in 5 minutes once or twice per day. It is pretty easy to overfeed, especially in marine aquariums and with fish that love to eat all you can give them! Feeding more often usually entails more frequent water changes which is fine if you don't mind doing it. It sounds like you have a great fish... enjoy! Reply

Adam - 2010-08-02 I have a porcup[ine puffer I bought a week ago now named mugsy. I have been trying to feed him a variety of foods from clam, brine, freeze dried krill, shrimp, and mussels. I haven't seen him eat the food yet. It's gone but I believe that is from my snowflake eel coming out and taking. Any suggestions on what I should try? Reply

Kaity - 2009-03-14 I have a porcupine puffer fish named Furby and he is my favorite in the reef tank! He has beautiful iridescent eyes and ALWAYS knows when its feeding time. He has even learned to spit water at us when we don't feed him fast enough! I feed him frozen krill and haven't noticed any problem... but he's also only been with us a few months... I would definitely recommend this fish to anyone who enjoys being entertained! :D sherri - 2010-07-20 omg, I would love to see your fish do that! hehe. It sounded entertaining already! Man, I can't wait till my husband lets me get salt watered fishes, they're way cooler than fresh water, but yet harder to care for. Reply

Add your comment!

View all 25 comments on Porcupine Puffer

Back to Puffers - Boxfish - Porcupinefish