Tank Mates for Valentini Puffer in 40B

[jlfrey06]

I set up a 40B tank in my basement to hold my current stock while we got new floors in our house. Once everyone is transferred back to my main display, I would like to keep that tank running as a FOWLR and add a Valentini puffer as the 'centerpiece' fish. Looking for other potential tankmates! I will probably add a pair of clowns but looking for other unique fish that will work with the puffer and will be comfortable in a 40B and different than what I currently have in my reef tank. Any ideas?

Reef tank inhabitants:
2 x Clowns
1 x Mandarin
1 x Helfrichi Firefish
1 x Tailspot Blenny
1 x YWG/Pistol shrimp pair
2 x Cleaner shrimp

 

[eelman07]

How about a Flame Hawkfish?

 

[jlfrey06]

How about a Flame Hawkfish?

Thanks! I'll take a look at those guys.

 

[Budman93]

I set up a 40B tank in my basement to hold my current stock while we got new floors in our house. Once everyone is transferred back to my main display, I would like to keep that tank running as a FOWLR and add a Valentini puffer as the 'centerpiece' fish. Looking for other potential tankmates! I will probably add a pair of clowns but looking for other unique fish that will work with the puffer and will be comfortable in a 40B and different than what I currently have in my reef tank. Any ideas?

Reef tank inhabitants:
2 x Clowns
1 x Mandarin
1 x Helfrichi Firefish
1 x Tailspot Blenny
1 x YWG/Pistol shrimp pair
2 x Cleaner shrimp

Tailspot and clowns are perfect tank mates. I know this because I literally got a valentini last week and my tailspot and two clowns pay him no mind.

 

[Dom]

I have 2 Valentini. They are very docile, unless they are in the same tank together. Thy get along with almost everything.

 

[Treehrtsme]

I'd be very careful with the cleaner shrimp. The valentini puffers tend to have different temperaments, but when it comes to crustaceans or shrimp that don't have any way of defending themselves it's not a risk I'd take. Had a fire shrimp literally nipped to death within a minute of being put in the tank. I've kept them with pistol shrimp and goby plenty enough times and wouldn't worry at all about that one. Otherwise it can be sometimes just a game of luck. Banded Coral shrimp and arrow crab have worked out for me before. Mainly because they have long opinions and if the puffer starts to approach them they'll just poke back at it and as long as there's not a massive size difference between the fish and the crab or shrimp they tend to learn not to mess with them. Long-term success with arrow crabs is a bit iffy though and I always liked my banded Coral shrimps.

 

[Treehrtsme]

Also the puffers tend to be fairly slow moving fish so even if you have a fish that it may potentially bother if it can out swim and hide somewhere from experience eventually the puffer will take its curiosity elsewhere

One of my personal favorite fish though, they have great personalities and mine always came to greet me when I came by. It was fun to stick my finger in there and watch them kind of swim around it trying to make up their minds whether to nip it or not and even if they did it didn't hurt or anything. They're active and sociable, but some tend to be way more nippy than others. I personally have never had one attack my Coral or anything like that but it can really be it or Miss. I think I even recall keeping peppermint shrimp with them no problem but ever since I had one completely devour a fire shrimp I became much more cautious

 

[Roatan Reef]

How about a Flame Hawkfish?

As long as you have no Shrimp or Snails!! They eat them all!!