[ms_p_mcpie]

Hi-- I love my saltwater tank, it is fairly new (6 months or so) I have acquired a chocolate chip starfish (came with tank) a snowflake eel, a porcupine puffer (4 inch) a dwarf lionfish (4 inch) and a niger trigger (4-5 inch). I really want a huma huma trigger and my favorite fish source has one that is beautiful. I am unsure if I should bring him home. I believe that the snowflake, niger, and dwarf lion would be ok-- I am most worried about the porcupine puffer. Anyone have any advice?
Thanks

[marxsman]

First, how big is your tank? It sounds that your tank has all it can handle for a fish only tank. All the fish you have are predatory and territorial. These fish will also get large. Especially the eel and the puffer. IMO, no.

[ms_p_mcpie]

Well- my tank is a 55. I do know they will get larger and am planning to upgrade to larger tank (100 gl) when they do. As far as the territorial thing-- they all actually seem to get along b/c they were added almost all together. I am also planning to make the huma huma and/or a lunare wrasse my last additions. ......hmmm..... still thinking.......

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by ms_p_mcpie

a snowflake eel, a porcupine puffer (4 inch) a dwarf lionfish (4 inch) and a niger trigger (4-5 inch). I really want a huma huma trigger and my favorite fish source has one that is beautiful.

You may have problems with these fish as they mature. The Porcupine Puffer (Diodon nicthemerus) has a maximum adult size of 40 cm (16") and the Humuhumu nukunuku apua'a (Rhinecanthus rectangulus) has a maximum adult size of 30 cm (12").

Even if they only get to be 10" long, they would be way too big for a 55-gal tank. The Humuhumu Triggerfish will also become more and more aggressive as it grows. It would then be a threat to attack anything smaller than itself.

Another problem with puffers and triggers is that they are messy fish. Especially as they get larger. That's another reason for keeping them in larger tanks.

P.S. -- The most commonly used English common name for R. rectangulus in the U.S. is Picasso Triggerfish. Other English common names are Humuhumu, Patchy Triggerfish, Rectangle Triggerfish, Reef Triggerfish, Wedge Picassofish and Wedge-tail Triggerfish. Huma Huma is just a mispronounciation of Humuhumu that is common among some LFS personnel.

The Humuhumu nukunuku apua'a is the state fish of Hawaii and that's its Hawaiian name.

[ms_p_mcpie]

I went and brought home by huma (pretty pretty) named him Tyson (like Mike) Everything seems ok, little bit of tension between niger and huma, but they were ok after about 20 min. of establishing territory. I think that I have solved the problem of tank size. My neighbor has decided to GIVE ( ) me another 55 gallon, and I already have a 2nd one (so that makes 3). I plan to move the puffer into another one as soon as it is ready to go. As long as we can survive a couple weeks they will all have plenty of room. Any advice on doing that would be helpful (feeding time may be a problem.)