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Porcupine Puffer
Puffer

Porcupine Puffer

Diodon holocanthus

The porcupine puffer (balloonfish) is one of the classic 'personality fish' of the hobby — inquisitive, food-motivated and quick to recognise its keeper, with erectile spines and the famous defensive inflation. It's a genuinely large, long-lived commitment: adults commonly reach around 30 cm and can live 10–15 years, needing a mature, well-established tank of roughly 180 gallons (about 680 L) or more once grown. It is strictly fish-only — it will eat every snail, shrimp, crab and worm in a cleanup crew — and its crushing beak-like teeth mean it can nip or even bite a keeper's hand at feeding time, so it's not a beginner fish despite its charm.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
11.8"
Min tank
180 gal
Reef-safe
Not reef safe
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork, Caves, Open water
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Porcupine Puffer gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Percula ClownfishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Percula Clownfish.Purple Queen AnthiasPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Purple Queen Anthias.Banggai CardinalfishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Banggai Cardinalfish.Radiant WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Radiant Wrasse.Pajama CardinalfishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Pajama Cardinalfish.Green ChromisPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Green Chromis.Blue DamselPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Blue Damsel.Yellowtail DamselPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellowtail Damsel.Flame AngelfishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Angelfish.Coral Beauty AngelfishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Coral Beauty Angelfish.Helfrich's FirefishPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Helfrich's Firefish.Yasha GobyPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yasha Goby.Tailspot BlennyPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Tailspot Blenny.McCosker's Flasher WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller McCosker's Flasher Wrasse.Sixline WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Sixline Wrasse.Leopard WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Leopard Wrasse.Lubbock's Fairy WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Lubbock's Fairy Wrasse.Melanurus WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Melanurus Wrasse.Yellow Coris WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Yellow Coris Wrasse.Red Head Solon Fairy WrassePorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Head Solon Fairy Wrasse.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Maroon ClownfishPorcupine Puffer and Maroon Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Lemonpeel AngelfishPorcupine Puffer and Lemonpeel Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor AngelfishPorcupine Puffer and Bicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Saddleback ClownfishPorcupine Puffer and Red Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow TangPorcupine Puffer and Yellow Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Sea ClownfishPorcupine Puffer and Red Sea Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sailfin TangPorcupine Puffer and Sailfin Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple TangPorcupine Puffer and Purple Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangPorcupine Puffer and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Convict TangPorcupine Puffer and Convict Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clark's ClownfishPorcupine Puffer and Clark's Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomato ClownfishPorcupine Puffer and Tomato Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Achilles TangPorcupine Puffer and Achilles Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Naso TangPorcupine Puffer and Naso Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Scopas TangPorcupine Puffer and Scopas Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomini TangPorcupine Puffer and Tomini Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Christmas WrassePorcupine Puffer and Christmas Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Antennata LionfishPorcupine Puffer and Antennata Lionfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Mimic TangPorcupine Puffer and Mimic Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Brown TangPorcupine Puffer and Powder Brown Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.