Porcupine puffer size: how big does it get?

Adults reach about 30 cm. The largest on record measured 50 cm (total length).

Porcupine puffer tank size: what is the minimum?

A tank at least 250 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Showcase tank or larger.

Porcupine puffer tank mates: what can it live with?

It gets along with 56 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Emperor angelfish, Queen angelfish, and Picasso triggerfish.

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Porcupine puffer

Diodon holocanthus

A dog of a fish; it comes to the glass and jets water into the sand.

The Porcupine puffer (Diodon holocanthus) is a subtropical marine fish of the family Diodontidae. It lives on and around reefs, between 2 and 200 m deep. Adults grow to about 30 cm; the largest on record measured 50 cm (total length). In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 250 cm long and water at 23–27 °C.

Size: 30 cm
Smallest tank: 250 cm
Temperature: 23–27 °C
Care: Moderate

In the aquarium

Temperature23–27 °C

pH7.8–8.5

Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Calm
Water layer: Mid water
Group: Lives on its own
Coral: Nips corals

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

Nano60 cm · 65 litresToo small
Standard90 cm · 180 litresToo small
Wide120 cm · 300 litresToo small
Living room180 cm · 650 litresToo small
Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres17 of them
Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres20 of them

Who it lives with

Gets along56 species

and 32 more species

Caution43 species

Narrow shared temperature range

Lined seahorse

In the wild

Water type: Marine
Climate zone: Subtropical
Habitat: Coral and rocky reefs
Largest on record: 50 cmtotal length
Aquarium trade: Traded commercially

Depth

surface

2 m200 m

Conservation status

Classification

OrderTetraodontiformes
FamilyDiodontidae
GenusDiodon
SpeciesDiodon holocanthus

In other languages

English: Longspined Porcupinefish
German: Braunflecken-Igelfisch
Spanish: Pez erizo apache
French: Poisson porc-épic à taches
Italian: Pesce istrice comune
Dutch: Ballonegelvis
Russian: Длинноиглая рыба-ёж
Japanese: ハリセンボン
Chinese: 六斑二齒魨

Quick answers

Porcupine puffer size: how big does it get?: Adults reach about 30 cm. The largest on record measured 50 cm (total length).
Porcupine puffer tank size: what is the minimum?: A tank at least 250 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Showcase tank or larger.
Porcupine puffer water parameters: what does it need?: Temperature 23–27 °C, pH 7.8–8.5.
Porcupine puffer tank mates: what can it live with?: It gets along with 56 of the 99 reef species in the catalogue, such as Emperor angelfish, Queen angelfish, and Picasso triggerfish.
Porcupine puffer: alone or in a group?: It can be kept on its own.
Porcupine puffer and corals: is it reef safe?: No, it may nip at corals.
Porcupine puffer depth: how deep does it live?: In the wild, 2 to 200 m down.