Valentini puffer in a reef

I'm looking for an unusual fish to add to my 105 reef, and was checking out the valentini puffer. My only CUC is snails, and I imagine he would eat them. But it is all food on the reef.
Questions: would it only pick on snail and shrimp, or other inverts like anemones?
Would it pick on stony corals?
How about inverts like anemones?
If I could no longer have snails, is there an appropriate CUC that wouldn't interest the puffer?
Thank you so much in advance,
Helen

 

In my personal experience I've never had any puffer pick at my clean up crew from what I saw mind you. I've had more aggressive puffers like dogface, porcupine ect. I also fed them everyday. Small puffers I've read people keeping them in there reef but there's always exceptions. You might end up with one that is well behaved so you never know until you try. That's an exciting part to this hobby IMO, take a chance and maybe the payoff is worth it. If it doesn't work out then re home him. I say try it

 

From LA- The Saddle Valentini Puffer, also known as the Black Saddle Pufferfish, Blacksaddled Toby, Valentini Toby, or Saddled Toby. Members of the Canthigaster genus are called Sharp-nosed Puffers or Tobies. The Saddle Valentini Puffer is a bright and colorful fish with dark brown bands across the midsection, brownish-orange spotting on the lower half, yellow fins, and blue striping running along the back. It lacks pelvic fins, but has learned to use the pectoral fins to move about the aquarium. A 30 gallon or larger, fish-only aquarium is suitable. It may eat invertebrates found in a reef tank. Its teeth are actually a fused beak-like structure.
Parts of its flesh are poisonous. It has the ability, when threatened or alarmed, to inflate its body to almost twice its normal size. It becomes alarmed when netted, therefore, use a container to transfer it.
The Saddle Valentini Puffer needs a varied diet of meaty foods including; squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth.

 

I'm going off personal preference that I've experienced. OP, there's always a risk no matter what any fish site says. That said I've kept dwarf angels with no problems while others have had disasters. I know friends that had no problems for years with a Toby in there reef and also a green spot. I read books for advice too but not all fish are the same nor do they have the same personalities.

 

LA kind of contradicts themselves. In the "bullet point" description they say "reef safe with caution" and their description says suitable for fish only. I'm going to give them a call tomorow and pick their brains some more.

 

It says with caution because thats what they advise.As do I.

 

It's a hard decision. "Caution" is a word that can mean anything from going through a yellow light (low-moderate) or Jaywalking across a 4-lane road (high). My decision will have to be based in how much caution is required.

 

That Fish Place says it is not reef or invert safe. It is community safe with caution.

Black Saddled Toby - Canthigaster valentini - Medium| thatpetplace.com

 

From^

They're messy eaters, and the diet required for these fish can leave a lot of waste.

That is reason enough for me.

 

That was great information. Messy + eating the CUC is no bueno.

Continuing my search for the next fish.