Summertop wrote: What about  Arius jordani (Columbian Sharks)?  Anyone know if they are reef safe.  I was thinking of giving one a try.  Here is a quote...

I've got 2 I'm trying to acclimate to SW right now.  I'll let you know how it goes... 

The puffers or the sharks?  Either way they are like $3 at Fish 4 U.

Adam

How much does one of these cost?  Where can I find one?

Jared,

The Columbians seemed totally uncaring about the coral.  They just swim along the glass and along the surface.  They did "Explore" a little but never touched anything.  At least while I was watching.

Summertop,

Do the Columbians seem like they know what they are doing in a reef environment?  Like, do they appear to have reef instincts built in or did they have to learn how to live in a strange neighborhood?

The puffer is doing fine now, but for the first few days he seemed like he didn't know how to fit in with coral and anemones.

Oh and also.  He is definately eating astea snails.  If any of you are going to try this, you will be sacrificing your snails.  I think he may be picking them off at a rate of one snail every two days.  It may have picked up alittle now that he has figured out how to kill them.

Jared,

That is great on your puffer.  I think I might try one also.  As for an update on my "Columbians", one of them has died (one week after introduction).  The other one is still doing great.  It has been two weeks for him.  He (I guess it could be a "She") loves to play in the current generated by my return inlet.

Update...

Well it has been over a week now so I feel safe in declaring and end to all major combat opperations.

          -doh-

I mean declaring success. (I hope that doesn't come back to bite me)

Summary:
I bought a small brackish puffer, aclimated it over a 24 hour period, introduced it to the tank and it died two days later.  I am convinced that it got stuck by the current in the overflow slots and that is what killed it.  but I can't prove that.
I then got a larger brackish puffer, aclimated it over 4 days, introduced it to the tank and it is still alive today.

Conclusion:
Brackish puffers in a reef aquarium rock!  I love this guy.  He is constantly patrolling the entire tank.  If you stick your face up close to the glass he will swim right over to you and check you out too. 
He eats very well.  (I have a feeling that he could push through a constant stream of food)  He actually chews his food instead of thrashing it around.  I can hold a shimp in there with my fingers and he will bite big chunks out of it.
None of the other fish mess with him and in our 200 gal tank he doesn't mess with them either.  He has not bothered any feather duster worms, large or small.  I was worried about that but it isn't a problem.  Both puffers took one bite out of the first soft coral they encountered but haven't touched any corals since. 
I have noticed some newly emptied astrea snail shells.  I have never actually seen him killing and eating one but it must be his doing.  As long as they are on the glass or on the LR the snails are fine but if they fall to the substrate upside down, they wind up as empty shells the next day.  I imagine that as the puffer turns the corner and sees a scrumptous snail stretched out reaching for a foot hold he just can't help but take a bite.  I have been careful to flip all the snails back over when I knock them off the glass when cleaning.  And besides that.  I think that the puffer is worth a couple snails here and there.

I have been thinking about introducing some smaller snails that will reproduce in the aquarium for our puffer to freely eat.  Any warnings against this?