|
|
FAQs about True Puffer Identification
Related Articles: Puffers in General,
Puffer Care and Information,
A Saltwater Puffer Primer: Big Pufferfish! by Mike Maddox,
True Puffers,
Freshwater Puffers,
Burrfishes/Porcupinefishes,
Tobies/Sharpnose Puffers,
Boxfishes,
Puffer Care and Information
by John (Magnus) Champlin,
Things That My Puffers Have Told Me by Justin Petrey,
Related FAQs: True Puffers 1,
True Puffers 2, True Puffers 3,
Tetraodont Behavior, Tetraodont
Compatibility, Tetraodont Selection,
Tetraodont Systems, Tetraodont
Feeding, Tetraodont Disease,
Tetraodont Reproduction, Puffers in
General,
Puffer Selection, Puffer Behavior,
Puffer Systems,
Puffer Feeding,
Puffer Disease,
Puffer Dentistry,
Puffer Reproduction,
Freshwater Puffers,
Burrfishes/Porcupinefishes,
Tobies/Sharpnose Puffers,
Boxfishes | 
Who am I? Who are you?
|
|
Question about golden puffer, ID
04/26/09
Hi guys,
<Hi Eric.>
I just had a question about my recent purchase, a golden puffer from the
Christmas islands. My question is, how can I be for certain that my puffer
is truly a golden puffer? It is about 6 inches in length and only about
60-70 percent of it's body is yellow. The rest of his body is a light gray
color. Kind of like the bottom portion of a dogface puffer, but it doesn't
have the distinct mask like the dogface puffer has. I also don't see any
sign of his original patterns (black with white dots). Attached are some
pictures so you can see for yourself. Please let me know what you guys
think.
<A yellow A. meleagris. The almost equally yellow colour morphs of A.
nigropunctatus have slightly different body/head proportions, more black
spots as well as a at least grey area at the mouth.>
Thank you, Eric
<Welcome. Marco.>
|
 |
UNIDENTIFIED SWIMMING OBJECT 9/15/08
Hi Bob,
<Hello George!>
Your help in identifying this fish will be
greatly appreciated. All the best, George
Some information follow
(the fish was found on the Aegean Turkish coast)********
Further
to our correspondence two hours ago, I am sending in the attachment
the pictures of a strange fish which I found dead in the sea on the
Turkish coast just across from the Greek Island Castellorizo.
I
had never seen this fish before and it looked very weird due to its
unusual shape.
The fish in the pictures was about 30 cm long,
weighing about 400 grams. Peculiar characteristics of the fish were
as follows :
1. It had no scales and had rough skin with spots.
The skin texture was like the skin of a stingray.
2. It had no
operculum and no vents to discharge water. Since we forgot to
perform autopsy, I can not tell if it had any hidden gills. The
question is : As it did not have any operculum, how did it manage to
circulate water for oxygen extraction ?
3. It had fleshy lips,
but no teeth in the shape that we are familiar with. Instead, it had
a monobloc (U shaped) upper and lower jaw bones with sharp cutting
edges all around the arc, which apparently work like a giotine. Both
in the centre of upper and lower jaws, there was sharp protrusions
like a parrot beak, which apparently the animal used to fight or
catch its prey.
Since I found it dead, there is a possibility
that it may not belong to the fauna of the Turkish coast. It might
have come from North African coast or from the Red Sea. Another
possibility may be that it could have been brought by a yacht
(frozen in the fridge) and thrown into the sea on the Turkish coast.
akin -- George J. Reclos Ph.D.
<Am pretty sure this is a
Takifugu, likely T. rubripes
Bob Fenner> |
   |
Re: UNIDENTIFIED SWIMMING OBJECT 9/16/08
Hi
Bob,
<Neale> >
So far as I know, Takifugu doesn't occur in
the Northeast Atlantic, so isn't like to be seen in the
Mediterranean or Black Seas.
<Had thought that this might be a
contaminant...>
In any event, the streamlined shape reminds me
immediately of the pelagic Lagocephalus that we see here in
the UK from time to time. These are big pufferfish with
classic silvery countershading typical of oceanic fish. I
think the species in question is Lagocephalus sceleratus judging by
the black spots on the silver body.
<Ahh! I do agree>
It's an
exotic species that got into the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal,
as did Lagocephalus suezensis, another species worth considering.
Lagocephalus lagocephalus is the native species, but it's usually
quite plain in colour. Cheers, Neale
<Thank you Neale. Will send
to Geo. in Greece, post along side on WWM. BobF> |
Ahhh - I think it's actually Arothron stellatus! – 07/08/08
Hi,
<Hello!>
I just purchased an "Arothron mappa" from my
local fish shop; the puffer is currently about 3inches in size
without tail. It's been in the tank 24 hours and is eating fine and
very active. However, now it's settled in, its colours are not
typical of a Mappa. I contacted the shop and they insist it was
labeled 'Arothron mappa' from the distributor TMC, but they thought
it might be a Brown Dog faced puffer.
<…In my opinion
importers/traders should know what they are dealing with…>
But I
am worried its actually Arothron stellatus, it has a rust brown base
colour with tiny black spots over its upper body and tiger stripes
on its belly flanks with scribble pattern on its belly...maybe a
juvenile stellatus?
<May very well be possible. Young A.
stellatus are found here:
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.cfm?StartRow=2&ID=6526&what=species
and
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.cfm?StartRow=6&ID=6526&what=species
and here’s a nice drawing on how this fish changes with the years:
http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/faunabase/_images/Arothron_stellatus.jpg
. Also see here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tetraodontpuffers.htm .
In contrast A. mappa always have star like lines radiating from the
eyes (compare to some pictures, I’m sure you’ll know what I mean.>
I have seen adult grey Arothron stellatus in the wild numerous times
while diving and although the quoted size is 4ft, I have not seen
one that size, I have seen about 6 of them in the Red Sea at
different times over the years and the largest was just over 2 ft.
Have you heard of Arothron stellatus having a 'sub' species which
are not the usual grey colour?
<The young can be very colourful.
I’ve seen stunningly red, yellow and orange ones. However, the grown
adults become grey to light brown or tan. They can appear very
mottled, especially when sleeping or stressed.>
What are chances
of it actually being an Arothron stellatus do they import them for
the aquarium hobby
<Sure… much too often, sometimes as “brown
dog face puffer”, sometimes as “red puffer”.>
and do you know how
big they reach in captivity?
<At least the 2 feet, likely 2.5
ft. The larger ones are very rare in nature, too. However, I believe
one should plan with the size an animal *might* reach given good
care. Most A. stellatus imported simply die or are killed as they
grow.>
As I might have too contact a public aquarium at some
point in the not to distant future to house it, the shop is willing
to swap for what I wanted but I worry what they would do with it?
<I guess they would sell it to someone else (who might or might not
have an adequate tank). A public aquarium might be a better place,
but naturally they often do not wish to obtain all the tank busters
the hobby produces. Cheers, Marco.> |
Re: Ahhh - I think it's actually Arothron stellatus! – 07/08/08
Thank you Marco
<You are welcome.>
Seeing I made the shop
double and triple check what he was and check with their
supplier for peace of mind, as they are a very well known major
aquatic chain here in the UK and he was sourced from an equally
well known importers I am little annoyed (that I trusted them).
<Understandable. Neither am I sure they have the time to spend
hours studying literature on each of their thousands of fish,
nor do I believe this would be necessary, but a simple look into
FishBase or a book like Randall’s reef and shore fishes would
have easily given the right ID in this apparently unclear case.>
He was a lot darker in the shop so I could not see just how
defined those black spots were and the stripes on his stomach
and his colour convinced me he was not Arothron stellatus, but
looking at photos of juveniles I am convinced he is.
I
attached a photo of him as the evidence speaks for itself.
<Very nice specimen, thanks for sending. This picture and post
will help others to ID their puffers.>
Thank you for your
help, very much appreciated.
<Anytime. Take care. Marco.>
|
 |
Please help, Pufferfish Id - 11/1/07
<Hi Marcus>
I have
this Puffer that I cannot find what type he is anywhere.
<He is
a neat looking little fish, isn’t he? I believe it’s Arothron
reticularis, commonly called the Reticulated Pufferfish. It also
looks very similar to Arothron mappa/Map Puffer, but I’ve never seen
one without radiating lines around the eyes. Please see these links
for more info/photo comparison re:
http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=6594
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=7857
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tetraodontpuffers.htm >
Marcus
<-Lynn> | 
|
Re: Puffer <ID> and Brackish Tank <env.> query 7/12/07
Hi
guys
Its me again.
<Hello.>
I purchased this puffer today. And
I need to ID the new puffer. It was sold as a marine puffer. The LFS was
not able to tell me what type of puffer fish it is. All he could tell me
was that he lived in salt water.
<Statistically a fairly safe bet!
About 2/3rds of the family Tetraodontidae are either exclusively or
mostly marine.>
A few questions:
1) What puffer do I have? Is it a
Chelonodon Patoca? Takifugu?
<Doesn't look like C. patoca to me. That
species has milky-white spots on alternating mid-brown and silvery
transverse bands. It doesn't look like any of the brackish water
Takifugu spp. that I've seen traded. So I'd tend to go with what your
retailer said, and assume it's a "marine puffer" of some kind. Which
one, not sure. There are numerous look-alike species in the family, so
identifying them can be tricky. A little time at Fishbase might help,
especially if you can narrow down the list by establishing where it came
from... Southeast Asia, China, etc. Counting the number of rays in the
dorsal and anal fins will help. See here:
http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/identification/specieslist.cfm?famcode=448&areacode=
. For what it's worth, it doesn't look like an Arothron puffer to me,
the head's wrong, and I'd tend towards either a Takifugu or Torquigener
species.>
2) Can this puffer thrive in brackish water? mid to high
end brackish?
<Assume not, until you know better. While it is true
that very many marine puffers routinely enter brackish water for periods
of time, in many cases these jaunts are limited to hunting excursions or
spawning events. It's a whole other issue to maintain such a fish at SG
1.010 permanently. While SG 1.018 is probably safe, just as it with many
other marine fish, anything less than that should be undertaken only
with care, and while observing the puffer for signs of distress or loss
of appetite.>
3) Maximum length it grows too?
<Without a name, who
knows! But something in the 20-40 cm bracket is typical.>
4) Any
other unique behaviours that may require special treatment.
<You
number-1 issue is to try and establish if this is a temperate zone,
subtropical, or tropical species. Many of the Takifugu in the trade are
subtropical fish and don't last long in warm water. In the meantime, I'd
be tempted to keep this fish at a low-ish temperature for the time
being, say, 22-24 C rather than anything higher. This would be safe for
tropicals while not too stressful for subtropicals. Other than this, you
can probably treat this fish as any other marine puffer.>
Thank you
guys once again.
<Sorry couldn't be more helpful. Nice fish though!
Neale.>
Re: Puffer ID Follow Up - 7/12/07 7/13/07
Hi guys. Just a
short note on the puffer from yesterday's dailies. This likely is
Tetractenos hamiltoni also called the common toad fish, another
Australian species, which appeared in trade this year. It's marine, but
enters estuaries. Very toxic if consumed, even compared to other
puffers. They like to bury themselves in sandy substrate and live in
groups. See e.g.
http://www.amonline.net.au/FISHES/fishfacts/fish/thamiltoni.htm and
fishbase.org re. Cheers, Marco.
<Hello Marco. Thanks so much! Not a
species I have ever seen in the trade in the UK (yet). Sounds an
interesting species. I like the idea of a schooling species that stays
relatively small. Let's hope this species turns out to be amenable to
aquarium life. I note from Fishbase that its a subtropical species, so
by analogy with the also subtropical Takifugu ocellatus I'd have to
assume that it requires slightly below tropical temperatures, around the
18-20C mark. Correct? As for salinity, these estuarine puffers seem to
be very tolerant, so by analogy with Arothron hispidus we can probably
assume anything from 1.012 upwards should work well. At the very least,
it sounds like a species worth experimenting with in the high-end
brackish community, provided you had a marine tank you could move it to
if things didn't work out. Cheers, Neale.>
Puffer ID Follow Up - 7/12/07 Temperature for Tetractenos
hamiltoni 07/14/07
Hi guys. Just a short note on the puffer from
yesterday's dailies. This likely is Tetractenos hamiltoni also called
the common toad fish, another Australian species, which appeared in
trade this year. It's marine, but enters estuaries. Very toxic if
consumed, even compared to other puffers. They like to bury themselves
in sandy substrate and live in groups. See e.g.
http://www.amonline.net.au/FISHES/fishfacts/fish/thamiltoni.htm and
fishbase.org re. Cheers, Marco.
<Hello Marco. Thanks so much! Not a
species I have ever seen in the trade in the UK (yet). Sounds an
interesting species. I like the idea of a schooling species that stays
relatively small. Let's hope this species turns out to be amenable to
aquarium life. I note from Fishbase that its a subtropical species, so
by analogy with the also subtropical Takifugu ocellatus I'd have to
assume that it requires slightly below tropical temperatures, around the
18-20C mark. Correct?
<<Yes, that is exactly what the temperatures
are in the natural habitats (East coast: New South Wales and Queensland;
see http://www.amonline.net.au/FISHES/fishfacts/fish/thamiltoni.htm and
click on the underlined word “map”) in winter following
http://www.marine.csiro.au/~lband/web_point/ . In summer, it may be
slightly warmer, though, at least in the coastal and estuarine waters.>>
As for salinity, these estuarine puffers seem to be very tolerant, so by
analogy with Arothron hispidus we can probably assume anything from
1.012 upwards should work well. At the very least, it sounds like a
species worth experimenting with in the high-end brackish community,
provided you had a marine tank you could move it to if things didn't
work out. Cheers, Neale.>
<<I am not sure if they can be kept in a
community. Although they live in groups, it is known they attack and
kill other fishes of similar size when they are trapped in tidal pools
and cannot flee, a condition quite similar to an aquarium. I hope the
keeper of this puffer reads our discussion. Cheers, Marco.>>
Re: Puffer ID Follow Up - 7/12/07 7/15/07
I am not
sure if they can be kept in a community. Although they live in groups,
it is known they attack and kill other fishes of similar size when they
are trapped in tidal pools and cannot flee, a condition quite similar to
an aquarium. I hope the keeper of this puffer reads our discussion.
Cheers, Marco.
<Marco -- Yet another single species aquarium
pufferfish! Too bad. I agree, I do hope our questioner is reading all of
this. Cheers, Neale> | 
|
Whassthis? – 06/28/07
It's Tetraodon fluviatilis that has either
[a] been messed about with in Photoshop or [b] is the "Bengal variant"
of Ebert (2001) in Aqualog. This variety has small spots and
reticulations along the sides of the body, whereas regular T.
fluviatilis have less complex markings. My understanding is that
Tetraodon fluviatilis and T. nigroviridis are not really "species" but
ends of a continuum, with a whole variety of intermediate forms.
Cheers, Neale
<Mmm, well... I took this pic ayer at the local S.I.O.
Aquarium... in full seawater... Thank you! BobF> | 
|
Puffer ID… Marilyna pleurosticta – 05/09/07
Hi. I was wondering
if you could help me distinguish what puffer this one could be?
<Sure.>
I was advised by the LFS that this is a freshwater (that
they kept in a brackish 1.004 or so) and that it was native to New
Guinea... I’m from Australia by the way and according to my research
there are no common puffers in the Oceania region, for freshwater
anyway.
But currently, I have it in a tank with the following water
parameters.
Temperature 22-24 - I believe it should be at 24-26
<yes.>
salinity - 1.002 or so
diet - crickets, bloodworms (plan
to feed snails and small fishes)
ph - 7 and above <should be around
8.>
Questions:
1) Is this Amazon puffer (Colomesus asellus) or a
banded puffer (Colomesus psittacus) or something else?
<No, although
they may look similar. Your puffer is a Marilyna pleurosticta.>
2)
Are any of the water parameters wrong, which needs to be adjusted. The
critical one is how much salt is needed for this species of puffer.. at
what level.
<They often enter estuaries and river mouths with
brackish water, but basically they are marine fish and need
corresponding water parameters. They probably were caught in a river
mouth and therefore considered freshwater fish.>
3) How can I tell
from the puffer fish that it needs less salt or more salt in the water?
behaviour? physical colouring?
<Heavy breathing and a black belly.
They can stay in brackish water for a while, but I’d start raising the
SG by 0.002 a week>
4) Are crickets bad for puffers?
<No, but
seafood such as shrimps, clams etc. is more appropriate.>
5) What
are the best scavengers or clean up crew that is best with this puffers?
Would Cory's be regarded as dinner? I was advised that Plecos could work
best?
<Hermit crabs and snails when your tanks reaches marine
salinity.>
Please advise of best environment for my new puffer (had
him for a week).. as I plan to have him for the longer term. Thanks very
much.
<You are among the first to have this species in your tank.
Good luck and have fun. Marco.> |
Re: Puffer ID… Marilyna pleurosticta II – 5/11/07
Hey
Marco,
thanks so much for your help....
<Glad I could help.>
That’s the most information that I have found....
Do you have
like a care sheet that you can forward... as I have searched the net
and have found nothing about this species of puffer...
<No
surprise. This species is relatively new in the hobby. You might
want to try visiting
http://www.thepufferforum.com. There is at least one other
person from down under with this species. Try sending a personal
message to the user navy asking how her puffers did the last months.
Care for them probably is not too difficult. A cycled marine tank
with low nitrates and a varied diet will be among the most important
things.>
Thanks again.
<You are welcome. Marco.> | 
|
Puffer ID--No Pics 2/27/07
Hi there, My name is Mike.
<Hi
Mike, Pufferpunk here>
I set up a brackish aquarium virtually two
years ago and have always been on the lookout for different fish. My
local pet shop got two of these puffers in (see pictures) but could
not tell me what they were. I took a chance anyway as they are beautiful
fish, and after hours on the internet, I cannot identify what type they
are. They like to bury themselves in the sand most of the time, they are
not aggressive towards the other fish I have in there, some small also.
They are quite amusing to watch when they bury themselves up to their
eyes. I have had them for about 4 months and they live quite happily in
the brackish community home. I first thought they were Congo puffers
because of their tendency to bury themselves and the placement of the
eyes up top at the front but I understand that Congos are freshwater.
Mine have lightish-green bodies with big blue eyes and light yellowy
spots all over. They have one dark band that goes right the way round
the bodies near the head and a couple of large dark spots on the rest of
their bodies.
Please help me identify what these guys are and any
information you
could possibly provide for me. I thank you in
advance for reading this message and replying to me at your earliest
opportunity.
<I'm sorry but none of those links work for me.
Look here for your puffer:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/?sid=84750776d8d66060c112006b16594204
If you don't see your puffer there, post a pic of your puffer in the
forums at that site for ID. ~PP>
Mike |
Hi PP, Mich here.
I copied and pasted this query because the
images were so large it crashed the server. The photos are in the
email with images folder (hopefully) and you sent the message to me
and not Mike. His email is below.
Hope that helps,
-Mich | |
Hi PP. I could see the pics and (hopefully) know the ID, but you
already answered. See below. See you at TPF. Cheers, Marco. |
My name is Mike. I set up a brackish aquarium virtually two years
ago and have always been on the lookout for different fish. My local
pet shop got two of these puffers in (see pictures) but could not
tell me what they were. I took a chance anyway as they are beautiful
fish, and after hours on the internet, I cannot identify what type
they are. They like to bury themselves in the sand most of the time,
they are not aggressive towards the other fish I have in there, some
small also. They are quite amusing to watch when they bury
themselves up to their eyes. I have had them for about 4 months and
they live quite happily in the brackish community home. I first
thought they were Congo Puffers because of their tendency to bury
themselves and the placement of the eyes up top at the front, but I
understand that Congo's are freshwater. Mine have lightish-green
bodies with big blue eyes and light yellowy spots all over. They
have one dark band that goes right the way round the bodies near the
head and a couple of
large dark spots on the rest of their
bodies. Please help me identify what these guys are and any
information you could possibly provide for me.
<Most likely
Takifugu niphobeles. Gets 15 cm (6 inches) and will need a full
marine environment for long term care. Also have a look at FishBase.
Cheers. Marco.>
I thank you in advance for reading this message
and replying to me at
your earliest opportunity. Mike. |
Actually I found it in the Brackish folder. On my first try the
pictures did show some marine slugs, but then I saw the T. niphobles
probably in the picture folder. Actually I just saw I typed wrong
and had one 'e' too much in the species name, hope that is not a
problem. Cheers, Marco.
Oh good! I don't know why those links
didn't work for me. What folder did you find that at? I had
guessed, probably a Takifugu of some kind. If at all possible, I
link folks to TPF, as we can't cover everything they may need to
know about puffer keeping in 1 letter.
~Jeni <No problem...
and a great example of how "things" can work out... RMF> |  
|
Masked or Blackspotted Puffer? 3/2/06
WWM CREW,
A while back I bought what I thought was masked puffer. The dealer had
several like sized puffers identified as Blackspotted.
<... where
are the spaces between your sentences?>
One looked like a masked
puffer to me [a wider white band across face, whiter belly and no
obvious black spots]. I grabbed that one as they were all priced the
same, knowing masked puffers are much rarer and expensive.. I've had the
fish a few months, doing fine, but after reviewing my sw fish
literature, visiting fish stores and internet research, I not sure if it
is a masked or Blackspotted. Any help distinguishing them?
Thanks, Paul
<See WWM, fishbase.org re and fix your
English before sending! Bob Fenner>
-Arothron Color Morph-
12/8/05
Hello Tireless Crew Members,
My local fish store has
an interesting looking 2" puffer. He's listed as an Arothron Hispidus
(White Spotted, Stars and Stripes, take your pick). The interesting
thing about him is he's solid black with the "stars and stripes" barely
visible in a tan/white . Is there a black color morph to this species?
I've Googled every possible combination and can't find a black version
or talk of this particular morph. They've had him for two months now and
he seems to be a survivor worthy of purchase. Thanks for your input.
Jeff
<Jeff, This is a fairly common fish with an interesting color
shift that is a bit harder to find. It is probably a dogface puffer with
a black morph as you have deduced yourself. It will need very good
filtration, a solid maintenance schedule, and a variety of hard shelled
foods. If it will eat shrimp or crab or mussels at the store and is
active and healthy with a high level of curiosity at the store, then it
sounds like its worth buying. Please have a 125 gallon or bigger tank at
home for him as he hits 12+ inches. Also check out WWM and
www.thepufferforum.com for more information on the fish and its
needs BEFORE you purchase it. It is always better to put it on hold and
get the setup right instead of scrambling for filtration afterward.>
<Justin> -
Name that Pufferfish -
Hi Scott: <Actually, JasonC here...>
how are you doing, <Well, and you?> hope you're doing great!!,
recently, I went to purchase my harlequin tusk fish, and I didn't
find it, well there was one specimen, but it was to large for my
tank 120gal tank in witch I have (clown trigger 3" and puffer 3
1/2"), but I was fascinated by one 4" puffer fish that I saw, they
have it like a (DALMATIAN PUFFERFISH), and it was like 120dlls, so I
started to search for information about these fish, and I didn't
find anything, only one picture that I attach) but they only have it
like (pufferfish).
I was wondering if you could tell me the
scientific name of these fish, or other names that these type of
puffer it's call, so I can search for more information. <I'm pretty
sure this is an Arothron nigropunctatus, commonly known as the
Dog-face Puffer - this is just a unique color pattern, and quite
pretty.>
With my research I come to the conclusion that is a
golden puffer in his early stage, but I am not sure,
and if it is
would it grow with the same black color, or change to yellow
color???, and what size will it
grow in a tank?? <Hard to say
what the colors will do over time - nigropunctatus grow to about 13
inches in the wild.>
Thank you for your time, and tips, I added
the picture that I found on the net, It was an identical fish.
(thanks again). <Yes, very pretty and unique - would make a good
addition to your tank.>
PS. I herd that puffers are like
lionfish, that they could be several puffers in a fish tank, but not
same
species, is it true??? <It's true, but works best in larger
systems - 400-500 gallons.>
also you told me that the harlequin
Tuskfish (was a great option for the tank, with my other two fishes,
If I don't find these fish (Australian), witch one do you recommend,
(the Philippines harlequin Tuskfish), or
a miniata grouper,
please tell me your opinion two my final fish addition. <The
Philippine specimens are less colorful, and sometime caught with
questionable means. If your store has one, do consider putting a
deposit on it and waiting a week or two to make sure the fish is in
good health.> (thanks again).
Saludos!! JSG
<Cheers, J -- > |
|
Dalmatian Puffer?
Hope all is well to the whole Wet Web Media
crew! Your help is always much appreciated!<thanks>The reason I am
contacting you is my girlfriend and I visited our LFS this past weekend
and saw some unusual puffers that we have never encountered before! The
body structure is like a Dog Face but the color is what is unusual! The
color on some were like a Dalmatian dog but more black than white kind
of swirled all over its body. <Either Arothron nigropunctatus or an
Arothron meleagris species puffer fish> Others were just straight black
but with white fins with black spots. The LFS called them Dalmatian
Puffers but when I asked about them they did not know anything about
them.<have seen these "Dalmatian puffers before"> I don't even think
this is the correct name for them. Well anyway, we ended up buying one
because it was an unusual type of puffer plus my girlfriend fell in love
with it because every time she walked up to it would come to the front
of the tank to greet her. <Puffer fish tend to be very social animals>
If you need a picture E-mailed I can probably do so.<ok>I would just
like to know the proper name for this puffer.<again, either Arothron
nigropunctatus or an Arothron meleagris species puffer fish> I would
also like to know if it changes appearance during different stages of
its life.<Do read more on our puffer fish webpage
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tetraodontpuffers.htm>
One
other question that I have been wondering about is I was debating on
whether to get a Red Emperor Snapper as a new addition.<This fish grows
to more than 3 feet in the wild> Right now I have a porcupine puffer,
that other puffer that I have described above, and a Huma Picasso
trigger. All these fish are fairly small in size and have a lot of
growing to do the only draw back is I know the snapper grows rapidly.<It
sure does>My question is how fast do Triggers, Puffers, and the Red
Emperor Snapper grow? <depending on how they are fed, fast or very,
very, very fast> Well have a good day and thank you for your time it is
much appreciated.
<would not go with the snapper, will grow too large
for any but the largest of home aquariums (couple hundreds of gallons,
plus) Good Luck, IanB>
Takifugu ocellatus 3/31/04
<Hi,
Pufferpunk here>
First, thanks for providing what I consider the
most comprehensive captive aquatic information source there is! :)
<Awwww shucks, thanks a lot!>
My question regards a puffer I found
on your site: Takifugu ocellatus is this puffer available in the US, and
if so, under what common names?
<Personally, I have never seen it
available for sale in the US. It's common name is ocellated/peacock
puffer. I did recently hear of someone on my puffer site that found one
in Florida, but I'm not really sure about the ID. Here's the thread:
http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi?board=marine&action=display&num=1080532270
>
I wasn't able to find much information about it, even on Fishbase.
How large does it get?
<It's cited in Dr Klaus Ebert's book, The
Puffers of Fresh & Brackish waters to grow to 6".>
What water
parameters does it prefer (if I'm even able to acquire one).
<Here
is what Dr Ebert says about this puffer: "This exceptionally attractive
marine puffer is imported from China. It is a lively swimmer & neither a
fin-biter nor aggressive towards conspecifics (it's own kind).
Unfortunately it has proven tricky to maintain. No long-term data are
available. It is hoped that this attractive puffer will be imported
again so we can discover the optimal maintenance conditions for it & so
that interested aquarists have a chance to try & breed this beautiful
fish".
I assume it eats foods and has habits similar to other
puffers. Thanks for any info. Michael
<You're welcome. Definitely
not a fish for keeping in captivity, as even Dr Ebert couldn't maintain
one. There are other nice fugus available though, like the one the guy
has at the end of the thread I sent you. ~PP> Arothron
Reticulated Sourced
Do you think that you can help me find an
AROTHRON RETICULARIS? I have come to the conclusion that this fish is
commonly confused with the HISPIDUS.
<Yes>
I already have almost
all the other AROTHRONS finding them has had there challenges but this
one I am running in to a lot of brick walls is this found under any
other names .... toadfish puffer pufferfish. Any help would be great.
Thanks again Bunkley
<I encourage you to seek out the resources,
personnel of the larger online marine livestock etailers... Dr.s Foster
and Smith, Marine Center... (.coms)... contact, and ask them
specifically to search out this puffer. Bob Fenner> Re:
Arothron Reticulated
Thank you for the info. I did go to the link
that was on the first email response. It did not take me to the exact
page of the response that I found on the second response. So all said
and done thank you for all your help and direction. I have already
gotten in contact with a couple of wholesalers and retailers. They
understand the struggle in finding that Arothron.
<All has to do with
factors like this genus' members distribution, common occurrence and
these areas nearness to modern airports/collecting businesses... some
species are far more common underwater than others>
They put me on a
couple of watch lists for it. Thanks for all the help and your info in
the articles around that link are really interesting. Bunkley
<Welcome. Bob Fenner> Puffer question
Hey
Guys,
<Joe>
Love your website. I have had a Mexican (Arothron)
puffer for about three months now. "Puff Daddy Pig" is about a foot long
and its age is unknown. My question is will it turn into a golden
puffer?
<Mmm, not likely... A. meleagris are one, the other, or
mixed... genetically>
He is about 20% gold now and the rest of him is
brown with white dots. I have not noticed much change in his coloration
since purchased. I read that puffers rarely change into one of there
three color stages in captivity. Is this true?
<As far as I know,
yes>
Thanks for doing what you do! Joe
<Thank you. Bob
Fenner> Coldwater (Atlantic) Arothron
Dear
Bob.
As you are supposed to be an expert in Tetraodontidae may I ask
you if you can tell me something about the Arothron spp that a fisherman
brought to us last day at our Aquarium Finsiterrae Spain.
<Mmm, I
know a little... more about the Balistidae (Triggerfishes) of the same
order>
It was collect in Atlantic water 16ºC .
We presume that it
is a tropical animal unlikely realized but we still don't know the
species.
I will appreciate your help on that mater.
<Wow, this is
cold (Brrrrr!), and yes, some Arothron species are found in cool,
non-tropical waters. Generally, these do adapt to more warm water
conditions (mid-20's C.) but should be thermally acclimated to such
slowly (like a degree C. per week), otherwise kept at lower temp.s with
a chilling mechanism. Will refer your question to our "Puffer Queen"
Kelly Jedlicki for her input. Bob Fenner>
Antonio Vilar
<antonio@casaciencias.org>
Aquarium Finisterrae - Casa de las
Ciencias
<http://www.casaciencias.org/>
Re: Coldwater (Atlantic) Arothron (right family, other genus)
Dear Robert I thank you very much your quick answer I tried to send you
the pictures of it but the line could not with it. Here it is again.
What do you think about
<Ahh, yes... this is almost certainly a
Sphoeroides pachygaster (family Tetraodontidae). Please see fishbase.org
here:
http://www.fishbase.org/Country/CountrySpeciesSummary.cfm?Country=
United%20Kingdom&Genus=Sphoeroides&Species=pachygaster
Bob Fenner>
Starry Puffer
I just recently picked up a Pufferfish, Arothron
stellatus, from my LFS.
They called it a "mappa" puffer, but looking
at different websites (yours included), the markings seem to deem it a
Starry puffer. It seems as if these puffers go through a "yellow phase"
as listed on
http://chunkypuff.net/projectpuffer/a_stellatus.htm.
<Hmm, some do "turn yellow", others more mottled... others just stay
"normal colored" their whole lives>
I was wondering what this phase
was. Does it mean that my puffer will lose it's yellowish/orangish hue?
I really like the current coloring, kind of leopard-printish on top with
patches of tan and yellow/orange... picture included of my new
acquisition happily swimming around in my QT.
BTW, do these really
get to be 4 feet in the wild?
<Maximum length, yes... I've seen them
about three feet...>
Mine is barely 3" and I can't imagine it growing
even half that size!!!
I've also included a picture of my Japanese
Swallowtail Angelfish, Genicanthus melanospilos. I don't see any mention
of this species on your website and was wondering if you could shed some
light on this species for me.
<Care the same as the other
Genicanthus listed...>
She eats wonderfully and runs the tank. Simple
looking, but beautiful at the same time. The Marine Center website has
it listed (very inexpensive fish, BTW) but there is no picture of it on
their site... and no info.
<Hmm, sounds like a "road trip" for photo
taking to me...>
Any books or websites you can recommend to find
very-detailed, lengthy information on a specific species of fish within
the trigger, puffer, angel families?
<Please see the
"bibliography/further reading" sections at the end of each survey piece
posted on the www.WetWebMedia.com site>
Thanks so much for all you do
for us hobbyists... you're truly a priceless resource... and we are all
indebted to you!
<Wowzah, high praise indeed. Bob Fenner, at the
Western Marine Conference Center for the last few days...>
Arothron sp. question
Hi Bob!
Finally had a viable reason to
write you a note! I am the curator of Seahorse.org, and have been
involved with marine organisms and their propagation for around 10 years
or so. Recently I found myself utterly enrapt with puffers, especially
the more rare Arothrons like the Mappa and Stellatus. I just got a
beautiful little baby today, and am having a heck of a time IDing him.
There is a photo of this exact fish at
http://chunkypuff.net/projectpuffer/a_reticularis.htm, however, all of
the other photos of A. reticularis I see look nothing like this fish.
So, is this NOT A. reticularis, or is A. reticularis quite different
looking as a juvenile than it is as an adult?
<Yes, quite so... and
pretty variable... I have many pix of sub-adults to absolute bruisers...
a two foot one bit off and swallowed a whole large arm of a Linckia
laevigata star in front of me (I was suitably impressed) just this last
week diving in Lombok, Indo... and a few juveniles (back at home)...
have you looked on fishbase.org for images?>
Thanks for the help on
this, as well as all of your wonderful writings that
I have enjoyed
so much over the years.
Cheers,
Christopher Burns
Curator
Seahorse.org
<Outstanding, and will add your site/URL to our links
when moving these queries about. Bob Fenner, in Singapore on way to
KL...> Re: Arothron sp. question
Hi Lorenzo,
Thanks
for taking the time to respond! I appreciate it. Also appreciate the
offer for the link. Would a banner be helpful? Once we get out links
page up and running, I will definitely add a reciprocal link to WWM!
Glad you liked the site.
Cheers,
Chris
Re: Arothron sp.
question
Chris,
Bob's on photo-safari and other business in
Asia right now, I'm tending his mailbox due to the mountains of hobbyist
emails he gets every day.
Unfortunately, I don't know enough about
puffers to be able to help you out!
I just wanted to send you a note
to let you know that you aren't being ignored!
Bob gets back on June
12th, and in the meantime, he occasionally manages to finagle internet
access while he's not underwater with a camera attached to his face. So
maybe you'll hear from him before then, I dunno!
Very nice site, by
the way! I'll have to make sure we have a link on WWM!
Best regards,
Lorenzo Gonzalez Subject: RE: Arothron sp. question
Did
I miss something here?
<Oh, no Chris, it was just Bob, I'm sure,
reminding me to add the link... he manages to get online briefly,
occasionally, and fires emails off like wildfire when he has the chance,
obviously that one went off in a couple of different directions!
I'll
get that link on the WWM site...<I put on the Links under "Seahorses"
and on the Tube-Mouthed Fishes general article Zo. Bob Fenner>
-Lorenzo Help with Midnight or Black Puffer
I recently saw
a neat looking fish. I know that it was a dogface but I thought it was
strange because it was totally black in color. I asked around and many
have told me it was a color morph of a regular puffer, either Arothron
Meleagris or Arothron Nigropunctatus because no one has ever seen a
whole separate species in which this fish could possibly be. Many have
also told me that it is rare and worth the $75 price tag for a 6 incher
or so as some have told me that they have been seen at that size for
$100-$200.
I was wondering if you have any information at all about
what species of fish this is, compatibility with other fish, size,
behavior and really anything that you can tell me.
<Yes... likely a
color morph/variation of Arothron meleagris, but could be A.
nigropunctatus... these happen in the wild throughout this species
range. Here's our principal sites coverage:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffers.htm>
Thanks a lot for any reply at
all, I know people respect your views and opinions and I hope you can
help me.
<Glad to be of assistance. If you'd like to see some other
pix of these tetraodonts let me know... Maybe I'll finally get off my
duff and write a bit about the phenomenon of xanthistic varieties of
fishes... Bob Fenner> Sincerely,
Casey
|
|
