Difference between two puffers??

[Jared T]

So on MFK ( monster fish keepers ) I asked a a question about dwarf puffers and someone said I should get a pea puffer instead. So my question is there a difference between these two puffers or are they the same thing? Thanks

[suvattii2012]

Same thing just a different name.

[bertie 83]

They go by several names

[Jared T]

Ok thanks guys

[bertie 83]

No worries

[sgtmyers88]

Same thing applies for the Green Spotted Puffer as they can also go by the name Leopard Puffer. Also note that Ceylon Puffers (another totally different species) get confused with GSP's or Figure 8 Puffers quite often too.

[Terrance]

On some other forums, I mentioned dwarf puffers but other people also said "which one?" They thought I could possibly mean some of the smaller red-eyed puffers, which are also small and dwarf-like.

[Pufferpunk]

That's why you're here, instead of MFK.

[sgtmyers88]

In other words she is implying that the experts are here.

[RTR]

Puffers have historically suffered from multiple common and even scientific names. There always has been massive confusion in the hobby. Tetraodon is a grab-bag genus and in practice needs drastic reworking, some of which has been done, but lots more remains a muddle.

So, a big +1 to PP's and related comments.

[Corvus]

There are actually two species of dwarf puffer described and considered valid in newer literature (e.g. the aqualog puffer book and scientific journal articles): C. travancoricus and C. imitator.

It may be just me, but I am not 100% sure from the original descriptions how to tell them apart and if they are truely seperate species. I somewhat doubt it and it might be that C. travancoricus has just a little bit larger variability than originally thought.

[Pufferpunk]

Is one them the DP with the bright iridescent blue?

[Corvus]

No. That one is not named as a own species e.g. by the aqualog. I don't think this is a separate species, either. They name it Carinotetraodon cf. travancoricus. At breeding time darker dwarf puffers among others can get more colourful and when looked at with the right (bright) light some have this bluish colour within their dark spots.

The C. imitator is shown on pages 17, 44, 45 (at least in my edition)