What kind of puffer is this?

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Lionheart
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What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

I think it is a Takifugu Poecilonotus but not sure. LFS called it a Snowflake Fugu. Even if it is, there is little in the way of care for it or expected size. Anyone know? He's in QT at the moment and will be a singleton in a 55g. He's about 3" at the moment.
snowflake.jpg
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Pufferpunk
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Pufferpunk »

T niphobles or oblongus?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Lionheart
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

He doesn't have any spots like the T niphobles. These are the only photos I can find online that kind of look like him.

https://ffish.asia/?p=none&o=sspm&id=21685
Lionheart
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Oh, I think I figured it out! He is an Takifugu obscurus!

His markings are like that of T ocellatus (saddleback), but he has no orange in him. I then found this site:
http://www.tropical-fish-keeping.com/ta ... grLRi.dpbs

"The Obscure puffer (Takifugu obscurus) looks similar to Takifugu ocellatus and is likely a related species however, the lines around its black markings are cream colored to white, not orange and it grows considerably larger (up to 16″)."

And that is him. He is white, cream, black. Oh my, 16"! I am gonna need a bigger tank in a few years!

This is him: http://mitofish.aori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/spec ... s=obscurus
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I would wait for Corvus on this.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Lionheart
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Yes, I saw that Corvus has some experience with this species. Would like to know more about care (temp, pH, salinity, etc). Have not tried to feed him yet, but he does not look like he has any teeth!
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Pufferpunk »

He's also our ID expert!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Corvus
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Corvus »

I'd also ID him as Takifugu obscurus, one of the medium sized to larger Takifugu reaching 20-40 cm. They are even bred in China and eaten as "Mefugu" in Japan, sometimes specimens occur in the aquarium trade. I have never kept them personally, but I bet he has teeth!

You'll find a few threads on them on this forum, e.g.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=34462&p=356068&hili ... us#p356068

viewtopic.php?f=56&t=18849&p=196657&hil ... us#p196680
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks.
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Thanks for the confirmation. I read your article on T ocellatus and you suggest that obscurus could be cared for the same way. T ocellatus requires cooler water 65-68, do you think that is true for obscurus? I can’t find any data to confirm that.
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Corvus »

As far as I know, they are kept and bred in comparably cool water in China.
Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man, and he'll eat for weeks.
Lionheart
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Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Huh, this has T ocellatus at pretty standard temps http://www.tropical-fish-keeping.com/ta ... grLRi.dpbs

I am conflicted on temp. how would you be able to tell if water was too warm or too cold for a puffer? He's at 74 now, and just ate for the first time, so I am taking that as a good sign.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Pufferpunk »

I wouldn't believe most other sites on info for puffers. We have the best info from long-term pufferkeepers in the world here! I do know that even the top experts in the past couldn't keep the ocelllatus alive for long until they figured out they were a coldwater species.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Lionheart
Puffer Fry
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 9:55 am
Location (country): Ohio US

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Ack! This is making me nervous! Haha. He’s already got a name, Io, so hate to lose him. I don’t Iike the ambiguity.

Not sure what is worse for a puffer, water that is too cold or too warm. And what would be signs if he didn’t like the temp.
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Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32764
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Chicago
Contact:

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Compromised immune system from being kept in improper environment. Disease & shorter lifespan.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Lionheart
Puffer Fry
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2018 9:55 am
Location (country): Ohio US

Re: What kind of puffer is this?

Post by Lionheart »

Huh, as a result of the culinary aspects of this species, there are some research papers on how to raise them. This one shows an optimal pH of 7.6, 77F temp and 3 meals a day. Granted this is for fattening them up for meals, and is only over an 8 week period, but still interesting. With a lack of other info, I'll start at these params and see how things go.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs ... 12.03189.x
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