Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Dwarf, Red Eye, South American & more. Freshwater puffer talk in here.
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lilacamy931
Fahaka Puffer
Posts: 812
Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:15 am
My Puffers: 200 litre - waiting for a schoutedeni
Location (country): UK
Location: Bournemouth

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by lilacamy931 »

@gkai - I am paying a rather pretty price for mine but after a lot of consideration this is the puffer best for me and my settings. So I am sucking it up and hope it settles in all well.

I put feelers out on Aquarist classfieds, locals and recommendations - surprisingly I wasn't shot down instantly by any of them and several were happy to check their suppliers. The irrubescos were less known even by specialist oddball suppliers which is a shame as when I first kept puffers long while ago, I saw a couple of these around but turned them down *smacks head* it might be a seasonal thing as well I was told.

Love to see your tank as setting up :)
gkai
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:06 am
Location (country): Belgium

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by gkai »

Indeed irrubescos are seasonal...but we are in the good season now, November till January if I remember correctly my previous encounter with them...
I saw them appear lately on Asian website...so maybe they will be back either very soon, or next year...

I'll post some pics of my tank as soon as it's full...hopefully in 1 month, it's a DIY project starting from a naked tank, a fresh water tank but with a shallow shape more common for marine reef tank, roughly 330l... I hope it will turn nice, especially the stand...
Bleedingheartmommy
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 9:39 pm
My Puffers: Honey (SIP Cantaloupe): C. Travancoricus
Mad Max: P. Cochinchinensis
Apollo: T. Miurus
(SIP Bonnie) Clyde: C. Irrubesco
SIP Orchid
Location (country): USA-Seattle, WA

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Bleedingheartmommy »

Aww how I dream of being anywhere but the USA, not just cause of Trump... but the puffs! The U.K., France, and Australia are the only places I have spotted a single red eye red tail in YEARS...let alone the Lorteti, Borneesis, or Salivator! In 2015 the last of the commons were sold, and it seems scarce are the Irrubescos (and their Red eye cousins) since then. Not sure in Belgium but in the USA, you need to know someone who knows what the hell is up to even get a "yeah I have heard of them" but usually haven't seen them in just as long). 3 years its about to be in December, that I have been looking for my soul mates...but what I will tell you is this:

Hit The forums, ask- not for where they are sold, but who has them at home. Speak to them privately, and you will find the one person who has the guy "that knows" at a shop they got theirs from xx years ago... and then you wait, until February- it is the ONLY time of year they are fished and exported from Borneo and s Asia- but they are still super rare and unless you find a seller who confirms they get them every year (do your homework and quiz them, make sure they know their puffer ish, otherwise you will get a misidentified Cochin or Turgidis). You are in a wonderful place where you haven't missed the season yet. I have a man I found, local even, who has a few Irrubesco at home- he gets them in his shop for 1-2 weeks a year and even so, usually only a few. I found him by raking through the aquatic community, we email monthly for the past 11 months to keep open lines of communication, after my constant harassment I think he is as excited as I am to get them this winter (God willing and the creek don't rise...). What I am trying to say, is don't bother looking nationwide. Don't ask people who has them for sale (all you will get is 100 replies of people saying "I am looking too"), don't haunt aquabid- hit the pavement at home. Call every shop within 100 miles of home, talk to other hobbiests, and you will eventually pull the right thread that unravels to reveal your road. I spent 2 years calling Asia, calling importers and exporters, harassing stores in the USA, Canada and France... when I would find one they wouldn't be willing to ship internationally. I even offered people $200 (for a freakin $15 fish) to sell me one of their red eye red tails out of their tank.... but even that much money couldn't get anyone to sell. It's bc they aren't out there like in 2007, and if one shows up it will be gone before you even hear about it. If you really yearn to keep this species (believe me, I get it) than you need to start at home and work your way outwards... start with people who already have one, they will have the crumbs to follow. I wish you all the luck, and please, if you find some, promise you will shamelessly post pictures daily!!! Another year and I'm gonna have to go fishing myself...lol

The schoutedeni are very available here bc people are breeding theirs. So when they came back a few years ago, people started seeing they would spawn on their own. Bam, 150$ Per puffer fry... so they have gone down in price and become easier to get. However, it's also a hot and miss game... but easier, much easier to find here.

What all types of puffers have you kept in the past?
"Genetics loads the gun, and environment pulls the trigger."-Brené Brown
gkai
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:06 am
Location (country): Belgium

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by gkai »

For irrubesco a Japanese guy has managed to breed them, you will find him on YouTube if you look hard enough...nice, so it means some hobbyist will offer alternatives to wild specimens, that should help...
In the past I housed 3 irrubescos, 1 female, 1 male that died for unknown reasons, a new male, then both died from cold due to a power outage...I didn't had much problem to find them in belgium, either in the largest shop of my country (near the France-Belgium border) or in a shop in Brussels, small but the owner specialize in oddballs and like to stock things of interests for experienced aquariists...that was the situation 5 till 2 years ago...they were cheap too (I am shy to tell the price, given how hard people are looking for them in the US ;-)), that's why I started on puffers, I am quite reluctant to buy expensive fishes as it's always risky, health, age and technical problems can easily leads to partial or full loss of your tank inhabitants even if you are careful...
Before that I housed dwarf puffers, but I had more troubles with them and they are too small for my new tank...
Schoutedeni I never have seen them in real life, but their behavior and size makes them a very interesting choice, even if I slightly prefer the red-eyes look...but the 100-200€ price I saw on the net is much too large for me...
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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
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Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Pufferpunk »

Bleedingheartmommy, Please keep politics off this site. Some of us love & support our President. ;)
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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hadla
Mbu Puffer
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Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 8:33 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: 2 gsps and a big Stars and stripes
Location (country): California
Location: Sacramento, CA
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Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by hadla »

Sometimes I feel the same, Leah... but then I’ve never been out of the us :/
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
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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: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Pufferpunk »

My 2nd Spotted Congo has died today. :(
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!"
gkai
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:06 am
Location (country): Belgium

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by gkai »

Bad news 😭 any idea about the cause? How many have you left?
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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: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Pufferpunk »

No ides. 1 left, I had 3.
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!"
gkai
Figure 8 Puffer
Posts: 104
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 5:06 am
Location (country): Belgium

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by gkai »

Thanks for sharing this info... it's something that can happen, hence my reluctance about expensive fishes...hope the last one will stay a long time with you...
devildog999
Puffer Fry
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:30 am
Location (country): USA

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by devildog999 »

I went with a spotted congo (Schoutendeni) and I love him. He is still in quarantine but he is a pretty cool puffer thus far... except when I put my finger up on the glass and he tries to eat my finger. I can feel his beak hit the glass and it reminds one to be very careful when fleshy bits are not protected by the glass.
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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: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Pufferpunk »

Enjoy your new puffer!
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!"
welshstyles
Puffer Fry
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2017 2:12 pm
Location (country): Wales

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by welshstyles »

Hi new to forum I got a 425 litre tank being delivered this week and would love a Spotted Congo puffer, what price can I expect they got one in Maidenhead aquatics, St Albans for £425 seem way overpriced even if they are hard to get :( plus it’s not near me. Does anyone know any shops stocking them near South Wales let me know don’t mind travelling a bit. Thanks
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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: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by Pufferpunk »

Sorry, all newer posts have to be approved, to avoid spammers. ~Admin
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!"
devildog999
Puffer Fry
Posts: 20
Joined: Sun Nov 26, 2017 10:30 am
Location (country): USA

Re: Schoutedeni, SAP or Irrubesco dilemma

Post by devildog999 »

That does seem like a whole lot of money. I paid $200 for mine shipped but I don't know if maybe there is just a larger market for them in the US so maybe there are just less where you are and therefor they are maybe more expensive.

Obviously not living in your area, I cannot give something local; but I could have an outside the box idea. Have you looked into US fish shops and seeing if they will ship them overseas. If you can find something for $200ish US and you even pay $100 US for shipping (no idea if that is what it would cost but it is an idea), you are still $200 richer than paying $500 for one in your country. (I am using dollars as that is what I know, I just used a calculator to convert your currency).
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