MBU PUFFER

[Jase]

there are game hens. I think that's about as close as it comes.
... unless you count chickens that have gone back to wild... feral chickens?

[Pufferpunk]

Sure, I've seen them a lot on islands in the Caribbean.

[Ariadne]

behold! not exactly a run of the mill hen...but a chicken never the less right?

[staindsk1n]

well i havent checked this post for a bit and was suprised to see it had turned into chickens......from a mbu......funny....

and as far as this comment:......

"She does not deverse to be put down, maligned and treated disrespectfully by anyone. Let alone someone who thinks a mbu living for only 2 years is ok"

if you can say where i disrespected anyone or said that it was okay for a mbu to live for 2 years then okay.... but at no point did i say or do any of these things. I was just expressing an opinion although it does seem as that is okay as long as you agree with everyone.

I do agree with most regarding tank size but i was clearly stating regardless of size of fish...some do have better lives than others. And i do agree with most who say mbu's should stop being sold.

I had 2 choices when i was in the fish shop that day.....let someone buy him with the chance he could die within a few weeks....or buy him and do as best i can to make his life as best i can......clearly i went for the second option and from what you people say i should have left him be so he could go and live in a 5 gallon tank with a treasure chest that bubbles for a few weeks!!

i have much respect for the owner of clooney the mbu as although he did pass on, clearly they done everything they could to give him the best life they could while they had him. Which is what i am trying to do, and was the point i was trying to make...

I promise everyone in future that i shall post no more topics unless i agree with everyones opinions as that is what forums are all about.....are they not???.......

[manutius]

I think we all had our say here and I do hope you continue to post. As I said the issue for me is tha availablity of these fish is what troubles me and by purchasing the Mbu in question you have confirmed to the industry that they are in demand. if people didn't feel sorry for the fish and none of them sold these fish would not be imported with standard fish IMO

[Hilly]

Attitudes towards Mbu keepers need to change on this site, if it ever wants to get any ongoing decent info and experiences from fishkeepers on them. How many keepers of big Mbu's are on here a lot, ver very few, mainly cos they gert barraged with what size is your tank.... do you know how big they get. Go to some other sites and there are keepers with big tanks with big Mbu's. Ask yourself why are they not here posting about them regularly?

[manutius]

AAh Hilly the voice of reason

[Pufferpunk]

I am a regular poster on monsterfishkeepers.com & the 1st thing folks ask a mbu keeper is their tank size or plans on upgrading. Same thing with pacus & other monster fish there.

I certainly don't mind friendly disagreements here at all--that's what forums are all about!

[mpk172]

nice way of putting it Hilly! plain and simple! i like it

[Pufferpunk]

If they were keeping big mbus in BIG tanks, then why would we be questioning their fishkeeping? Every mbu "rescued" means another one taken from the wild.

[yunachin]

We don't sell mbu's in our store and I won't start unless someone can have a set-up that will be large enough for the creature to live in captivity. It sucks because there are such bad wraps against LFS because of a percentage of them are filled with less than competent people just willing to make a sale. I will not sell to someone unless I know that the fish will be going to a home where it is safe and healthy. In the long run, I get more business from people because I am honest and even though sometimes they can't get what they want right away, they get to enjoy many more years from a properly maintained aquarium and it's inhabitants.

[Hilly]

I am a regular poster on monsterfishkeepers.com & the 1st thing folks ask a mbu keeper is their tank size or plans on upgrading. Same thing with pacus & other monster fish there.

I certainly don't mind friendly disagreements here at all--that's what forums are all about!

I'm all up for a heated discussion every now and again but it does seem especially with the Mbu keepers there is a little ganging up that they are so in the wrong for keeping one in the first place.

MFK isnt a great example though is it, you have lots of people aspiring to keep as many monster fish together as possible, Pacus, Alligator Gars, Silver Arowanas, Red Tail Cat's etc..... Whilst some people on there have the time committment both personally and financially to do this the majority do not and start off with tanks way smaller than what some Mbu keepers start off with. Rather than immediatlly going on the offense about size tank etc... take some time to find out if the owner knows what they've got themselves into. Just because they are new on here doesnt mean they dont know what they're talking about, sometimes I think this is forgotten. Then by all means if required explain the fish is going to need a big tank for future housing and requirements but sometimes on here it's like its being rammed down peoples throats and watching newbies or members who haven't been round a long time ( no offence intended to those people) just repeat it on the post over and over again is highly annoying. It is no wonder that Mbu keepers get a little defensive about it..... I know I would.

One Mbu rescued is another one caught in the wild, same could be said for any species of puffer. Why is that any different to a GSP or a F8 or a Fahaka or is just because of the size that an Mbu could reach. If one puffer was banned from being caught in the wild why not all of them.

[manutius]

I had this very experience when I joined here and thought that I was jumped on with an "oh my god, what are you doing attitude" I also felt that there was a bit of snobbery that certain mods thought they were above me as I was a nube. I admit I was ignorant of the commitiment and tank size that Clooney needed as I was told by my LFS, as are many, that a five foot tank was fine and the other fish would be no problem at all. It was when he became ill for the first time that I questioned their knowledge and found this site. After much reading and interaction I was able to back up my suspicions that I was in the wrong and that the people here have a far superior knowledge on puffers in general. I have to say that the idea of 1000G seems a bit excessive to me, maybe 500G is more suitable. However having watched Clooney and shared some great memories with him I find it hard to think about a Mbu confined to any size tank, they are intelligent personable explorers and giving them a fixed boundary upsets me. Its hard to explain until you have kept one and I know I'm humanising but Clooney looked so sad in the last months of his life, it upsets me to think of it even now, I don't want anyone else to go through the heart break which is why I have the opinions I do.

I do enjoy hearing of healthy large Mbu but I have a degree of cynicism and thats because of me tainted experience

[Ariadne]

I appreciate that this site encourages responsible conscientious animal care. Its one of the reasons I keep coming back and I feel safe trusting the information from this site. As it turns out, like many others here, animal care is my life, my livelihood, aquariums are my hobby. During my education the responsibility of providing for the animals under my stewardship was cemented in me.
To keep an animal in my care that I cannot fully provide for is unacceptable to my conscience. No amount of justifying for shortcomings in my ability to provide and make adequate habitat would make a damn bit of difference to rules that govern my facility and allow me to provide care. Those rules that I follow were only created to ensure ethical care is the standard, I believe in that purpose with my whole self. Animals sometimes arrive to my care that I am excited by, but my facility can not fully satisfy their needs for anything passed emergency medical care. I transfer them into the hands of my colleagues with proper habitat. If I decide I am going procure what I need to sustain that species responsibly in the however near future that animal is still transfered. It is for me to wait until I can provide adequate care, no animal should ever have to wait for me. The thing is even thought I believe in the purpose behind these rules I don't make them.They are made by two different government agencies. To me this illustrates the ideals I hold valuable are not representing the minority opinion on how animals should be kept.
It is how life works sometimes that a person can be caught unaware or just plain misinformed. What gets done from the point of awareness on is a choice. Education is a choice, one that always reaps benefits. To turn a blind eye to learning, or to discredit knowledge because one doesn't want to face their inability to provide as a pet owner robs every life involved of the benefits of education. That choice is the most serious to me, because it illustrates a shortcoming as human being, not just a pet owner.
Manutius makes me feel proud of what people can do with knowledge. He has chosen to become an educator to help others with what he has learned. He takes time out of his life to do what he can to help the mbu species by sharing his knowledge. That experience was painful for him but he willingly relives it all the time to save others. Responsible pet owners are willing to sacrifice their time and resources, caring ones like him also include their heart in that list. Thats a choice we must all for ourselves but I will always appreciate people like him as an example.

[SMcCreath]

Hi All,

Sorry to join this topic late on, but I am a mbu keeper - his name is Brian. He's a legend. I have to agree with Hilly I'm afraid, its very daunting as a mbu puffer keeper to reach out for help on any forum if you need it, for fear of abuse/the Spanish Inquisition. I dont mean to offend anyone at all, that is not my aim in life.

I have to applaud Manutius for sharing his experiences of Clooney and for being so open about Clooneys demise as it has totally paved the way for people like me to shout 'help, I think I've got a problem" and for that I shall always be truly grateful - thank you.

My point being is that there is little published information on these wonderful fish and people are too scared to come forward for fear of ridicule, which ultimately affects the fish in a negative way – which, I believe, totally goes against the ethos of this (and may others) forum, surely not?