So I was moving my fahaka (Lurch) into my 100G tank today (after emtying out all the other fish, of course!). The plan for most fish is the net. This, of course, does not work for special fish such as puffers and Clown Loaches. So I decided to scoop Lurch up with a pitcher, and move him into a bucket, then drip acclimate. I managed to scoop him into the pitcher and get my hand on top of it so he doesn't jump out. Big mistake. When I put him in the bucket, he lunged out and grabbed my hand. He managed to bite me twice in a matter of less than a fraction of a second! Neither bite drew blood, but I'm sure that if he got my finger or knuckle, they would have. He's now in my 100G.
They can be very sneaky. You have to keep an eye out at all times. I actually used the bottom of my purse to keep the little bugger in the picture. I didn't have anything close at the time to grab and didn't think about it before hand. Needless to say the bottom of my purse was soaked in seconds. Didn't matter, I got her moved in safe and sound. And I had no bite marks.
I don't like using nets for my puffers, but my Ceylons were such so flaky that I HAD to use a net to catch them. So, what I would do is catch them in the net (puffer is submerged the entire time, of course), then bring a large yogurt container (the big ones, not the personal-size ones) and usher them into the container, and just keep the net over top of the container as a form of lid (so they can't jump out). Works fantastically, actually.
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Haha, my new figure 8 nipped me for the first time last night, it was cute. I could barely feel it.
80 gal brackish-3 Green spotted puffers
20 gal planted freshwater- dwarf puffers, south american puffer, ghost shrimps
10 gal planted freshwater-female crowntail bettas, L-187b Thomasi pleco, trilineatus cories
10 gal freshwater divided-crowntail betta, male and female halfmoon dragon bettas
5 gal freshwater-red cherry shrimps
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept: T lineatus T miurus A modestus T biocellatus C valentini C coranata C papuan C lorteti DPs suvattii burrfish T niphobles
My Puffers: 1 GSP (Microfiche) RIP, 1 Monotrete Turgidus (Leon) in a 30gal. 1 Monotrete suvattii in a 40 gal FW. 120 gallon BW with 3 juvenile Dragon Gobies (so cool). 55 gal with a 2" GSP named Hank. 180 gallon being set up for a Fahaka in the next few months!
My Turgdis got me on Saturday when i was adding decor to his tank. I go to close to his cave and ZOOM CHOMP! He got a piece of skin on one of my knuckles and peeled a little back. I had no idea he would do that nor that he was big enough...I had to gently reprimand him with a net (herded him in a corner) while I finished and remind him that I hold control over the night crawlers and shrimp!
"Darwin swings...annnnnnd a miss. Boy Jim, Chuck's suffered at the plate tonight. He's 0 for 3 and I'm not sure he's recovered from that shoulder pull a few weeks ago. I'll bet the front office is re-thinking that contract."
My Puffers: Mbu Puffer named Naboo South American Puffer named Bollo RIP :( 3 Dwarf Puffers yet to be named Red Eye Red Tailed Puffer - Returned to LFS for being to vicious Porky the Porcupine Pup the Dogface
Dadof4 wrote:My Turgdis got me on Saturday when i was adding decor to his tank. I go to close to his cave and ZOOM CHOMP! He got a piece of skin on one of my knuckles and peeled a little back. I had no idea he would do that nor that he was big enough...I had to gently reprimand him with a net (herded him in a corner) while I finished and remind him that I hold control over the night crawlers and shrimp!
Pufferpunk wrote:Poor fella's gotta be bored in there...
It's his fault in a way. I mean, he annihilates anything that is put into the tank. Fish? Dead. Plants? Destroyed. I can't even put a thermometer in there!
I'm working on an idea for something for him. Maybe some fake logs or rocks.
With close to 10 years of experience with puffers, I have kept most species of freshwater, brackish water, and even saltwater puffers available in the trade.
They can be very sneaky. You have to keep an eye out at all times. I actually used the bottom of my purse to keep the little bugger in the picture. I didn't have anything close at the time to grab and didn't think about it before hand. Needless to say the bottom of my purse was soaked in seconds. 
And I had no bite marks.
