T. ocellatus - tail turning red?

[Pyratt]

I have a perfectly happy (as far as I know) Takifugu ocellatus in a 55 in full marine (I've had it for about a year), but over the past month(s) its tail has gotten a bit of 'red' to it. As the pictures online are mostly juvies, I didn't know if this is normal or not. So I guess, does anyone know of some redness in the tail being a problem in other fish (or anyone w/ a relatively mature ocellatus know if this is normal)?

Thanks.

I can post a pic tomorrow if there seems to be interest.

[Corvus]

Picture would certainly be interesting.

Have you looked here:
http://sc.afcd.gov.hk/gb/hk-fish.net/en ... &keyfield=

and here:
http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/Pictures ... at=species

Is this the kind of red you mean?

[julianchan]

Corvus, that link is AWESOME! Thanks!

[recombinantrider]

That's interesting. Looking at the picture from Corvus's first link, it could be part of the coloration of their fins once they hit a certain age.....
What I have noticed with my T. ocellatus was that her caudal fin did turn dark over the course of a year that I've had her. However, I've never seen redness yet. Sorry i'm not being very helpful. I'd like to find out what that means though.

Corvus, that link tempted me to move back to Hong Kong! I didn't know all these other puffers exist! Now it starts to make sense that my mom used to tell me that she used to catch so many puffers when she was younger (both my parents grew up on boats in poor fishing families). It seems like Hong Kong has an amazing puffer selection in the ocean!

[Corvus]

It's at least 21 puffer species that have been found in the sea of Hong Kong...

Amblyrhynchotes honckenii, Arothron manilensis, Arothron reticularis, Arothron stellatus, Canthigaster bennetti, Chelonodon patoca, Lagocephalus gloveri, Lagocephalus inermis, Lagocephalus lunaris, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Lagocephalus spadiceus, Lagocephalus wheeleri, Takifugu alboplumbeus, Takifugu niphobles, Takifugu oblongus, Takifugu ocellatus, Takifugu poecilonotus, Takifugu porphyreus, Takifugu xanthopterus, Torquigener hypselogeneion, Tylerius spinosissimus

Some of course are more common than others...

Well there are also 6 or so species known from California...

[Pyratt]

Yeah, nice links Corvus.

I took some pictures, but the red is subtle and the pictures make it appear like I'm making this all up. I guess the bottom line is, tho, that you guys have reassured me that there isn't some commonly known pathology that starts out with a little bit of redness in the fins.

Thanks everyone. Here are pictures for your viewing pleasure:

[Troender]

Fugus are such beautiful puffers! I love your little one there!

[Martin Hi.]

hi,
red fins are often a sign for bakterial diseases.
i have kept this species only for some weeks and like most of the keepers they have died then. in the beginning all fins where hyaline, int he last days the went red like in the description here.
all the keepers of this species that i know have made this experience. so you should maybe take care.
until today i did not understand why most of the t. ocellatus are dying in captivity while some keepers had more luck.
martin

[Pyratt]

Ah, that's not good news. I'll update the thread if something happens so we can learn from this.

[yunachin]

Very nice looking puffer. Dr. Lichtenberger and I have an article coming out in October with more information on their care in captivity. I have kept and studied this species successfully for over 2 years.

[Martin Hi.]

hey yunachin,
i would also be interested in what you did find out: what did you do to have such a succes?
martin