Help with Puffer Identification...Gecko Puffer?

[ArunSenior04]

Hello,
I'm new here. I haven't been into the aquarium hobby for too long (less than a year), but I think hooked. I love puffer fish, as I think they are some of the most inquisitive fish I have ever known.

I was recently at The House Of Tropicals (Glen Burnie, MD) and bought a small puffer labeled as a "Gecko Puffer" for $15. I googled the name, and returned no responses. I went through the PufferPedia and it looks to be similiar to ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/barbatus/ even though mine is much darker. It's kind of like a bronze color. Also, it has one red spot on one side (like in the picture), but on the other side, it has multiple red circles (almost like a leopard pattern.) I'll try to get a picture of it.

Any Ideas?

Thanks.

[Corvus]

Probably a picture is needed.

[Hilly]

Abei possibly, await the pics for confirmation.

[Dadof4]

Abei possibly, await the pics for confirmation.

Possibly a baby Fahaka? The darker gold color and the red spots? Picture definitely needed.

[ArunSenior04]

Sorry about the pictures. The best camera I have at hand is the my 3MP Palm Pre camera. I tried to get some good pictures of him. It seemed like he was getting annoyed (lol), so he swam back into the castle. One thing that really stood out to me about this fish, were it's blue/red eyes. The blue in it's eyes seem to like glow. I was able to capture it in the last picture.

[Hilly]

Defintiely looks like on of the target puffers, monobrow, marking behind the eye, cant make out the markings well enough for an ID. narrows it down though.

Look at the Abei and Cochinchinensis in the gallery see if they look anything like then one you have.

Edit
Look at Turgidus as well.

[ArunSenior04]

Thanks Hilly,
To be honest, it kind of looks like all three of the ones you listed (each of them seem to have a dark-bronzish color puffer.) I tried to take some more pictures, here are the best ones.

Here would be my description:
On the top, it has a few spots, the size of specs. (ie not like leopard spots.)
On the sides its leopard spotted.
On each side is at least one red leopard spot.
Red eyes with blue center.

Abei?
- The leopard print doesnt cover its entire body. Only the sides.

Cochinchinensis?
- Possibly, except spotted pattern doesnt cover entire body. Spots look like leopard print vs. cheetah print (like the Cochin).

Turgidus?
-This is the closest match. The print matches this one ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Turgi ... _.jpg.htmlexactly (mine is just darker.)

[Pufferpunk]

Turgidus doesn't have a red spot. The Fang's (T cochihchinesis) does.

[Corvus]

I think M. cochinchinensis

[Hilly]

Looking at pics 2 and 3 of the 2nd batch I would have to agree with Cochinchinensis Snout looks a little short and target spot doesnt look very Abei.

Turgidus doesn't have a red spot. The Fang's (T cochihchinesis) does.

I'm rusty.

[ArunSenior04]

Thanks alot for the help guys. I think you guys are right. I noticed that the leopard print covers it's entire body (just lighter on the top.)

I still have to name the fish, but it looks like it is adjusting well. I can see why it may have been called a gecko puffer. It is resting on the sand, and the color has changed. The top it is now much lighter (no more spec spots.) Kinda cool.

[Hilly]

The spots will come and go. Type of lighting, colour of substrate. General mood of the puffer can all be a factor in how much of the pattern you see.

[ArunSenior04]

Hey All,
I actually went out and bought a new camera (about time lol.) Here are some better pictures in much greater detail.

[Hilly]

Going back to my original thought after you've took these. Abei.