Puffer ID and question about teeth

[GolumKeeper]

Hello,
I am bringing home a new puffer in a few days... it is an Arothron species, but I haven't been able to ID it yet... I hope to get some pics soon. He is about 6" long, the most amazingly intense blue, with bright yellow fin margins on all fins. I figure once I get some pics, someone here can help me ID him.

He was in a fish only tank, with no way to wear his teeth down, so they are overgrown quite a bit, what can I do to help him wear them down?

I hope he will share my new 150 gallon tank with my 2' long snowflake moray, a clown grouper, a miniatus grouper and a punky purple tang. I get all the "bad boys" from work!

[purplecandle]

this puffer? ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Marine/A_Nigropunc ... 5.jpg.html

Just a guess..I am not an exspert

[Pufferpunk]

Blue??? Are you sure it's not dyed?

[GolumKeeper]

He is definitely not dyed, he is an older fish, he changes his color somewhat depending on his mood. He does not have the black mask of the puffer pictured in one of the earlier replies. He does have some dark spots over his body. I'll try to get pics tomorrow.

What should I offer for food that will help him wear his teeth down???

[purplecandle]

Ramshorn snails will work (but not trumpet or very hard snails-those will break his teeth), mussels, clams..when you post pics and somebody id's him...someone with knowledge of that specific puffer's needs can advise you.

The people on here really need pics..because some of the mentors might recommend getting his teeth trimmed--if they are really long he might have a problem eating something hard enough to wear his teeth down.

I can't wait to see pics! A blue puffer!! Yellow fins! The only one close to that was the one I posted above-at least the only one I could find....post pics..there are several experts on here who can get you an id!

[Nick]

Snails are best... but if your tank has live rock with lots of critters on it, the puffer may take care of it himself by biting at the rock trying to eat 'pods.

[Pufferpunk]

It is important to fed a varied, crunchy diet. Check out the feeding ideas in our Library.

[Devinelyblessed]

Dog faces go through a blue phase and you said he was old. Maybe U lucked up and got one in the blue phase which is generally an older phase. If U did they tend to stay what ever color phase they are in when put into aquarium so he/she will probably stay that way.
http://www.saltwateradvice.com/.../dogface.jpg

[Devinelyblessed]

I found a couple more of the blue to yellow phase.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Tetraodontif ... %20WAK.jpg
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/.../04nigropunctatus.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/272 ... 39.jpg?v=0
http://www.oceaneasy.net/images/portfol ... 3.02.0.jpg

[GolumKeeper]

OK... I posted some pics of him in my album GolumKeeper. He isn't home yet.... plan to move him tomorrow. I appologize for the pic quality, he moves a LOT, and if I get too close to the tank he spits water on my camera! As you can see his teeth need help.

[Pufferpunk]

How come in 2 pics he looks bright blue & the last one he doesn't? Is it the lighting?

[Corvus]

Very nice color morph of A. nigropunctatus.

About 4 years ago we had an almost exactly the same colored specimen at the wholesaler.

The color in picture 3 is also due to the flash (the other 2 were made without flash).

[Corvus]

PS: and feed some mussels or clams with shell for the teeth...

[Devinelyblessed]

Yep that's a Dog face in it's blue stage. Congrats. and it will probably stay that color since they usually don't change stages in aquarium life. He/she was probably captured in that stage. Probably older guy/gal. Beautiful!