Please help me identify my puffers!

[karilyn]

Hi All,

I am in desperate need of helping to identify my new puffers...

I have tried to take their picture with my digital cam and now they hate me! No luck so far...or trust me I would post their photos...Sorry not trying to tie your hands behind your backs..truly.

They were sold to me as Figure 8's and yet they truly don't resemble them (one did, however, in the group that was sent to my LFD appeared to be a definite Figure but of course, mine don't(Murphy's Law?). So, I then assumed they were mistakenly sold as Figure 8's and I have Ceylon's but they don't look like that either. We poured over the books that my LFD has (sadly he doesn't have Klaus Ebert's (sp?) book and they don't resemble any of them. Really confused here as I know that the conditions will vary for both (Ceylons and Figure 8's). Granted mine are immature at 1 1/2 inches...but still...

I have searched the web... and still nothing...I was told by my LFD that of the groups he has received over the last 6 months labeled as Figure 8's, he has seen a great deal of variation. Can anyone post some more photos to help me narrow this down??? I am exhausted trying to get this nailed down and truly want the best care for my two little guys.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[The Fisherman]

without a photo it will be very dificult to ID it, but one way to figure out if its a F8 is the "eyespot" near the caudal fin , generally a yellow circle with a blackdot inside it.

see photo below, notice the eyespots near the caudal fin and just to the left of his caudal fin.



i have seen F8s at my LFS that are in such bad shape that their colors are faded, and i mistook them for ceylons until i looked hard and saw the severley faded eyespot. if your puffers are brightly coloured and have no eyespots then it is mostlikely a ceylon, but a photo would be good.

[karilyn]

Thanks John,

I know...that's what makes this so difficult...as the one remaining in that shipment, had the eye spot...
The puffs I have really have excellent color but not truly the definitive eye...that's why I'm confused... Mine look more like a GSP with the "M" type marking on top...but really don't resemble a Ceylon either...that's what is messing me up!

If I could get a decent shot all would be well...but now I've made them mad..."Don't even look at me with a camera" is what I'm getting and I'm trying not to stress them out...I have other cameras....so maybe I'll try that.

Thanks for your help! K

[ChesapeakeSwellfish]

karilyn,
Is it the flash that is turning your puffers against you? Have you tried without a flash? Can they be tempted to get close to the lens with some food?

Does anyone have F8s lacking eyespots?

[The Fisherman]

thats how i usually photograph puffers, by luring them out with food. thats how the above shot was taken, a chunk of krill is just down and to the left, out of camera view hehe.

are you using film based, or digital? film based is extremnely challenging to get a decent photo with. what i do is turn the room lights out to eliminate most of the glare,(im assuming your tank has a light?) and lure them out with food if they are camera shy. ( my modestus LOVES the camera lol, he trys to eat it through the glass ) if you are using digital camera , maybe you could back up from the aquarium and zoom in to take a photo? even a less then perfect photo will most likely be OK.

[karilyn]

Thanks John and CS,

I'll try...only been trying the digital as you said...the flash is really making them unhappy...stepping back farther doesn't do them justice...

Hey, I'm a stubborn Norwegian...we don't give up that easy!

I'll keep trying with more food as a bribe...lucky for you, John, you have a super model !!!(tee hee)...Thanks for the help!
K

[Pufferpunk]

F8s ALWAYS have eyespots. Keep trying for a pic of them.

[ChesapeakeSwellfish]

Thanks John and CS,

I'll try...only been trying the digital as you said...the flash is really making them unhappy...stepping back farther doesn't do them justice...

Hey, I'm a stubborn Norwegian...we don't give up that easy!

I'll keep trying with more food as a bribe...lucky for you, John, you have a super model !!!(tee hee)...Thanks for the help!
K

Can't you disable the flash or if not, cover it with a piece of tape?

And are we allowed to say "tee hee" on this forum? (oh its in parentheses, ok, nevermind)

[Myaj]

There is a section of this forum with multiple pictures of various examples of the different species posted, you have to look in the forum listing and find them, "The Puffer Galleries". The species are listed by scientific name, not common name though.

Anyways, here's the link to see the Figure 8 pictures:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=549

Ceylons:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=609

And Green Spotted:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=356


Each individual fish can have really distinct markings (especially Figure 8's), but you can see the main differences pretty easily once you realize what you are looking for. I hope that helps some, if you hadn't already found those pictures.

[English George]

I can't get hold of Figure 8 puffers at the moment. No matter what I order I always get Topaz/Ceylons. Getting really frustrating!

[karilyn]

Dear Myaj and English George,

Thank you both so much! Myaj...the pics you posted were so helpful (I obviously missed a few photos in my web search)BLESS YOU!

Mine appear to resemble the Ceylons the most...still a great deal of variation between those and mine...but they are closer to the Ceylons by far...

Seems kind of odd that they would throw in one Figure 8 in a shipment of 4 fish...I missed having a chance to see the others...

English George... don't give up the fight!

Thanks to everyone for all your help! I couldn't have done it without you!

Karilyn