Stunning Pao (Monotrete) abei / turgidus shipment (2x)

[StinkyPete]

Short and sweet.

WOW!

Puffer #1 of 2 Pao (Monotrete) abei purchase.





2nd Puffer of two of the same species.

[astrid37]

Congratulations! They are gorgeous!!! How thrilling, what a day! I'm so jealous. I want a palembang so badly but the spouse won't let me get any more puffers!

[Pufferpunk]

Nice! Can't wait to see them color up.

[Pufferpunk]

I have 4 tanks to fill with puffers. Where did you order them from?

[StinkyPete]

Hmmmm?
Something may be fishy!

I had purchased a set of 2 or 3 Pao Abei, whatever they could fulfill on the order.
What I got...not sure yet.

Today, I saw a few posts and a a couple of new (puffer) names on the forum and image searched.
Did I get Pao leiurus or something?
The photo in the link shows a species that looks the same as one of mine.

http://fishbase.se/photos/PicturesSumma ... at=species

The pretty one eats like a champ, and is very very pretty.
I'm ok with it, but the plan to have the rumored Abei may have been halted.

This hobby is just like some of the others!! lol
- stuff is still messed up in 2018!

[StinkyPete]

I have 4 tanks to fill with puffers. Where did you order them from?

Hi Pufferpunk!

Sorry, I don't use a phone connected to internet reply systems and have to manually come back and dig for replies.

The store was the WetSpot in Oregon.
They do a good enough job for me not to hit any negative points.
I like them.

$40 for the Abei and $50 on the palembangensis.
$200 though on schoutedeni.

The only issues I get are DOA pipefish or female gobies shipped when the male gobies are what I'm collecting.
The freshwater pipefish are hit or miss.

A bit hard to get to survive a trip anywhere, BUT when they are alive and last a day with me, they usually stay a long time.
You may like some of my various pipefish, they are even more friendly than puffers.
I love 'em.

Stinkypete was my first freshwater pipe.

[StinkyPete]

Pao abei?

I still think I bought 2 of something else.
The two look different as seen in my first post), but may have something to do with males vs females.
Pictured 1st below, is the pretty one of our two recently purchased abei puffers.

The 2nd photo below is a site selling a Pao turgidus....hmmm?
Photo 3 and 4 are a sale for the abei species again.

Obviously, the internet has many sellers that are incorrect, but I am in no shape to identify them either.



INTERNET site photos below.

[Corvus]

The first three pictures of this thread look like P. turgidus to me, the last three could be P. abei and the remaining one is hard to identify, because the snout is not visible (but probably not abei).

Here's an illustration that shows the typical two color patterns (depending on mood and breeding) quite well: http://www.pnas.org/content/109/21/8179

[StinkyPete]

The first three pictures of this thread look like P. turgidus to me, the last three could be P. abei and the remaining one is hard to identify, because the snout is not visible (but probably not abei).

Here's an illustration that shows the typical two color patterns (depending on mood and breeding) quite well: http://www.pnas.org/content/109/21/8179

Thanks.

I'l have more photos soon. I love clicking pictures.
The 2 puffers go to bed earlier than my fish, but surely will adjust.

I did place a small light on their tank that I use for inspection and photos.
-they don't really like it so much yet, especially in the late evening.
Evenings with no glare or other lighting is when the photos come out the best in our fish room.

Can you confirm anything on P. turgidus (7.3 inch/ 18.5cm) vs. Pao abei (10.3cm) as for adult size?
The internet vs. experienced individuals that actually have these fish seems to help.

Whatever they are, they are warming up well to being kept in captivity and have the "cute face" most of us are looking for when we think of puffers.
My schoutedeni sort of look like chopped snake heads with fins, but have mega-personality to make up for it.

These 2 new puffs are my first of the "cutie-pah-tootie" faced fish and I'm gushing when I see that face.
Thanks for chiming in Corvus.


Edit:
-Pics added.

These are 3 photos of the same puffer.
It is the pretty one until the other one decides to dress up for the photos.

-Notice the "target" surrounded by the ring of dots among all the other spots.
it is in the rear where the body transitions to the tail.

[Corvus]

Actually I might have to update my statement above. With the new pictures, your puffers fit the desription (diagnosis) of P. cochinchinensis quite well: "adults with ocellus, sometimes red, but most commonly made of a large black blotch surrounded by a paler area and a series of more or less contiguous large black blotches; juveniles with a small red spot in center of concentric pale and black circles" while the description for P. turgidus says "Back and side of head and body with numerous small black spots, usually several of them with a paler (orange to red in life) central area; no ocellus or no large blotch below dorsal-fin origin"

The 18,5 cm maximum length for P. turgidus comes from Kottelat, M., 2001: Fishes of Laos. Kottelat is a scientist, who works a lot with puffers and knows much more about these species than I do. The cited descriptions given above are also by him. So, I think the source is credible. However, not every specimen will reach this size. If the puffer had a spot in the target (not necessarily red, any other color would also do), it might be a P. cochinchinensis, but I can't see such a spot.

[StinkyPete]

Actually I might have to update my statement above. With the new pictures, your puffers fit the desription (diagnosis) of P. cochinchinensis quite well: "adults with ocellus, sometimes red, but most commonly made of a large black blotch surrounded by a paler area and a series of more or less contiguous large black blotches; juveniles with a small red spot in center of concentric pale and black circles" while the description for P. turgidus says "Back and side of head and body with numerous small black spots, usually several of them with a paler (orange to red in life) central area; no ocellus or no large blotch below dorsal-fin origin"

The 18,5 cm maximum length for P. turgidus comes from Kottelat, M., 2001: Fishes of Laos. Kottelat is a scientist, who works a lot with puffers and knows much more about these species than I do. The cited descriptions given above are also by him. So, I think the source is credible. However, not every specimen will reach this size. If the puffer had a spot in the target (not necessarily red, any other color would also do), it might be a P. cochinchinensis, but I can't see such a spot.

Thanks for the reply,

I will do my part and provide the photos and forum-journal coming along.

[StinkyPete]

Silly chubby fish.

I think it sees itself in the glass reflecting back.
Its tail will fan out as a display in short spurts.

I have never seen a pufferfish do this in my presence.
Yesterday was an off day for shrimp treats, so it could be something to do with some spunk in attitude toward me as I keep coming in and out of the fish room with supplies.

What a funny little creature.
I think the name dorQue would suit this silly one.
"Q" for the "K" because the letter looks like a puffer.

[Pufferpunk]

[StinkyPete]

Compare these two.




A member of Flickr (Chris Lue Shing, June 22, 2009) had the same result.
He noted:
Monotrete Turgidus puffed up at it's reflection after turning on the tank lights.



My vote agrees with Turgidus as an identification.

Turgidus, turgidus... anyone?...Bueller...Bueller...

[StinkyPete]

Happy puffers.
Turgidus or Abei...I'm ok with whatever they are.

They quiet one (left) is really starting to come around more.
I thought it may be a dud for personality.

As stated before, the one (right) with personality is always spunky and blows up all the time in the light reflection.
They seem nice, but not about to take down the divider/guard between them likely ever.
They will be in separate tanks sometime this year.

Diet:
Superworms, earthworms, ramshorn snails, thawed shrimp soaked in Vitachem cut carefully with scissors, and an occasional feeder fish.
-still mixing it up as the journey goes on.

They eat feeder fish like a paper shredder.
It sounds like a graham cracker being eaten with speedy little chomps as each millimeter of fish gets further inside.