Arothron Social Behavior

[Arothron Junkie]

Observed my 10" golden puffer (A. Meleagris) and my 6" dogface (A. Nigropuncatus) meeting last week. The golden kept coming up to the dogface and performing a very specific set of motions. I was curious if this has been documented anywhere (or arothron social behavior period).

When he approached to within a foot of the dogface he fanned out his tail and put his fins flush against his body with his mouth closed. He kept still, almost rigid, even bumping into rock as the current moved him while he waited for the dogface to make any movement. I've seen this puffer when he didn't like a fish and this was FAR from that body language.

The dogface for the most part seemed to "pancake" his body and seemed intimidated by the golden but later kept coming out to follow the golden around at a distance of a couple feet.

The golden kept up this swim up, pose, freeze behavior for half an hour at least.... It seems to be some kind of greeting. I've seen the pancake body language before in puffers and it usually seems to be used when the puffer does not like something.

I've not seen any more odd body language but the two now eat, swim, sleep, etc around each other just fine.

I can't seem to find any solid breeding, social, or life cycle information on these puffers beyond the hobbyist "heresay" level. I guess I'm just looking for deeper info.

PufferQueen?

[Puffer Queen]

This behavior is usually a sign of aggression,, establishing dominance or territorial. I have seen this behavior both in my systems and while diving. I have seen puffers get along (live in a tank together) for years and start this behavior. In the ocean, I have seen this exact behavior for about 12 minutes, followed by an all & all out brawl. I would suggest watching carefully and perhaps rearranging the aquascape. What size tank are these puffers in?

What you are describing is not the breeding activity that I have witnessed either.

Here is a picture of the puffers I mentioned in Cabo Pulmo.

[Puffer Queen]

Thanks to whoever is editing the pictures ! Please delete the second post - sorry

[Arothron Junkie]

Hi Kelly, thanks for the info. Are you saying both the "pancake" behavior AND the tail out/fins at side/rigid pose are BOTH aggressive/territorial behaviors?

I know the pancake type posture ususally is aggressive/defensive pose. I had never seen the other behavior before and was more curious about it. You mentioned puffer mating habits/behavior, what do they look like?

Thanks as always

[Puffer Queen]

I have seen both behaviors by themselves and in conjunction when trying to establish dominance and demonstrate aggression.

I have not seen the behaviors you are describing during mating in any of the five species that have spawned in my system nor the two that I have seen diving.

Most commonly observed behavior is blushing coloration.

[Arothron Junkie]

sorry but it will not let me edit last post....

Here is the tank background: both puffers in question are in a 210 gallon tank with the following: 10" or so green wolf eel about as big around as a sharpie marker, a juv emperor angel 4-5", a 4" purple tang, and a 5" harley tusk. The fish have quite a bit of (1.5 caves per fish approx) aquascaped rock caves and/or some rock coverd terracotta pots shaped into makeshift caves. Bare bottom tank. PC 10K lighting. Its just a "reef ready" AGA tank with sump. Custom stand (4x4's, 3/4" plywood, 1/2" bolts, and a ton of 2x4's covered with two coats of oil based paint to resist salt....you can drive a truck onto this thing) as I didn't feel comfortable with the particle board versions commonly sold. Salinity is about 1.020, ph 8.2, 79 degrees, it goes about 3 weeks before the water parameters start to slip w' no water changes (per bi weekly testing) and we do 20% changes every other week which keeps ammonia/nitrite zero, nitrate less than 10 ppm. (lowest my test kit reads) They eat daily fresh market shrimp, mussells, clams, occasional silversides. Dried Nori and peas are also made available but the puffers only do the peas maybe once a week. (tang/angel/etc do em daily). Quite a peaceful tank, nobody bothers anyone else....thus far no accidents even during feeding time.