The different markings could be attributed to them being a mix of male and female. Dwarfs are a species that can be told apart by their difference in markingsPhil1078 wrote:See I see two distinct types of puffer. The lighter yellow one in the foreground definitely has the markings of a DP, but I assure you it was rather large. The other four puffs are much darker in markings. Perhaps next week I will venture there again and try to get movies of them.
library/puffers-in-focus/sexing-carinot ... rf-puffer/
Having darker colors doe not really mean anything either, considering that they can turn black as coal when they want to..or they can turn just a little blacker when the want to
Have a thoery or two-
One, most of the ones pictured appear to be male (with long lines going to the tail) These long lines can create the illusion of length, espeaccialy the when the lines are darker
Next, these could all be adults, that were formally housed in a much better situation and grew to their full potential. When they moved to this location the were staved and their chubbiness went away, leaving a long looking skinny fish. Another optical illusion (fat fishes look short, skinny fishes look long)
In support of the above theory is that most of these are male. Males are least desired to fish keepers. Most fish keepers want 3 female to 1 male. So that leave fisheries with an over abundance of males. These "unsaleable" excess males are then sold for pennies on the dollar to pet stores.
These are absolutely not figure 8's and not green spotteds, they are dwarfs