The Puffer Forum

Told ya... Still a great fish, here was mine:

Im not sure that is a Turgidus. The snout looks a little long and that eyespot is very prominent. This might be a wait and see if this is a small specimen. It just looks a little wrong for a definitive ID at this stage.

I think the snout looks to short to be a lerius, but that target spot is pretty obvious which makes me wonder if it is a cochinchinensis.

How big is this puffer? Is it a juvenile?

The snout looks too short for a M. leiurus.

It's a M. cochinchinensis in my opinion. Eyespot is much too obvious for M. turgidus.
As as side note: The eyespot does not necessarily have to be red for M. cochinchinensis.

My guy's eyespot would go from black to grey.

he's pretty small at about 2.2 in. Now that hes swimming around his green is more vibrant and his little target is black.

Pufferpunk wrote:My guy's eyespot would go from black to grey.

It is not so much the color (it is a little), but rather how much the spot is different or like the spots around it.

Your guy's eye spot is only a little bit bigger in size than his other spots and the color is similar to the other spots around it.

The OP's eye spot is significantly larger than the other spots it has. Even out of focus, I can't find one spot that comes close to being even half the size of the eye spot.

In your (pp) 1st picture, look at the eye spot that is north east from the eye spot (to the right and up). That spot is very similar in size to your guy's eye spot.

Is there any chance it could be a M. Cambodgiensis?

nahum13 wrote:Is there any chance it could be a M. Cambodgiensis?

The snout is really too short to be a Cambodgiensis. But, don't let that ruin your spirits, you still have a pretty rare puffer

Thanks! and also his spot is turning somewhat red or dark brown at the center, if that could help the ID...

nahum13 wrote:Thanks! and also his spot is turning somewhat red or dark brown at the center, if that could help the ID...

The color changing/ seeing red color in the center is common for both turgidus (especially juveniles) and cochinchinensis.

So the color doesn't help distinguish between the two, unless the puffer is an adult.

In this case, it is the size (obviousness) of the spot and the shortness of the snout that make me vote for cochinchinensis.

well, i bought him from the wet spot, a reputable dealer imo, and hes only 2 inches so for now im hoping hes actually what i bought, M. Leiurus. But a juvi Turgidus would also be nice since i was in the market for a puffer that grew to a decent size. We'll see how he looks in the future. Whatever he is, he is now my puffer that i will care for. Thanks for the help!

Even reputable dealers have trouble with puffer IDs.

We'll see how he looks in the future. Whatever he is, he is now my puffer that i will care for. Thanks for the help!

So I found my charger and I tried to take as many good shots as I could while Sid(puffer) was actually exploring his tank and not just chilling in his cave. Sorry if it takes a while to load for some people!
I still want opinions on ID...Thanks!!



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