The Puffer Forum

If you're looking for names: www.zoaid.com

I just saw that liveaquaria has both the bennett's and papuan puffer in stock, medium size. These are the top two for me.

I'm really wanting to order my puffer while they are actually in stock but now I'm not sure which to do with.

The Bennetts is more expensive at $45 for small size and the Papuan at $28 for medium...

I do have a question though. For the Papuan puffer its listed as in stock for medium but two listings as one says Indonesia and the other says Sumatra. I'm assuming these are the locations that these puffers were collected from but know no more than that. Any idea on what, if any differences, these two locations mean in terms of this puffer, like maybe some color variation or something?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=232
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=3039

Sumatra is one of the islands of Indonesia. So that's like saying "USA, West Virginia"

The "C. papua" puffer in the link looks like a C. solandri to me anyways, no matter what the text there says, but this is not WYSIWYG.

Corvus wrote:Sumatra is one of the islands of Indonesia. So that's like saying "USA, West Virginia"

The "C. papua" puffer in the link looks like a C. solandri to me anyways, no matter what the text there says, but this is not WYSIWYG.

I did actually search right after posting and easily found out Sumatra was part of Indonesia.

I just didn't know why that was specified, especially being a part of Indonesia. I wouldn't expect it would make a difference when it came to purchasing the puffer.

I know those two look very similar and I know I probably couldn't tell the difference if either was placed in front of me and I was asked to.

But liveaquaria has both the papua and solandri and they do look different to me in the photos specified for each species. I'm sure that doesn't mean as much between species as there will be some variation, that its not WYSIWYG but I wouldn't expect liveaquaria to mess that up, compared to other sites anyway.

Anyway, what about the puffer in the photo makes you say it isn't a paupa?

It's not about what makes me think this is a C. solandri, it's about what characters were used when the species were defined. The lines on the back are longer on C. papua. The two species are often mixed up and the linked site sometimes does indeed have wrong IDs.

That's a C. papua: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/5/ ... apua02.jpg

That's a C. solandri: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/5/ ... ndri01.jpg

Not too difficult, actually.

Corvus wrote:It's not about what makes me think this is a C. solandri, it's about what characters were used when the species were defined. The lines on the back are longer on C. papua. The two species are often mixed up and the linked site sometimes does indeed have wrong IDs.

That's a C. papua: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/5/ ... apua02.jpg

That's a C. solandri: http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/5/ ... ndri01.jpg

Not too difficult, actually.

I just meant, more or less, what patterns and such on the puffer in the photo had given it away as not being a papua is all. I've read through enough threads on this forum to know you certainly know about iding puffers.

Those links aren't working for me though..

If you don't mind, and to hopefully help me be able to tell between the two, is this one correctly identified based on the photo?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... catid=3110

Edit: Were the pictures you linked related to this site?

It will load for me and I can see the difference between the two pretty easily in these photos, in relation to the lines.

C. papua has white to blue lines on the back reaching to the dorsal fin and often farther to the back. These lines are the most easy character to distinguish between the two species. C. papua in general has more orange, but this does somewhat vary between specimens and how much orange a puffer specimen has, is quite a subjective trait. There's also a third species, C. margaritata, which is very similar in coloration, but has a longer snout (since it comes mostly from the Red Sea it is not traded often in the last decade. You can see it here: http://www.fishbase.org/images/species/Camar_u4.jpg).

I think the one linked to in your last post is identified correctly.

The two pictures I linked to above came from an article on Canthigaster species in the online magazine Adanced Aquarist.

Here's another typical C. solandri: http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/images/sp ... sol_u0.jpg
and another typical C. papua: http://www.fishbase.us/images/species/Capap_f0.jpg

You may notice, too, that the one here http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=232 looks rather like a C. solandri.

Corvus wrote:C. papua has white to blue lines on the back reaching to the dorsal fin and often farther to the back. These lines are the most easy character to distinguish between the two species. C. papua in general has more orange, but this does somewhat vary between specimens and how much orange a puffer specimen has, is quite a subjective trait. There's also a third species, C. margaritata, which is very similar in coloration, but has a longer snout (since it comes mostly from the Red Sea it is not traded often in the last decade. You can see it here: http://www.fishbase.org/images/species/Camar_u4.jpg).

I think the one linked to in your last post is identified correctly.

The two pictures I linked to above came from an article on Canthigaster species in the online magazine Adanced Aquarist.

Here's another typical C. solandri: http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/images/sp ... sol_u0.jpg
and another typical C. papua: http://www.fishbase.us/images/species/Capap_f0.jpg

You may notice, too, that the one here http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... pcatid=232 looks rather like a C. solandri.

I completely forgot add the link in my edit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/5/fish

I can definitely see the lines on the papua.

Thanks for your help and explanations.

Yes, that's the article.

Well liveaquaria was out of stock with both puffers the day after I had posted here.

After thoughts about the last few posts above I figure there is a very good chance I might not even actually get a papua even if thats what I ordered. Since the solandri and papua are so similar in appearence I contacted my LFS to assure I could still get the solandri from them. They are able to and at $25 for medium size.

So my puffer will be here Thursday!

The timing works out well for me because I don't have to go into work Thursday at all. I feel better knowing I'll be home to observe the puffer and makes sure things go over smoothly.

This LFS also carries a pretty decent selection of frozen food, LFS where I bought the frozen mysis did not, and I'll be picking up some more food, more specifically for the puffer...which leads to a few questions.

The foods I have on hand are mysis, bloodworms, baby shrimp, algae sheets, brine shirmp, algae based flakes, and pellets, Some aren't exactly for the puffer and I don't expect the flakes or pellets to be eaten by the puffer, I rarely feed either anyway. The only food item of the above that I have in the frozen variety is the mysis, have it in freeze dried also.

I know the puffers diets needs to consist of hard shelled foods and more of a variety of seafoods. I can pick up some shrimp from the grocery store and will see what else is in stock. I know my LFS has clam on the half shell and squid.

What else do I need to be looking for in terms of a varied diet for my puffer? I've read about their diets and all of course but want to feel certain I've got it covered. I can't seem to find a whole lot of detail when it comes to feeding a toby puffer but I'm under the impression, from what I've read that algae does make up a bit of their diet. I'm just wondering how often I should offer the algae. Right now I feed every 2-3 days with an algae sheet (for blenny though the others pick at it as well) and something like mysis to the wrasse and clowns.

Also, at a medium size, are any foods going to prove difficult to feed him/her?

I guess I'm still a little nervous about the feeding aspect since I have yet to feed any puffer.

Tomorrow will be a rather exciting day...

I'll be picking up my puffer finally

I also ordered a few more corals that will be delivered tomorrow as well. I have some more zoas, a mushrooms, another suncoral and a ricordia coming in one package. In another, I have brain corals coming; a Platygyra sp. and Trachyphyllia radiata (believe I got those names right).The weather isn't supposed to be as bad/cold as it was the last time my suncoral was being delivered and it should stand a much better chance. Heres the WYSIWYG photos for the two brains:

Love the Wellsos and finally came across one that wasn't too expensive with coloring I liked

What lighting do you have, again?

Pufferpunk wrote:What lighting do you have, again?

Right now its a 4x54w bulb T5HO but I'm upgrading to LED.

I'm worried about the heat from the T5HO fixture with the warmer months coming up. Plus, it seemed a little more cost effective in the long run (certainly not upfront) over replacing bulbs at least yearly. Guess it might save me some on my electric bill, though I doubt it'd be noticeable, as well.

ETA: Also, if you (or anyone) have any input on my concerns mentioned above about with feeding the puffer or any additional food items I'm missing I'd appreciate it.

Heat has never been an issue with my 6 T5s. I have a cheap, 6" clip on fan over the sump. A lot of folks who went to LED during the big craze a few years ago, are now going back to T5s.

My puffers love FD plankton. I feed out a lot of live blackworms soaked in Selcon & Vita-Chem

Pufferpunk wrote:Heat has never been an issue with my 6 T5s. I have a cheap, 6" clip on fan over the sump. A lot of folks who went to LED during the big craze a few years ago, are now going back to T5s.

My puffers love FD plankton. I feed out a lot of live blackworms soaked in Selcon & Vita-Chem

I noticed a slight increase in the temperature of the tank after adding the T5HO fixture, only a degree or two and I adjusted my heater accordingly since it wasn't too hot. On the couple days it was warmer weather a couple weeks ago I noticed a temp increase too.I also think adding the 1200 maxijet powerhead caused an issue with the heat as well since it runs at 20watts. I wish I would have looked into that sort of stuff in the first place but I just ordered two new Koralias along with test kits from Dr. Fosters and Smith. I don't have central air and I wasn't really sure what to expect this summer. I get pretty miserable even with window ACs, but I've also been one to stay warmer I guess. I hadn't got a fan yet and that was what I would have done had I not purchased the LEDs though. I don't know, just made me happier knowing I wouldn't have to worry about replacing bulbs too. I think I'll hang on to the T5HO fixture for a while and maybe indefinitely, just in case.

I'll have to see if and/or where I can find live blackworms around here. Is there anything to avoid or ask when it comes to purchasing the live black worms for puffer food, as far as making sure its safe? I'll order some plankton next time I place an order online for anything, don't think my LFS can carries it, they might be able to order it though. I just want as much of a variety as I am able to provide.q2

I guess I was more worried about providing the hard foods for the puffer because of its teeth. Thought it doesn't seem the Tobys are quite as prone to their teeth overgrowing from what I had read, it still worries me. Do/have you fed your Tobys any sort of snails? Thats been the biggest thing I've been thrown off on going from GSP to a Toby.

I finally managed to get a pretty good picture of theBlastomussa Merletti piece that came with this last order..



And another of the hammer cause I like it so much and got what I thought was a pretty good shot