C. Irrubesco/ Red-eyed Puffer

[LizB]

I saw some red eyed puffers at a LFS and they were the most vicious fish I've ever watched in captivity and I've watched piranha feed before. The red eye very much reminded me of the way sharks thrash their bodies while attacking. But like they say, fish have different personalities. They were so mean it disturbed me. And this is coming from someone that had a snake and a savannah monitor lizard at one time. I still miss my Sydney, my monitor lizard. He ran loose in the house with a dog and I never had a problem.


quote="groovitudedude"]I'm sure we all know how cute puffers can be, and I saw some of these puffers at the LFS that I'm trying to get a job at. The problem is that they have ich, and I'm obviously not going to get a sick puffer or make a "rescue". However, when the ich clears up (+ waiting for about a week), I would like to purchase one of these little guys. Another problem is a shortage on tanks. Obviously, one can't go in the 100G, no more fish in the 10G, and I doubt he will work well in the 55G community. So, I have 3 options.

[Jase]

my very 2 cents worth, I sort of understand the operation of shipping. Some of the puffers are in really really really (emphasized??) bad living condition prior to shipment. Picture this: 10 full grown Fig 8 in a tank that they can't hardly move, then the suppliers come pick up those which are still in reasonable shape and package them into what looks like clean big bag of water but actually the water is being recycled from whatever source that would be so polluted. Then the puffers are subjected to the torment of shipment. Many puffers would have suffered diseases and injuries. So personally, I think the puffers we own, should deserve optimum living 'lifestyle' [which i think isn't enough to compensate]. at least that's some of how the shipping operation works in asia. but reflecting back, most of puffers are from asia right.... well.

Oh gdude, I think you should pass on the idea. maybe after you get the job at your LFS, you would have more variety of other fishes and puffers to care about.

... and we wonder why our fish are so shy and upset when we first get them.

[Happy_Puffer]

I was thinking about the red eye red tail. I don't know though I might just wait and get a salt water tank and get a porc. But I don't see that happening till I move which will at least be Aug. I know I feel so bad about the shipping thing, but the way I see it they probably have some kind of policy of them getting to me at least alive. I would only be ordering one at a time so that way when they ship it would be one fish in a big bag (hopefully). I see the fish when they come in and they are alive but they are so scared and then when they get into the tanks they take a few hours to even start swimming. I don't know how my boss does the fish thing since I just started. But when I asked her if I could get a red eye puffer and she said she had never seem them on the list. I have called a few lfs around me and most don't even know you can get brackish/fresh water puffers. When we get fish in I try and go in and see them in the bag to see how they look and then I just have my boss just take out the other(s) out of the bag and then a bag switch and take him home before they can hit the tank water at the store. I try to save them even if they seem happy I know they would do better in my tank!Thanks for the help!