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Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:32 pm
by messy_da_legend
Yep the one I saw was nearly a foot long.
If thats the case then "OH DEAR!!"
well I picked him up today and he is settling in nicely. They labeled him as a Male so I suppose they based that on the cirri?
Well they fed him in the shop for me and he gulped the shrimp down - quite impressive.
Pics soon!
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:42 pm
by messy_da_legend
Say hello to Esau!! (hebrew for "hairy one!")
He is settling in well now in the tank, and I'll try to get some better pics soon.
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:10 pm
by Boxermom
Gorgeous! Congrats!!
Rocker, everything I've read (what little there is) says they only get 5". What do you think the likelihood of them getting bigger is?
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:15 pm
by Hilly
Nice pics, looks nice and healthy, congrats on the purchase.
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 7:46 pm
by kass
Nice puffer!
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:17 am
by Rocker
Boxermom wrote:Gorgeous! Congrats!!
Rocker, everything I've read (what little there is) says they only get 5". What do you think the likelihood of them getting bigger is?
Woland has said there have been reports of the species reaching 30cm.
When I went to pick mine up there was one specimen in there that was massive and hairy as anything. The guy said that she regularly laid eggs which to me dispels the male/female cirri bit. The specimen if I remember was no far off 12""- 30cm long. I posted about it way back but in was certainly double the 5" quoted.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:06 am
by Woland
The report I quoted was from "Puffer Fish Lair", which is usually a decent source of information.
Tetraodon baileyi (valid): 12 cm (4.72 inches) cited in literature, though specimens viewed at the Steinhart Collection were massive, some reaching 11 inches. A substantial fish and very rotund. Noticeable fringes from the body. This epidermal cirri and the lack of scales entirely are unique and thought to be perhaps a specialization and linked. Known only from the Mekong basin in Thailand and Laos. Occurs in rocky habitats including rapids. In life, their bellies are yellow-orange.
Link to the
Puffer Fish Lair.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 7:50 am
by messy_da_legend
The auther on that site has a fahaka, and claims he has it in salinity of 1.005! Aren't fahaka freshies?
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:43 am
by Woland
Fahakas are freshies indeed.
She reports that it is a freshwater fish, which will tolerate light brackish easily.
This is not unthinkable as Fahakas thrive in rivers as fx. The Nile...
I tend to accept her remarks on many things, including the huge specimens (T. baileyi) observed in the Steinhart Collection.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:31 am
by Boxermom
Interesting. I wonder what it takes to get them to grow that big. Course if mine do, the 55 they share definitely won't be large enough.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 9:50 am
by Woland
Boxermom wrote:Interesting. I wonder what it takes to get them to grow that big. Course if mine do, the 55 they share definitely won't be large enough.
Time, Food & Space...
They are probably slow to grow (as most pufferfish).
I keep my gal in a 42 gallon and I suspect it will be adequate for the next few years.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:00 am
by messy_da_legend
Just wondering, would bloodworms be any good, even if its not his main food?
Also, Ive noticed that his poo is thick and very pink. Is that normal? I presume it's because of his diet, ot the shrimp?
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:01 am
by Boxermom
Well if that's all it takes...
I'm sure the 55 will be fine for them for awhile. They don't appear to have grown much in the few months I got them, other than their bellies on feeding day.
But since they don't need a lot of swimming room, and the water is kept pristine, the tank should be fine for them for the foreseeable future I think.
Any idea what their lifespan is?
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:45 am
by Rocker
I wish I had taken a pic now of the specimen. I might contact the store see if they still have it and asked them to oblige.
I will try and find my original post.
Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 12:01 pm
by Boxermom
Missy, mine won't eat bloodworm. They don't eat anything too small it seems. I feed each of mine half a medium size shell-on shrimp every third day. Their poop is pinkish brown and in mass quantites.