The Puffer Forum

One of my LFS just got a baby Mappa puffer. He is not bigger than an inch at the moment.

1. Does anyone know how fast these guys grow into monsters?
2. Do you think $129.99 is a reasonable price for this little fella ?

TY

-UMB

I believe they grow incredibly fast, and I don't think thats a good price, but I haven't seen one in over a year so I kinda forgot that price. I know it was a nice size specimen though, 129 sounds a bit high to me though.

Cool. Thx.
I Def. heard that they grow quite fast and quite large to boot. I was considering expanding to salt water, but really I have only taken the time to learn about the FW species.

Lets say ya had $1000. You don't have to spend it all. This store you are in has every kind of SW puffer that the Pufferpedia documents. Which one do you choose ?

I was leaning toward Mappa, but obviously need to get more info. lol.

-UMB

definitely get some more info - research is a saltwater lovers best friend looks like you have lots of experience with FW so you aren't too far off... I can't tell you how many times I have passed up on many fish simply b/c I wasn't familiar enough to try my hand at them - after 16 years at this - I still hold back. As for A. Mappa and $129 - this is a good price given today's costs - at least what I have seen. Babies seem to regularly go for $200+ and 10-12" animals go for as much as $800....its all relative - a wonderfully healthy puffer I have prepared for is worth whatever I can afford - yes I sound crazy but I make sure everything is in place... So you say this shop has any puffer out there...may have to talk to you on shipping to me

schlecht13, do you have any galleries of your puffers? I'd really like to see more pics!

spoot wrote:schlecht13, do you have any galleries of your puffers? I'd really like to see more pics!

Yes actually, I just completed my user gallery here. There should be a link to the left of this to it. It is still in the works because I'm moving and everyone is all out of order atm.

schlecht13 wrote:definitely get some more info - research is a saltwater lovers best friend looks like you have lots of experience with FW so you aren't too far off... I can't tell you how many times I have passed up on many fish simply b/c I wasn't familiar enough to try my hand at them - after 16 years at this - I still hold back. As for A. Mappa and $129 - this is a good price given today's costs - at least what I have seen. Babies seem to regularly go for $200+ and 10-12" animals go for as much as $800....its all relative - a wonderfully healthy puffer I have prepared for is worth whatever I can afford - yes I sound crazy but I make sure everything is in place... So you say this shop has any puffer out there...may have to talk to you on shipping to me

Yep. I am still waiting on him. Tho I went to the place to check him out again and I noticed his teeth are HUGE for his size (cause hes a baby)... I was like @#$! Hopefully they fix him up. I also think I came to the conclusion that I should stick to FW for now. ;( I haven't lost any large puffers, only a few DPs and I like to keep it that way. I blame Petsmart for those deaths!! But anyways... yea.. I'm not ready to lose a large puff, no matter the cost.

I wish more aquarists were like you and I as well as several others on this site! Sounds like you have plenty of experience and good judgement - the key in my opinion (there are of course many factors when it comes to keeping marine puffers) is simply keep the water clean as possible - good big protein skimmer, water changes etc...Puffers are very messy eaters - especially the big ones - part of the reason I keep smaller ones to kind of "clean up the house". Also the reason I keep the Queen angel and Niger - they are tough and big enough that they are paid no attention to but at the same time - like to eat all the little leftovers and angels like to pick alot...

Spoot - Thanks and feel free to check out my gallery - I am new to this Puffer Forum and am trying to learn to take better pics - I have learned quite a bti already and will add more as often as possible.