The Puffer Forum

Has any of you witnessed a fish doing what my Arothron is doing? This picture is taken just prior to the lights going off. Although for a fish to "Roost" on rock is not unusual in itself, what is puzzling me is the fact that the fish exposes an area of 1"x 3" of its back to the air for several hours at least. In all my years of keeping Marine fish, this is a first for me. They say you learn something new everyday, its a fact!
Does any of you have any views on this strange behavior? If so, I would be glad to hear them.

haha, I have no idea. maybe he just likes that particular rock and doesn't care that it exposes his back...

nice picture though.

He could just be enjoying the spot, maybe it has something to do with them reproducing?
That or perhaps theres a parasite or something on him, and he's trying to kill it by exposing it to air?

Ive found that puffers can just be stubborn when it comes to their sleeping spots. If it's comfortable, then they''ll stay there. If he is acting normal in every other regard then Id say he has just found a comfortable bed.

silly i know, but can you lower the rock a bit for him...

proabably impossible, but he cpuld then sleep on his favourite rock without drying himself out.

Thanks for all of your comments.
Crazedpuffer. Interesting remark concerning a Parasite. I did have a close look at the back area of the fish today. As the Golden A. Meleagris have a fine dusting of white spots on there back anyway, it is hard to distinguish if there is a foreign body present. Also, I am unable to find any literature concerning the Arothron's reproductive behavior, but you could be correct.
I do agree with the other members comments regarding the fish having found itself a comfortable bed. He has dozens of other perches to choose from, but insists on returning to the same one night after night.

he looks pretty cute up there! my valentini likes to sleep in crazy places too.

My stars & stripes has weird behaviour also. Here is a bad photo of where he likes to sleep. At first I thought he was stuck so I nugged him. He just blubbered his way out and when he figured out it was not for food, he blubbered his way back in. I say blubbered because it looked like he was moving all his fat around to squeeze in there.

That is an interesting picture edmlfc1. Does your stars & stripes ever expose his skin to the air at all ?

My Stars and Stripes also wedges himself in between two rocks when he sleeps.

Actually he does. I don't think he likes the cover on the tank. It's about 1/2 inch above the water line and he sticks his face out of the water and bites it all the time, probally about 100 times a day. But he never does what yours does. Of course I really don't have enough rock to reach the water line.

i have had a dog face who would do exactly that, and i have my young valentini now, who like to sleep at the top of the filter or at the top of a heater. in both corners. soooo weird. but they do what they do.