The Puffer Forum

I guy at a local pet store told me that the figure 8 puffers were poisonous so if I put them in with anything else they would kill all my fish, but I have done research now and have not seen anywhere where they are called poisonous so I was wondering if that was true.

No. Not unless you eat them.
The cow fishes are marine puffer cousins that when put in an aquarium environment, have the ability to excrete the toxin when under stress and wipe out a whole tank. Not our precious F8's.

thats a relief but do you mean that they are poisonous if eaten by another fish?

Yes, all pufferfish are toxic when eaten. They have a poison called Tetrodotoxin that is present in the skin and internal organs. This poison is produced by bacterias which are acquired through the foods they eat. Puffers in captivity are said to not have the toxin due to the different foods that we provide for them. But don't worry, your little friend is harmless and won't hurt you.

I wouldn't put him in danger off being eaten though
then you will be out more than one little fish friend.

If you are interested there is a video on YouTube somewhere all about how japenese chefs go through rigorous training so that they can prepare puffers (fugu), I read somewhere that only 25% of people actually successfully take the qualifications....

Yeah, I think there are only 5 people in Tokyo that can serve fugu.
I love my fugu too much to eat him.

There's apparently a restaraunt near me that sells fugu, I want to find out if they really do or not.
Only 5 people in Tokyo? I'd expect a little more than that!

Most US places that serve fugu import it already cut free of poisonous organs/flesh by someone that knows what they're doing. Most of the training a fugu chef undergoes has little to do with safety and much to do with tradition, probably 95% or more than take the test could prepare it safely, 75% just fail to do it PERFECTLY.

lol thats amazing, but still I could never eat a little puffer.

They're big, fat puffers, usually... very sad looking things.

these chefs do an excellent job. It is a great dis-honor if someone gets sick from your sushi in Japan. these chefs will literally commit suicide rather than be so shameful.

Nick wrote:Most US places that serve fugu import it already cut free of poisonous organs/flesh by someone that knows what they're doing. Most of the training a fugu chef undergoes has little to do with safety and much to do with tradition, probably 95% or more than take the test could prepare it safely, 75% just fail to do it PERFECTLY.

I hada feeling that they weren't actually doing it themselves. Still those are some insane numbers.