The Puffer Forum

Hi everyone!

I took a long road trip yesterday and finally picked up what I believe is a Cochinchinensis. He has a prominent dark ocellated spot and his body (minus tail) is about 2 inches. I'll get some pictures when my camera recharges. He was a paler yellow/brown in the store, but they also had a light colored pale sand substrate. Today he's a lot darker colored (but I also have Eco Complete, so I'm not sure if he's stressed or just matching my substrate).

He ate part of a frozen shrimp this morning too, but I noticed that his mouth looked a little bit chipped/wounded though, so I added some Melafix.

One question I had was that he's acting a lot like a Turgidus in that he's been hiding under my plants and heater most of the time and lying just over the substrate. Water parameters all look normal. Is it possible I have a Turgidus that just looks a lot like a Cochinchinensis? Has anyone else have a puffer like this? Or, is this just a phase he's going through?

Thanks!

Hm... observing him now, he may have actually been asleep. Do puffers sleep during the day? (He did have a late/stressful night).

My gsp's take naps during the day everyday. I don't know anything about a Cochinchinensis. I would guess your new little puffer may be tired and getting used to it's new home. Him eating is a good sign. His mouth is chipped? Is it a bite? I hope that heals up fast.

I'd suggest moving your heater down against the gravel hard enough that he can't rest under/against it, he'll likely burn himself eventually, while most puffers don't seem to sit on heaters.

Nick wrote:I'd suggest moving your heater down against the gravel hard enough that he can't rest under/against it, he'll likely burn himself eventually, while most puffers don't seem to sit on heaters.

Hm, I never thought of that. On the heater instructions it says that the heater shouldn't touch the substrate at all. Does that matter?

Tim

I've never had any problems as long as the heater isn't buried in it.

i had a goby that loved to sit on the heater and my eel will sometimes wrap around it and rest while wakeing up fish do some weird things