The Puffer Forum

I've noticed there's F8s that look like this (lines all over, not many pronounced blobs/spots)










And then there's some that look like this (some lines, very pronounced 8 and blobs/spots)






Are there 2 different kinds ??? Are these male vs female ??? ..... curious .....

Last pic. looks like my F8

Just like our fingerprints, every pattern is different. F8s are identified by the black eyespots by their tail, not the "8" on their back. Biocellatus means twin-spot.
ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/T_Biocellatus/

could be your puffer, I just searched google and flickr and grabbed some pics.

Thanks for clarifying about the spots by the tail, still curious though, as to me this seems like a pretty striking difference.....

I think it's similar to the differences we see with Green Spotted puffers, which can vary a great deal. It has been said that possibly regional variations produce these different patterns. Even my Aqualog book hints at regional variances with some puffers.

And don't forget the dorsal "eye spot". I understood it that both the dorsal and tail eye spots combined are where the name "Figure Eight" came from.

Mine also has the larger patterns and spots. Wouldn't it be kind of cool to have one of each?

Is it just me or does the next to last pic look more like a Ceylon.

Nah, you can see the eye spot at the back. I just think it's the angle the photo has been taken from.

pufferpuggirl wrote:Nah, you can see the eye spot at the back. I just think it's the angle the photo has been taken from.

Good point, must just be the angle.

Personally, I like the ones with reasonable 8s on their backs, but have kept many variants. It really is the bilateral ocellated spots which are the handy identifier for the species. Until we get real revision of the species. the two eyespots define the fish for the hobbyist, not at all the 8 on the back, or squiggles replacing it.

If only we had such easy identifiers for other species.

Here is a big version of the first op pic.



Uncropped:
http://www.vergari.info/foto/pesci/Tetr ... oSpada.jpg

Lots of spines there, great shot!

sparks42 wrote:could be your puffer, I just searched google and flickr and grabbed some pics.

Thanks for clarifying about the spots by the tail, still curious though, as to me this seems like a pretty striking difference.....

definitely isn't.

Wow, that's a lovely photo JRC3! What detail.