The Puffer Forum

As I'm studying for an ichthyology course I'm reminded of all the neat fish I've been able to work with. Most have been preserved specimens but it's still been interesting. The list has included things like pike, gars, bowfins, sturgeons, seahorses, and many other species.

However, I think that the neatest fish that I've been able to see in person is a coelacanth Of course it was preserved but I feel very fortunate to have been able to see one up close and personal. I don't think that many people get that opportunity

What's the neatest fish that you've seen in person (alive or dead)? Given the opportunity, what is the fish that you'd want to see the most?

I've always wanted to see a leafy seadragon in the wild.

saw Marisa Tomei in real life. Very nice fish.

I would like to see an angler fish in action.

Some of our native fish: Sturgeon, Muskie, Beluga Whale (or any whale)...

I have see sea horses and sea dragons in captivity, but I am sure in the wild that would be a blast!!

I don't know what fish I've seen that is the neatest ones, but these guys are so ugly that they are cool.


They are Anarhichas lupus. If you've got some live ones in the bottom of your boat, be sure to keep your feet away from them!

A LFS near me has one of these in...it's a pink scorpion fish...

It's soooo cool. The eyes reflect oddly, it makes it look like they aren't there and you can see right through the socket to the other side!
I need more time, space, and money

I confess to a fascination with the fish with lures, and I have kept several and would not hesitate to do so again.

RTR I'm shocked

I went whale watching once off the coast of Santa Barbara although the orcas and the 400-500 dolphins was cool but the pair of blue whales up close in fact they went right under the boat. Unbeleivably big but the coolest things is how blue they are.

Why shocked? Lots of fish have specialized feeding techniques, and a number of those we can manage quite well in captivity. They are not puffers and are all but inert and invisible to non-hobbyists, but Chaka chaka is a fascinating and hardy critter, as messy as a puffer and largely nocturnal, but also have lures - at the corners of their mouths. They need space (water volume - they can push 8"), sandy bottom seems best, and they hide in leaf litter (collect Oak leaves and dry them, replace as needed). They will eat frozen/thawed silversides and some shrimp. It should be possible to captive breed them if you provide sufficient room (a 180?) and food. The commonest captive is really a different species I believe, but is usually labeled as doubled name sort.

Hand-caught small species of marine shallow-water (not the deep water forms, too big and likely demanding or delicate - they may not handle light well at all) anglers can be manged pretty well if the tank is well matured before the fish is added. Of course they are hardly trustworthy with fish you do not want to be food, but they are predators, so what else would you expect?

I have no issues with predators - puffers are predators as well.

RTR just google imaged chaka chaka and all i got was dancing black ladies lol

If you search for chaca chaca, you will be in better luck.

LOL!! I did the same thing... but did find a pic... looks like a catfish with barbels at the corner of the mouth.

The name is for the sound they make, multiple spellings are possible. Chaca chaka is the usual label, but it is likely that C.bankanensis is the fish most commonly seen in the trade.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/species ... ankanensis

Eye color shows sex apparently.

HTH

I think the coolest fish I've seen are mudskippers.