The Puffer Forum

In regard to puffers, what's something you've always wondered about or wanted to know? Breeding secrets, color changes, food types, anything at all. Maybe you can't find the answer on google, or maybe you're afraid to ask. Perhaps you just want to know more.

Here's my 3:
1. I've always wondered about the effectiveness of UV filters and their impact on a cycled aquarium.
2. Could a puffer really ever "explode" if it ate too much or inflated too much?
3. Why is Walmart still selling fish? (They put them directly in tap water for you to take home)

Who thought of the name "fugu" (ocean / water pig) it is very appropriate.

1.-When did puffers change a multi-teeth jaws to just 2 pairs of strong and big tooth?
2.- from where did puffers get the poison?

J-P, all we know about fugu name is that japanese people is very creative hehehe maybe just happens that a guy captured a puffer in his net, and his son says "dad it looks like a sea-pig"

oh i almost forgot my biggest doubt...
Who was first ....marine, BW or FW puffers?

Yes, a puffer will explode. RTR can answer your UV Q.

Marine puffers came 1st. Puffers get their toxins from the foods they eat (as do most poisonous animals)

So, are we allowed to answer these?

I've always wondered about the effectiveness of UV filters and their impact on a cycled aquarium.
They don't have a significant impact on the cycling of an aquarium as more than 90% of the bacteria lives on surfaces and not in the water column.

When did puffers change a multi-teeth jaws to just 2 pairs of strong and big tooth?
Millions of years ago. Many of their relatives have very similar teeth as well. Tetraodontids have 4 teeth, 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom. Diodontids have 2 teeth, one on the top and one on the bottom. Their teeth are more plate like.

From where did puffers get the poison?
Puffers get their toxins from the food they eat. They also have beneficial bacteria in their bodies which produce the toxins. There are tons of different bacteria species which have been found in puffers. Even specimens from the same species in the same area can have a completely different bacterial makeup. Baby puffers are actually 'born' with toxins from the mother. From what I know it is unknown whether or not any bacteria are found in the eggs though scientists believe that they do have toxin producing bacteria as toxin levels can increase before the fry eat.

Who was first ....marine, BW or FW puffers?
Marine.

Flutter wrote: Who was first ....marine, BW or FW puffers?
Marine.

Why, the egg came first of course, or was it the puffer? Anyway, yes, these are designed to be asked and then answered. I have high hops that this will become a nice long thread.

RVS wrote:1.-When did puffers change a multi-teeth jaws to just 2 pairs of strong and big tooth?
2.- from where did puffers get the poison?

J-P, all we know about fugu name is that japanese people is very creative hehehe maybe just happens that a guy captured a puffer in his net, and his son says "dad it looks like a sea-pig"

Not all the the group have four fused dental plates. Check out Porcs. The Diodontidae have only two fused dental plates, upper and lower.

But the extreme changes this group of fish underwent appear to happened fairly close together if not simultaneously.

I've always wondered about the effectiveness of UV filters and their impact on a cycled aquarium.


Minor clarification: UV filters have little or trivial impact on an established biofilter as already said but not quite solidly specified. They could well block the establishment of a biofilter or slow it markedly, especially if it were inoculated by commercial bacteria preps or by biofilter squeezing from established tanks. But they do have heavy effect on the water column bacteria and algae which may be either or both desirable or undesirable. They also can damage desirable infusorians. One thing is critical to the functionality of water-based UV and that is upkeep. If the sheltering tube is not squeeky clean, you are wasting power. As with other light tobes, they also have defined effective life spans. Old tubes are doing nothing but wasting power. If you feel it is needed, make sure it is clean and the tube still effective.

From where did puffers get the poison?

Yes, it is from the food they eat. It may not be in the food but on it, especially on the shellfish. The actual production is bacterial. The toxins are in more than puffers. The blue ringed octopus carries the most, closely followed by a newt I believe. There are variants in the toxin which may be from variant sources or may be modified by the fish, or both. Sharks are immune to the poison.

Why is Walmart still selling fish?

Because they make money at it. That should be obvious. That company is manged to several decimal places. Unprofitable lines and products vanish. When a hobbyist "saves" or "rescues" a puffer or other fish from there or other comparable chain store, you are supporting their practices and their profits. Is that what you really want to do?

HTH

Thank you for your thorough answers RTR! That answers a lot of questions I have had about using a uv bulb. The Walmart question was meant to be sarcastic, simply because I feel so frustrated every time I see how poorly they treat all of their fish, especially the ich-infested Figure 8 and GSP tanks they have. I agree completely with what you said!

Another question: Can crustaceans get ich? More specifically, ghost shrimp. I'm positive that all of my ghost shrimp have what are ich spots all over their bodies, and are what recently spread it as feeders to several of my tanks *sigh*. Those spots stand out so much! It seems to happen right after they molt.

¿invertebrates with ich? well thats new for me hahaha i don't think so....
Well thank you friends for answering my doubts, now i know!

Well i will put some shellfish on my GSP diet ñ_ñ
So i still have a little doubt about puffers origin, now i now marine were first, bun what was before it? hahaha i need a puffer´s Family Tree, that could be interesting

Are fahaka puffers more nocturnal? Mine lays in the sand all day and explores at night! When I get up at 3am hes swimming around but all day he lays around! haha

Also do the fahakas have light skin naturally or does it darken with light like humans?

RVS wrote:¿invertebrates with ich? well thats new for me hahaha i don't think so....
Well thank you friends for answering my doubts, now i know!

Well i will put some shellfish on my GSP diet ñ_ñ
So i still have a little doubt about puffers origin, now i now marine were first, bun what was before it? hahaha i need a puffer´s Family Tree, that could be interesting

I believe we have had the fahaka skin colour discussion before. It mainly depends on background/substrate /mood. A fahaka with a tan? lmfao

Most puffers, including Fahakas I believe, are crepuscular, meaning they seem to prefer dawn and dusk as their most active times.

Fahakas and fish in general can't get a tan like people, but their (Fahakas') skin color and pattern does change in response to their surroundings. (i.e. stress, substrate color, contentment, etc.) Mine is a blotchy black gray and pale yellow when stressed, but gets bold maroon and red stripes when happy or hunting.

Hmmm mine was really dark when I got him but since I added a lighter substrate hes really kinda pale. I was concerned but this makes me feel better. His striped and splotches are coming in really nice hes all splotchey on top and has nice stripes on the side and bright yellow bottom

Ramses changes color really fast. My substrate basically looks like salt and pepper with some red sand in it, so when he burrows under the sand, he gets a very salt-and-peppery look to him, probably just to blend in. When he's hunting is when he looks the best, with those maroon, red, and greed lines. I didn't know 2" puffers could even get that coloring until they were older. It's fun having a water chameleon.