The Puffer Forum

Hello, I have two brackish ones and both were sold to me about a year ago as "green puffer". They both according to belly color feel good and happy, eating, playing with me etc. But the back color is different. I think that one of them is Nigroviridis and another one is Fluviatilis. But still asking for help to be sure which one is which. The second puffer colors varies from green to yellow sometimes. Regards!

Both are green spotted puffers. Teteraodon nigroviridis

I love the fat one on the left.

I happen to think that the OP may be correct on thinking they may be different. I know there are many variations of patterns in each different type of puffer, but at first glance the photo on the right looked like a Figure 8 puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) or possibly the fluviatilis. When or if you have seen their belly color go black/dark does the one you suspect to be fluviatilis have a pattern or does is just have a gradual or non patterned darkening? I hope that makes sense. If it has a distinct pattern on the belly, in my opinion,it would be something other than Teteraodon nigroviridis.

I suggest looking through the "puffer pedia" in the brackish section and see if this helps with your identification. ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/

Bear wrote:I happen to think that the OP may be correct on thinking they may be different. I know there are many variations of patterns in each different type of puffer, but at first glance the photo on the right looked like a Figure 8 puffer (Tetraodon biocellatus) or possibly the fluviatilis. When or if you have seen their belly color go black/dark does the one you suspect to be fluviatilis have a pattern or does is just have a gradual or non patterned darkening? I hope that makes sense. If it has a distinct pattern on the belly, in my opinion,it would be something other than Teteraodon nigroviridis.

I suggest looking through the "puffer pedia" in the brackish section and see if this helps with your identification. ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Brackish/

Thank you for your reply, here is some old photo, from when I've got this puffer(s). You can see the black belly of possible Fluviatilis.

sgtmyers88 wrote:I love the fat one on the left.

Some Fatty pics special for you -)

The puffer on the right photo is not, repeat not, an F-8. It lacks the required markings.

My vision is poor, but they both look like GSPs to me. I agree w/Bertie.

The one in the left photo is too fat, needs to trim down a good bit - it has no chin at all. The one on the right photo may be okay if recently fed. Otherwise it could trim down a bit more as well. Overfeeding GSPs is so easy to do.

I strongly agree with RTR and Bertie. They're both Tetraodon nigroviridis. As RTR mentioned, T. biocellatus has distinctive ocellus markings that easily distinguish it from similarly colored/patterned T. nigroviridis/fluviatilis.

Okay, sorry. I was looking at the top of it's head and it's hard too see but the pattern seemed a little bit like the fluviatilis. And the color, to me, had more of a yellow tint, like the fluviatilis and biocellatus have. That's why I was asking about the belly when it gets dark. Maybe I missed something but I got the impression that their bellies were different too when not happy and bright white? Not trying to argue with the experts; but would it be possible to get a picture of the top of the fish in question's head?

Bear wrote:Okay, sorry. I was looking at the top of it's head and it's hard too see but the pattern seemed a little bit like the fluviatilis. And the color, to me, had more of a yellow tint, like the fluviatilis and biocellatus have. That's why I was asking about the belly when it gets dark. Maybe I missed something but I got the impression that their bellies were different too when not happy and bright white? Not trying to argue with the experts; but would it be possible to get a picture of the top of the fish in question's head?

The fat one never been with dark belly, so I can't say it's different or not, sorry.

I'm sorry again I didn't see the second set of photos. I agree that it's not the biocellatus. However I just was curious and appreciate the knowledge of other people here, and the opportunity to see all variations in each type of puffer. Yay I learned something.

They both look just like my GSP's Thanks for sharing the photos though. I love them.

Ok, thank you all. It's kind of surprise for me that one species could have such variety in colors. So that's why they both swim together. But I probably have the two females because they don't attack each other. Or it's just their character.

Can you get a better pic of this one from the top? Looking down. The one swimming down.

It is terribly easy to get muddled by color in fish tanks. Perceived color is dependent on multiple factors which are not under the control of the fish, plus others which are part of the fish's response to surroundings as perceived by the fish and its currant state security and mood. Background, substrate, decor, light spectrum and intensity are factors beyond the fish's control, but the fish will react to all of those. We only very rarely have enough data to judge from the info given by the poster (if any). Species differentiation from each other based on color in posted photos on the web is highly iffy at best. For F-8s, the configuration of the dorsal markings is likely to have more info about where the fish was caught than about it's species. Our definition of that species is largely by it's two caudal peduncle eye-spots (one on each side of the fish) than anything else.

HTH

purplecandle wrote:Can you get a better pic of this one from the top? Looking down. The one swimming down.

Sorry, my tank is under heavy 3-section cover with lamps so this is probably the maximum angle I can take a picture. I will try but don't know how much time it will take.