The Puffer Forum

I went looking for a Puffer last weekend and found the following labelled as a "Red Eyed Puffer" the guy said he wasnt sure if that was the correct name but it was def a freshwater Puffer.

Id taken images etc with me to try make a positive ID as i didnt want a 2ft monster in a 60 Litre tank.

So anyway, is this a Fangs (thats what i think it is)





If it is, then great

T. Turgidus perhaps, although I always have problems distinguishing between the 2.

Nice colour on him though.

Hilly wrote:T. Turgidus perhaps, although I always have problems distinguishing between the 2.

Nice colour on him though.

Just saw ur sig, the shop i got the Puffer had 3 x 3Foot Red Asian Arrowana, going for about 600-1000quid each

LOL, too rich for my blood, i'd be happy with just a red tail golden, beautiful for the money, but still not cheap.

T Turgidus.

I also think it is probably a Tetraodon turgidus, because the only other yet recognized species it could be is Tetraodon cochinchinensis (Fangs puffer), which "often" has a red ocellus below the dorsal fin. But that doesn't sound like a reliably diagnostic trait.

An ocellus should be missing on Tetraodon turgidus according to the first description by Kottelat in 2000. Even Fishbase will add to the confusion stating "no ocellus or no large blotch below dorsal-fin origin" in the text and showing a picture which has such an occelus.

The target puffer group needs major revision. And I am not only talking about the use of the valid genus Monotrete (instead of Monotretus used by Fishbase etc.).

looks like my turgidus.

I also think it is probably a Tetraodon turgidus, because the only other yet recognized species it could be is Tetraodon cochinchinensis (Fangs puffer), which "often" has a red ocellus below the dorsal fin. But that doesn't sound like a reliably diagnostic trait.

Why not? I have found it to be quite reliable.

I am citing Kottelat, M., 2001 Fishes of Laos (in my opinion the most exact source):

"adults with ocellus, sometimes red, but most commonly made of a large black blotch surrounded by a paler area and a series of more or less contiguous large black blotches; juveniles with a small red spot in center of concentric pale and black circles"

@Pufferpunk: What other characters did you use for differentiation between turgidus and cochinchinensis? If one assumes that all short snouted targets with red ocellus are T. cochinchinensis it is clear that this character seems reliable. However it seem reliable for juveniles, although I wouldn't want to have to decide at which age/length the specimen is called adult.

That could be true. Most fish we come across are generally younger specimens. I've always prided myself on puffer/general fish ID. I'm really glad we have you here to straighten us all out on these questions!

Thanks for replys. I thought he looked identical to an image for the Fangs in the Pedia, but either way hes lovely

Im a tad concerned atm though, Im just home from work and he seems to be gasping as if struggling to breath. Currently the tank has 2 powerhead filters (until the Eheim 2232 arrvies) Both were taken from mature tanks as was the tank water. The tank has had a Betta and some snails/shrimp in it until i got the puffer and they were all moved to the other tank. He was fine last night when i checked on him, left a small piece of mussel in the tank for food as he hadnt eaten on monday.

Water seems fine, im a tad confused, ive looked at his gills and they are normal, no swelling, no mucas, there are no marks on his body and his fins seem fine.

Any ideas?

I'd get that uneaten food out of there, it's just causing the water to foul.

I took the food out this morning as i went to work, but didnt have time to check on him properly (slept in)

DarkEntity wrote:Water seems fine ... Any ideas?

Seems fine is meaningless around these parts. What are the specific water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)? That's usually the best place to start when trying to diagnose a problem.

Looks like my test kit was showing duff results. I got a massive Nitrite spike in the tank. Nitrite on Sunday was showing <0.3mg/l which is the lowest the kit goes. (same result tonight)

Just got a kit from a friend and its showing 1.6mg/l

Just done a 50% water change and will do 25% daily until it settles again.....poor little bugger...probably me leaving food in overnight thats done it