New Tetraodon Baileyi w/ pics

[Angler]

My wife and I saw this fish and couldn't resist. She (the LFS said it's a she) was a total glass banger at the LFS, but a little shy after being moved to her new home.

Here are some crappy pictures:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c86/ty722/003-3.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c86/ty722/002-2.jpg

As I said, she is being shy, so the pics suck.

She is by herself in a 28 gallon bowfront.

I have tried to do research, but the info is minimal. Can anyone give me info on this fish? Max size? Do I need to feed her shelled stuff to help her beak? Why do you need to feed hard stuff to help trim some puffer's beaks? Any other info that will help me out with this fish would be great. This is my first puffer.

Thanks!

[Angler]

Just one more:

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c86/ty722/005-2.jpg

She is getting a little more bold. I just put my finger against the glass and she nailed the glass hard:eek:

[Pufferpunk]

Chubby lil fellow, isn't he? Do you have him on dead foods?
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Baileyi/

[qwesty]

Thats awesome! very nice :)

[davo]

Wow great pick up!

[Angler]

Chubby lil fellow, isn't he? Do you have him on dead foods?
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Baileyi/

Chubby? Don't all Puffers look kinda chubby? lol. Can you tell if it is a male or female? I have fed it market shrimp twice. It devoured it. I put in a frozen silverside that it didn't go after. Thanks for the link. I'll check it out.

Thats awesome! very nice :)

Wow great pick up!

Thanks!

[Pufferpunk]

There's a good feeding article in the Library at that forum too. There is some guessing that the ones with lots of "hair" are males & females have less.

[Angler]

There's a good feeding article in the Library at that forum too. There is some guessing that the ones with lots of "hair" are males & females have less.

I read a few of the feeding articles. One thing that I did not see in the articles is info on keeping their teeth trimmed. It did say that feeding shelled food is more important with the "hunters" than it is with the "lurkers." The profile says that this is a semi-lurking piscavore. I think I want to try live crayfish for a shelled food. How often do you suggest I feed a shelled food?

[Pufferpunk]

Because these are lurkers (ambush predators), they don't swim around much (laying in wait for their prey), so feeding 2x/week is fine. I have a miurus & have never seen any teeth issues. Crays, live crabs 1x/month is about all she gets of that. Otherwise, live earthworms & pieces of people shrimp are her main staple.

[Angler]

Wow, just feed 2X per week, huh? Ok, thanks for the advice Pufferpunk.

[High City Rida]

"She is getting a little more bold. I just put my finger against the glass and she nailed the glass hard:eek:"

Very nice. I like it a lot. Where did you get it from Angler? Just curious. I know I can't have one right now but maybe down the road.......

[HPIZZLE]

wow. very nice!!!

[fishlover88]

where did you get him??? Did you get it from the aquamart(aka premier fish and reef) grand-reopening. The guy told me today that he sold one of their freshwater puffers. Almost bought their last fahaka today. But i was told no more tanks. :irked:

[pwmin]

nice pick-up. I hope to have a puffer again someday.

[Cichlas]

Nice :)

How much do these normally cost?

[js97]

nice!... yeah some puffers have continuous growing teach (i.e. like rabbits and rodents) so thats why some puffers will require hard shell food.

[Angler]

where did you get him??? Did you get it from the aquamart(aka premier fish and reef) grand-reopening. The guy told me today that he sold one of their freshwater puffers. Almost bought their last fahaka today. But i was told no more tanks. :irked:

Yes, I got it at Aquamart. We were just passing by, and I talked my wife into looking real quick. Next thing I know, I am rushing home to pull the 28 gallon out of the basement (don't worry, I put an XP3 from an established tank on the 28). The Fahaka was tempting too, especially for 29 bucks.

Nice :)

How much do these normally cost?

According to some threads on here, as well as sources from the internet, this species is rare in the hobby (although some members on here from the threads I could find disagree). I dropped $149 on the fish. This damn expensive hobby.

[Pufferpunk]

My LFS had one for 4 months (priced the same) & finally told me to find a home for it for free.

[Angler]

My LFS had one for 4 months (priced the same) & finally told me to find a home for it for free.

Yeah, I saw that thread. Whoever scored it for free was a lucky person. This one was at the LFS for around 3 months I think they said. They marked it down from 170 to 150. I guess I could have tried to negotiate a little, but seeing as how all the employees were very sad that I was buying her because they said she was her favorite fish there, I don't think I could have gotten her for any cheaper.

[fishlover88]

Yes, I got it at Aquamart. We were just passing by, and I talked my wife into looking real quick. Next thing I know, I am rushing home to pull the 28 gallon out of the basement (don't worry, I put an XP3 from an established tank on the 28). The Fahaka was tempting too, especially for 29 bucks.

I escaped with a chaca chaca and a dist. affinis. although there was so much more i could have gotten in trouble with all the freshwater fish 50% off.

sorry to derail. awesome fish. nice pick up

[Cichlas]

According to some threads on here, as well as sources from the internet, this species is rare in the hobby (although some members on here from the threads I could find disagree). I dropped $149 on the fish. This damn expensive hobby.

Thanks for the info. Are there any other puffers that can be mistaken for these? An LFS near me has two, asking £18 ($36 approx) for one or £29 ($58) for the two, which seemed too cheap to me when I first spotted them.

[Angler]

I am not real familiar with puffers. Pufferpunk would probably be able to tel you if there are puffers that can be mistaken for these. check out thepufferforum.com for some good info too.

[Pufferpunk]

Most of the lurkers look/behave similarly but the baileyi isn't called the "Hairy" puffer for no reason... it has skin tabs all over it's body.

[js97]

Thanks for the info. Are there any other puffers that can be mistaken for these? An LFS near me has two, asking £18 ($36 approx) for one or £29 ($58) for the two, which seemed too cheap to me when I first spotted them.


I wouldn't go on price alone.

I'm in Toronto and I paid 10 CDN for my Fahaka, $30 for my T. Murius.

Have seen some sort of 3 inch Target puffer for 39 and small ceylon & green spotted for 8 dollars each.

I think thats priced about right.

Porcupines run about 40 dollars here... so 149 is a pretty high mark up

[Cichlas]

Thanks for the info guys. I will try not to derail your thread anymore after 1 more question... Can two be kept together?

[Pufferpunk]

Although lurkers have been knownt to breed, they are best kept seperated except for the spawning & then seperated again after the act.

[Angler]

Most of the lurkers look/behave similarly but the baileyi isn't called the "Hairy" puffer for no reason... it has skin tabs all over it's body.

Yea, the hairly appendages are not way visible on my T. Baileyi. She definitely has them though. When she rests against the bottom and then swims, sand sticks to all the little appendages making them more visible.

[The Amazonian]

Great Puffer!