Is this a Fugu Puffer?!

[puffer_girl]

Bought this fish today. The manager at the pet store was not sure what it was....... Can anyone please help me out? Hoping that it is freshwater because that is what it was sold to me as!!! Also wondering how big it will get...... The more info the better! Thanks!

[vanimate]

:grinyes: Looks like one to me!
More info:

http://www.pufferlist.com/puffer/puffer2.php?puffid=12

[puffer_girl]

Do you know much about them? He was only $15 so I had to have him!

[puffer_girl]

Says brackish to marine....... Can I use freshwater salt for brackish? How much would be necessary?

[Jason]

I'd poke around www.thepufferforum.com. From what i recall they are a marine species with a near to horrible track record as captives. I only know of one person that has kept them for any length of time and his 17 month run seems to be the record.

There are several threads there on ideas and attempts to keep them alive. I've pondered trying them but cant bring myself to do it. I have enough puffers to keep me busy at the moment anyway.

Jason

[puffer_girl]

Yeah, just did some research and most people are not able to keep them for very long.... Terribly sad because they are beautiful! Well, any advice that anyone can give me? Going to give this a shot.....

[focker]

if u can see if he can get a fahaka puffer and trade yours back in..fahakas are freshwater and should be more durable then the one u have.

[P3R3]

I'm sorry, but it is doubfull it will live for more than 6 months.

Your only hope is to go full marine to keep this fellow alive. :(

[Jason]

From what i've been able to track down, go to full marine as unstressfully as possible and keep it eating. I'll try to find more than that, i've seen them in stores but not recently.

Jason

[puffer_girl]

Thanks a lot! I appreciate it. The more advice the better.

[Legacy]

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=114550&hl=Takifugu

If this thread can't help you, nothing will. It's a day-to-day experience with keeping Takifugu ocellatus. Aquarium salt CANNOT be used to create brackish water. You must use marine salt and a hydrometer to aquire brackish conditions. The author of the thread started his fugu at 1.014SG. You can only raise your salinity .002SG per week meaning it will take you approximately 7 weeks to get your tank to where it should be.

By know you probably know that this thing is going to get pretty big. I'm also going to assume that it would probably prefer a sand substrate over rainbow gravel. I'd try to recreate as natural of an enviornment as you can based on the mortality rate of these guys. Do anything you can to make it feel comfortable.

I'm in agreement with returning the puffer and trying to get a fahaka. I only say this because you weren't prepared such a difficult challenge and it will take too long to get your tank to the proper living conditions. I'd suggest getting a large brackish tank setup and trying a fugu at a later time. It's really the best bet. Even the most experienced puffer experts have trouble keeping this thing alive.

Whatever you decide... GOOD LUCK!

[P3R3]

Thats kinda a useless thread considering the fact that it lived for only 3 months. It doesnt shed any light onto why this fish dies.

[Jason]

The problem is people havent been able to figure out why they die. They are alive and eating one night and dead the next day. So far approx 17 months is the best i've heard in captivity for them. I'll try to find the person that has it and see if he has any words of wisdom on them.

jason

[big E]

I am seeing these availible for sale around town as well, they are fugu puffers and seem to be pretty hard to keep, I would have to agree and tell you to try and return them for something else like another puffer! I am not trying to say that you don't have what it takes to keep one of these but it would be rather difficult, I don't think it would be worth it to me ? I love the way these look with that bright color but I didn't get one because it would be too difficult for me and I can't stand too see another one of my fish die right now! Godd luck to you! it's good to see more puffer fans on MFK!!

[PufferXtreme]

I have heard suggestions that as it come from near China it may need cooler water 18C or so to achieve better long term results. I kept one in perfect condition for a while, then like all the others, it died for no obvious reason. Gutting, to say the least!

[Datnoid101]

I bought a fugu a while back and it was doing great and just died for no reason. It just stopped eating one day. I would agree with the others that it might be in your favor to try another puffer. The fugu you have is one of the few pufferfish that are eaten in japan. Here is a pic of mine.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=18929&size=1 (http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=18929&size=1)

[newdk]

****, i bought one today. i wished i had came across this thread. the store owner lied to me and told me it was easy to keep. 12 hrs after i bought, the ****er dies for no apparent reason. he was feeding normally and fairly the hr he died.

[big E]

Try and get your money back, sometimes the LFS just want to move product as fast as they can, it always sucks having fish die , especially that fast! Get a refund!

[warren126]

Yeah, I keep one for almost 2 months he ate right out of the bag just like everyone else just died one day

[Fish Room Plus]

Member "Oddball" has keep one for quite some time. He has in pure salt water and does many water changes, skimmer ect.

[puffer_girl]

I posted this thread the beginning of June and he seems to be doing really well so far. I have a lot of filtration on his tank and he loves to play in the current. Also, do keep his tank at a cooler temp because I heard that helps from a couple people..... Will post pic for you soon!!!!

[PufferXtreme]

pics please!

[Taz2478]

did you switch to salt?

[thepiranhakid]

it is actually a handas moroon white puffer

[Fella]

it is actually a handas moroon white puffer

:banhim:

[puffer_girl]

Will post pics tomorrow. He has over doubled in size which you can tell by the markings. I don't belive he is anything other than a Fugu from what I have heard..... If anyone sees the pics and know otherwise let me know. I did not go full marine. Since I got him I did buy another one (just 3 weeks ago) that resembled the other pic that was posted on this very site. The fugu that I have had for awhile is a bright green with orange markings and is doing very well. The other one I bought was in a separate tank and did not make it.

I honestly think it is the filtration that makes a difference. He has a strong current that he pretty much hovers in all the time. The other one that I bought seemed to gasp all of the time. My original fugu does not seem to be in any distress. Before I added the second filter, this was not the case. Also, I do keep the temp lower than my other tanks. Seems to be doing well in 70 degrees.

Hear that these guys can get pretty big! Glad to worry about what I am going to upgreade him to...... :)

Also, do feed him small amounts every day.

:)

[Oddball]

This is an anadromous species traversing brackish to FW and back. They are highly intolerant of ammonia and nitrates. The only way I was able to keep a pair alive for 2 years was by devoting a 240gal to just the one pair and performing 40-50% water changes twice a week. I've tried other Takifugu specimens in one-fish 80 and 100gal tanks but, they faltered within a year.

[redtailfool]

This is an anadromous species traversing brackish to FW and back. They are highly intolerant of ammonia and nitrates. The only way I was able to keep a pair alive for 2 years was by devoting a 240gal to just the one pair and performing 40-50% water changes twice a week. I've tried other Takifugu specimens in one-fish 80 and 100gal tanks but, they faltered within a year.

What other takifugu sp have you kept ( or are currently keeping ) ? I believe the one that i have right now is takifugu obscurus ... i have had it for a month now and it seems pretty hardy.

[puffer_girl]

Don't make me sad oddball..... :( I'm so happy that he (or she I guess....) seems to be doing so well. Any additional advise for me? Can they really be completely happy, attentive and healthy and then just die? I know that if you had a hard time, then I will too.... Words of wisdom appreciated.......

[filiportela]

yep

[slh666]

damn i just bought two fugu today and i had no idea there so hard to keep... ill be taking them back and swapping for some figure 8s

[Pufferpunk]

The origional fugu posted about is called a Talifugu ocellatus. The 2nd one pictured is the Takifugu niphobles. The ocellatus is the most difficult puffer to keep. Most puffer experts haven't gotten much farther than 4 months but there are a few that have kept them longer with huge water changes & cooler temps in marine conditions. Try a search on them at my pufferforum.

[TheJEWEL]

Thats a fugu puffer. Ideally should be kept in brackish to marine conditions, specific gravity between 1.012 and 1.025.