Puffers are toxic. Duhhh....
I live about 50m from the sea, as the crow-flies. Yesterday my wife heard a weird wet smack by the car and asked me to investigate. Low and behold, some poor frigate bird had plucked a tasty morsel from the surface only to discover that it was a juvenile (2.5', maybe) puffer (Diodon holocanthus), which inflated and the bird dropped it... onto my driveway. I found what I thought was a dirty golf-ball, with eyes. It was well and truly alive, so I put it into my Africans tank as the water would be hard at least, though still fresh, and held him head-up to belch the air out... which he didn't do, but he did re-inflate with water somewhat.
So I left him partially floating. He succumbed to his injuries by the afternoon. Removed, flushed.
Cichlids (3x small yellow labs) were acting a little odd before bedtime and their mouths were on the red side. Not uncommon, as they're still growing and reestablishing territories, but still notable as even the largest had it. And, this AM, the two females: belly-up. Male still ticking fine (seemingly) with redness present, but diminishing. Various guppies & gambusia: totally fine. Ramshorn snails: fine. Haven't seen the native FW crabs in a couple of days and am curious.
SO, there you have it. There is no free (from god) lunch (puffer).
A
I live about 50m from the sea, as the crow-flies. Yesterday my wife heard a weird wet smack by the car and asked me to investigate. Low and behold, some poor frigate bird had plucked a tasty morsel from the surface only to discover that it was a juvenile (2.5', maybe) puffer (Diodon holocanthus), which inflated and the bird dropped it... onto my driveway. I found what I thought was a dirty golf-ball, with eyes. It was well and truly alive, so I put it into my Africans tank as the water would be hard at least, though still fresh, and held him head-up to belch the air out... which he didn't do, but he did re-inflate with water somewhat.
So I left him partially floating. He succumbed to his injuries by the afternoon. Removed, flushed.
Cichlids (3x small yellow labs) were acting a little odd before bedtime and their mouths were on the red side. Not uncommon, as they're still growing and reestablishing territories, but still notable as even the largest had it. And, this AM, the two females: belly-up. Male still ticking fine (seemingly) with redness present, but diminishing. Various guppies & gambusia: totally fine. Ramshorn snails: fine. Haven't seen the native FW crabs in a couple of days and am curious.
SO, there you have it. There is no free (from god) lunch (puffer).
A
