MBU behavior--what does it mean?

[knobhill]

I have a 6-7" mbu housed with a large datnoid, female festae, and ornate bichir. Sometimes, when the festae or dat apporach the mbu, it turns its belly to them. It's almost like a warning or something. I've never seen it before. Does anyone know what this behaior means?

 

[tlindsey]

I have a 6-7" mbu housed with a large datnoid, female festae, and ornate bichir. Sometimes, when the festae or dat apporach the mbu, it turns its belly to them. It's almost like a warning or something. I've never seen it before. Does anyone know what this behaior means?

Fat Homer

 

[Fat Homer]

Hmmmmmm... Never kept an MBU myself or heard of this before???

Is he pointing his face upwards and showing off his stomach to the bithir??? Since in theory, that would seem rather silly if he used that as a defense mechanisim, since they could be attacked quite easily...

Also, how long did he hold this position for???

 

[KNH]

I never saw any of my mbus act like that. I'd guess it's perhaps fear. How large are the other fish?

 

[knobhill]

The bichir is smaller and the festae is about the same size. The dat is much bigger. The Mbu only flashes its belly when the fish get close. It swims upwards with its head up. I see this every day or two. The Mbu has taken a few curiosity bites out of each of its tank mates but has settled down over the last week.

 

[knobhill]

And it only flashes for a few seconds

 

[Fat Homer]

Interesting, i mean my old fahaka would literally stare down anyone she was thinking of attacking but never flashed her belly at anyone...

Really not sure what to make of this, could be that your puffer shows off his belly to appear even bigger to other fish in the tank to avoid fights???

 

[Samaka]

How long have you had the mbu, and how big is the tank? That's a sign of distress. From my experience, mbus can get stressed easily by other fish, even the presence of a shoal of small fish around them can stress them and that's how they will respond. Sociability depends on the individual mbu's temperament and experiences. But I would separate him before he slowly quits eating, turns dark, looses weight and stays in a corner at the top and gives up, as I don't think it will get used to the others over time. Just trying to help.

 

[Fat Homer]

^ thats a really good point, what size is the tank that all these fish are housed in, and how big are the other occupants?

 

[knobhill]

It's a 55g tank in a 100g system. Filtration is fx5 and uv. I do bi weekly 50% wc. Before we go into the ethics of tank issue, I have an 1100g tank running with other monsters. The Mbu is too small to go in there yet. Mbu eats great. In my first post, I gave you guys the sizes and relations. The tank mates don't mess with him, they actually respect his space.

I have had Mbu's in the past but never seen this type of behavior. It's interesting and I was curious what it meant. Each puffer is a distinct personality so maybe this one is a show off or sending a warning to its mates or ???