Looking for Info on Local Puffer

[xhaust50]

At Fishy Inc. and A Lot of Fish they both had a few of these very small puffers, similar to this species:

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Marine/S_Marmoratus/

They did not know much about them, but both said they were locally caught. Does anyone know much about these? I purchased one from A Lot of Fish for $3.99, and have him in a 20G qt right now. I plan to move him to my 55G FOWLR with my Green Spotted Puffer. The employee at Fishy Inc. estimated that they get about 7".

 

[billsreef]

That's actually a southern puffer that is found in our area only during the summer. Around 7" sounds right. They like to eat small crustaceans and will eat clam/mussels on the half shell. Can be a little nippy towards other fish.

 

[xhaust50]

This is what fishbase has under southern puffer:
http://fishbase.org/Country/Country...us states)&Genus=Sphoeroides&Species=nephelus

It does not look like that. If fishbase is accurate, I think it the Bandtail puffer, species Sphoeroides spengleri (not the marmoratus listed previously). However, on fishbase it says that the spengleri was replaced by the marmoratus in the eastern atlantic. What does that mean?

I believe this is my fish:
http://fishbase.org/Country/Country...s states)&Genus=Sphoeroides&Species=spengleri

 

[billsreef]

spengleri being replaced by marmoratus is just a name change. Something the taxonomists like to do to keep us all guessing BTW by southern puffer, I meant a puffer from down south as opposed to the Southern Puffer. spengleri does show up pretty commonly around here during the summer along with a bunch of tropicals and other typically more southern fish. Caught a half dozen or so of them this past week

 

[xhaust50]

^^ Oh okay, thank you. Do you have any experience with keeping these fish?

 

[billsreef]

Got several of them right now

 

[xhaust50]

Could you possibly give any additional info on them that may be different from general puffer care? I've fed mine frozen bloodworms and crushed ramshorn snails. He stays mostly at the bottom of the tank, under some macro's, so any food that I tried to feed that floats he was unaware of. I also think this was the first time he was fed bloodworms, as he just looked at them for several minutes before testing one, and then devouring them all. He is also somewhat slow moving, but he is in isolation right now so that may be why. Have you grown any large ones? Any additional info is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Monkeyfish]

Try feeding krill, mysis shrimp, chunks of clam and silversides. That's what I've been feeding them at the store and they eat with gusto and grow like weeds.

 

[xhaust50]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8136174#post8136174 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Monkeyfish
Try feeding krill, mysis shrimp, chunks of clam and silversides. That's what I've been feeding them at the store and they eat with gusto and grow like weeds.

Can I ask how big is your largest puffer? Feeding once or twice a day when small? Live or frozen silversides? Also, what store do you own? Thanks.

 

[Monkeyfish]

Sorry, I haven't replied in awhile... computer virus

Right now the largest puffer (spengleri) is about 2 and a half inches long. We typically feed the carnivores (unless inappropriate) 2x daily. I fed them mysis when they were tiny (inch or under) and now give them chunks of silverside, clam, table shrimp, mysis shrimp, whole krill (frozen), veggie flakes... I haven't found anything that they won't eat.

As for what store I own... I'm Les' new partner over at Fishy Inc.! We just closed up and have begun moving to our new location. Will most likely re-open in mid October.