Assorted Puffer Info?? Please Help!

[purplepuffer]

I just got a Assorted Puffer, or what I was told was a assorted Puffer, and I am needing help on how to care/raise this splendid fish! What does it like to eat, how do they usually act, how long do they live, and any other helpful info, or just info would be greatly appreicated!
Thanks!
~~Megan

 

[fishgirl]

To tell the truth, I'm not sure about specifically assorted puffers, but i can tell u that puffers are great fish-only inhabitants, will eat meaty foods, are not too agressive and get medium-large in size. Don't keep them with fish that are VERY small, as these look like lunch. Also, don't risk keeping them in a reef-tank, as some inverts will have the same fate mentioned above. Good luck -- and please inform me on what a assorted puffer looks like! Is it a sharp-nosed one? (A toby)

[LOL @ myself 4 being so estupido]
hey, and welcome 2 da board!

~Fishgirl aka Jean

 

[ja]

Assorted puffers are usually toby or sharp nosed puffers that grow to only about four inches. They like brine shrimp, blood worms and small inverts. They are a fairly hardy fish a require most of the water qualities of a fish only tank. These little puffers remind me of hummingbirds fluttering about.

 

[dennish]

I have been studying all I can about Puffers for the last few months as I am preparing to get one soon (a Porcupine Puffer - Diodon Hystrix). This is the first I've ever heard of an Assorted Puffer, but that doesn't really count for much I guess. I've noticed that many Fish Stores know little about Puffers, so I wonder if they perhaps labeled the tank "Assorted Puffers" and then just put "any" Puffers in there? If you are interested, there is a Puffer e-mail list group that I am on. contact me and I'll tell you more about it. It's good for Puffer specific info but this site is the best for overall Marine info!!!
-Dennis
dhamel@cbmoffice.org
[This message has been edited by DennisH (edited 05-07-2000).]

 

[purplepuffer]

Wow, thanks for the replies and welcome to the group! My puffer is brown with a lot of white spots all over. It is very interesting to watch as it is my first fish that I got that hasn't been a "beginner fish". It seems very docile, but I have only been able to observe it for a few days. When I bought it, the guy who sold it to me was new and knew nothing about this Puffer, and I just wanted to make sure that I could take care of it correctly. Thanks for the input and I look forwad to some more!
~~Megan

 

[otto13]

i am a puffer fanatic. i have found that they really respond to formula one. my dogface puffer would eat it out of my hand. "hint" ..dogface puffers are wonderful fishes and very friendly with owners.. "hint" ..they eat smaller fish, be careful..
otto

 

[ja]

I have a porqepine puffer thats so tame I can rub his belly. Also when he wants my attention he will spit water at me. He can reach a good 2 or three feet. Puffers are one the most intellegent fish are thier very hardy as well.

 

[purplepuffer]

Wow, that is mazing! I would love to get my puffer to be as gentle and tame as your! How did you get it to do that, or is it just part of your puffer's personality? I had friends with a freshwater tank, and their fish could be touched and would spit water, but I had no idea how to get them to do that! Thanks for the stories!
~~Megan

 

[otto13]

wait until they come to the top when you feed and hold the food in your hand. formula one and frozen squid are really good for this. eventually he will start eating out of your hands. at first he wont, just let it go when he gets close, soon he wont care.
oh yeah, personality does count. some puffers just dont warm up to you. cowfish, however, warm up immediately and they get along great with puffers of all sizes. best fish i ever bought. really hardy too.
otto

 

[dennish]

Originally posted by otto13:
wait until they come to the top when you feed and hold the food in your hand...

I think a word of caution may be in order. Most (if not all) puffers have TEETH, and use them to crack open and eat live snails and shell fish, so just keep that in mind while you're putting your "fishy" smelling fingers in the tank during feeding time. Same would apply for Triggers I think, FishGirl could elaborate more on that.
-Dennis
ps.. Puffers teeth grow, kinda like a rabbits, and if not given enough hard shell type food to wear them down, can overgrow to the point they can't eat. There are a few stories "on the web" that I have seen where people had to take them to a vet (or did it themselves) to have the teeth clipped! Not a job I would look forward to.
[This message has been edited by DennisH (edited 05-08-2000).]

 

[ja]

Please let me know about the puffer web site you mentioned. Im very interested. As far as someone mentioning how you get them so tame. Hand feed them when ever you can. I actually played tricked on my friends. I would tell them to wiggle thier hands above the hood and they would get a face full of water! Also my p.puffer gets so excited when he sees me now he will raise back a forth and jump out of the water almost like a dolphin its really amazing to see. I really recommend any one who has saltwater fish to get a puffer.

 

[dennish]

Originally posted by Ja:
Please let me know about the puffer web site you mentioned. Im very interested.
Ja,
What I mentioned was not a web site exactly, but an e-mail list. You sign up (its free) and if you send an email to "the list" everyone who is subscribed gets a copy of your email. Likewise you will receive a copy of an email sent from anyone on the list. There is not too much activity, some days no messages, some days you might get 6 messages. usually one or two a day is normal. To sign up you can go to the "egroups" web site at http://www.egroups.com/group/pufferfish you can also read the message archives once you subscribe.
Since this is not a commercial site/list I hope it is ok to list it here. If not, please (one of the Sharks) let me know.
[ -Dennis

 

[ja]

Thanks, Dennis

 

[stevi303]

Love puffers have what they call Nigerian
named Marvin(starvin) he is great I actually got him from a Pet store they told me just enough to get me started (feed them brine add some salt to the water and watch him grow) I did go through a few that I could not get to eat and stay alive before this. As I got him as a fresh water fish he is now back to Salt/brackish... I just saved 2 Puffers from Walmart Took Three of the worst in the tank but the littlest did not make it. The 2 left are missing some fins but doing very well know I have told those people how to avoid them chewing on each other but they do not listen. I find that Marvin who I have had about Three years and has grown from 1 in to about 3 in likes salt water brine shrimp live when I get them and ghost shrimp. Everyday food I have been very lucking with is Wardleys shrimp pellets(not the dried stuff but the pellets) He knows exactly when I am at the tank to feed him in fact I ran out of room and scareface was so little I put a divider in my tank and he watched Marvin at feeding time and now is not afraid of me he comes right up to the top of the tank like Marv and waits for food. The other Bubblebut is in a seperate tank as they were both to small to put in with Marvin. He feeds ok but is very shy and stays to the back of the tank. Marvins teeth are good but that is do to the ghost shrimp and the rock in my tamk. Hope this helps
Originally posted by Purplepuffer:
I just got a Assorted Puffer, or what I was told was a assorted Puffer, and I am needing help on how to care/raise this splendid fish! What does it like to eat, how do they usually act, how long do they live, and any other helpful info, or just info would be greatly appreicated!
Thanks!
~~Megan