Ãœber-oddballs In London

[nmonks]

For those that like impossible fish, the Aquatic Design Centre has a whole bunch of pikeheads in stock. Yes, they look incredibly cool: pike at the front, gourami at the back. Haven't seen them in many years. Last I heard, they were almost impossible to keep alive.

They also had something called a "red dragon puffer" and some teeny-tiny puffers that would appear to be Auriglobus sp.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Fella]

For those that like impossible fish, the Aquatic Design Centre has a whole bunch of pikeheads in stock. Yes, they look incredibly cool: pike at the front, gourami at the back. Haven't seen them in many years. Last I heard, they were almost impossible to keep alive.

They also had something called a "red dragon puffer" and some teeny-tiny puffers that would appear to be Auriglobus sp.

Cheers,

Neale

Neale,

Great to hear that aurioglobus species are becoming traded, I'm yet to see one in real life!

Any word on what the "Red dragon puffer" is? The only ones I could think of that would meet the bill would be a red congo or a red palembangensis. Did you manage to get a good ID on it?

Craig

 

[nmonks]

Any word on what the "Red dragon puffer" is? The only ones I could think of that would meet the bill would be a red congo or a red palembangensis. Did you manage to get a good ID on it?

No. I've found one reference on the web to red dragon = T. palembangensis, but the fish didn't seem to have very red eyes. Funnily enough, on their online stocklist, they have T. palembangensis listed, so maybe that's what it is.

Even so, looking at the Aqualog book, without the red eyes T. cochinchinensis or possibly T. turgidus might be more likely.

They had two specimens, priced at £13, and I have to admit, they were very tempting.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Fella]

Any word on what the "Red dragon puffer" is? The only ones I could think of that would meet the bill would be a red congo or a red palembangensis. Did you manage to get a good ID on it?

No. I've found one reference on the web to red dragon = T. palembangensis, but the fish didn't seem to have very red eyes. Funnily enough, on their online stocklist, they have T. palembangensis listed, so maybe that's what it is.

Even so, looking at the Aqualog book, without the red eyes T. cochinchinensis or possibly T. turgidus might be more likely.

They had two specimens, priced at £13, and I have to admit, they were very tempting.

Cheers,

Neale

I have a T. cochinchinensis and he has red eyes, and I believe turgidus might also. Was it buried? staionary? active?

I'm travelling to london one day this week and I have an hour to kill so I might go and take a looK!

 

[nmonks]

There were two fish, one inactive, but one very active and curious. Both had bite marks on their bodies, so I guess there was some aggression going on in the tank. No great depth of sand in the tank, so no chance for the fish to dig in.

The profile of the active one was more angular than the sedentary one. I don't really know these freshwater Tetraodon, so I'd be interested to know what you think.

The Auriglobus, by the way, are in the spherical tank by the checkout counter. They're tiny, and if you don't look carefully, you'll miss them!

Cheers,

Neale

I have a T. cochinchinensis and he has red eyes, and I believe turgidus might also. Was it buried? staionary? active?

I'm travelling to london one day this week and I have an hour to kill so I might go and take a looK!

 

[Fella]

With you saying angular, could it be Tetraodon barbatus? The only problem is, it isn't red.

http/fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/identificati...e=448&areacode=

Is that fishbase page of any use? Tetraodons are about 2 thirds of the way down. I'm thinking at this point it's most likely to be palembangensis, as they have characters you describe and are definitely available in red form.

Are the Auriglobus in the tank which used to be the SAP community tank?



Craig

 

[nmonks]

Are the Auriglobus in the tank which used to be the SAP community tank?

Yes.

Looking at those Tetraodon on fishbase, I wonder if it was Tetraodon leiurus?

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Fella]

Are the Auriglobus in the tank which used to be the SAP community tank?

Yes.

Looking at those Tetraodon on fishbase, I wonder if it was Tetraodon leiurus?

Cheers,

Neale

It's quite likely. I know that currently some fish are being imported under "tetraodon barbatus" (A fish i've wanted for some time now) and are actually Leirus.

A great fish, are you considering any Neale?

Craig

 

[nmonks]

If not that fish, then certainly something like it. I've gotten bored with the SAPs... they're a bit mindless and don't seem to be tame at all. So I'm thinking of emptying the 180 litre tank, and finding some medium-sized puffer I could keep with my Panaque. T. palembangensis sounds about as good a bet as any. Ideally, I'd want something that would work with the halfbeaks, which seem to stay out of trouble with most puffers by staying at the top of the tank. But anything truly piscivorous might go for them nonetheless.

Cheers,

Neale

A great fish, are you considering any Neale?

 

[Fella]

If not that fish, then certainly something like it. I've gotten bored with the SAPs... they're a bit mindless and don't seem to be tame at all. So I'm thinking of emptying the 180 litre tank, and finding some medium-sized puffer I could keep with my Panaque. T. palembangensis sounds about as good a bet as any. Ideally, I'd want something that would work with the halfbeaks, which seem to stay out of trouble with most puffers by staying at the top of the tank. But anything truly piscivorous might go for them nonetheless.

Cheers,

Neale

A great fish, are you considering any Neale?

Hmm, you've got your work cut out for you there! Most of the puffers for tanks around that size are piscovores (in tanks at least). Congo's, Palembangs, Suvatti, Turgidus, Cochinchinensis, are all fish with plenty of character and would suit a tank that size, but as for their suitability with other tank mates, I'd be unsure.

Here is a video of my cochinchinensis eating a cockle for instance. The movement is what makes it so attractive to the puffer, and I'd fear a fish would give the same attraction. I'd say the panaque would be safe, but as for the halfbeaks, I wouldn't know. They were the only fish to get grief from my SAP.

 

[nmonks]

Yeah, I assumed the halfbeaks would have to move. I suspect they'll be fine with the irrubesco (who ignore the baby halfbeaks completely). The Panaque is the problem; after 11 years, I'm loathe to sell it or give it away, but it also prevents me keeping a brackish tank. One of my local shops actually keeps one in brackish water, but I can't imagine that's especially good for them.

The video was cool. The arrowhead puffer looks especially cute. What I want is a biggish puffer that will come out and watch me, rather than ones that hide (irrubesco) and swim about madly all the time (SAPs).

Cheers,

Neale

 

[Fella]

Yeah, I assumed the halfbeaks would have to move. I suspect they'll be fine with the irrubesco (who ignore the baby halfbeaks completely). The Panaque is the problem; after 11 years, I'm loathe to sell it or give it away, but it also prevents me keeping a brackish tank. One of my local shops actually keeps one in brackish water, but I can't imagine that's especially good for them.

The video was cool. The arrowhead puffer looks especially cute. What I want is a biggish puffer that will come out and watch me, rather than ones that hide (irrubesco) and swim about madly all the time (SAPs).

Cheers,

Neale

The Palembengensis sound like a good idea. My Fangs puffer is the only puffer I own that comes out to greet me, and I think arrowheads and congos would bury too frequently.

Arrowheads have been bred in captivity though, and I'd guess you could keep a pair in a tank that size.