Aqualog's Pufferfish Book

[nmonks]

This isn't a review of the book by any means, and generally speaking I like the book and would encourage anyone into puffers to either buy a copy or borrow it from a library. But here's my thing: why is the social behaviours of the fishes described in the book so completely different to anything I read elsewhere in books or on the web?

Specifically, the figure-8 puffer is commented on for its "peaceful behaviour" and that it "displays virtually no aggression towards conspecifics [i.e., other figure-8 puffers]".

The spotted puffer is said to show "no intraspecific or general aggression" and that only "occasionally fin biting may occur". Ebert does helpfully say that any fin-nipping individuals "should be removed from the aquarium". Cool, would never have thought of that!

Possibly something has been lost in translation from the German, but what worries me is that this book is widely cited (rightly, in my opinion) as the best printed source of pufferfish information, but on this topic at least I suspect it is very misleading. Any thoughts? Am I just wrong in thinking that both these puffer species are in fact rather anti-social and not good community tank fish?

Cheers,

Neale

 

[chris_1127]

i've only had my figure 8's for just over a year, but have never had any problems with intra or interspecific aggression. Theyre in a brackish community with knight gobies, BBG's and now sailfin mollies and orange chromides too. So far not so much as a nipped fin to show, although i have lost a couple of BBG's but suspect that was down to the Knights. I know its luck of the draw, and it could change at any minute but to be honest i would say they probably seem to be the least aggressive or confrontational fish in the tank - even the bbg's have more front!! Even at feeding time they seem to take second or third place in the queue. however when it comes to potential for damage if they did turn nasty its probably a different matter. My GSP is only a juvenile, (about 2") and is sharing their tank at the moment - again at this stage its pretty docile but i'm aware that it will probably change as it grows. I'm interested to see how its tempramnent changes as it grows though, although he will be going into another tank on his own at a higher SG in due course.