Dogfish?

[kimmers318]

I saw what was called a dogfish by the store personnel today....about 6" long and constantly kept opening its mouth to show us large bright white teeth. It was really cool looking and I am interested in finding out more about it but am not turning much up on a search. Any links or information anyone can give me would be great. I do not have a saltwater tank (yet....maybe future purchase), but was really intrigued by this fish!

 

[Opcn]

Look up the Plectorhinchus genus, see if you can find the fish. Could you maybe describe what it looks like?

 

[@ombomb]

Dog Faced Puffer perhaps?

 

[SkiFletch]

I hope you didnt mean a Dogfish shark...

 

[kimmers318]

What I saw as a pic of a dogfish shark was nowhere near what it was! It had an odd shaped body sort of like another type of fish that I saw that looked like it was a cute little dog...only this had a dark colored body and these HUGE teeth in it's mouth. Not fang type teeth either...this guy looked like he had just been to an over zealous dentist who straightened and whitened all of his teeth! If I ever get down that way again I will see if I can get a pic. It is hard to explain because I couldn't stop looking at teeth.

 

[Fish Fingers]

Look like this?

If so it's a dogface puffer.

 

[Aquascaper]

Also called Arothron Dog Face Puffers or Hush Puppy Puffers

 

[kimmers318]

Yes, it did look like that, only dark body, dk brown to black, and bigger teeth. It kept it's teeth together as it opened and closed its mouth. Can I assume there are color variations other than the beautiful yellow you showed me? It may just be that its teeth were too big...are these the type of puffers that need to keep teeth trimmed? BTW...I have seen several references to the fact that larger puffers need snails to keep teeth worn down or you must trim them....how the heck would you trim a fishes teeth???!!!! That may sound like a stupid question to you puffer lovers...but I have this mental pic of someone holding a fish and filing its teeth down...let me tell ya..it is not a pretty mental pic!!! I think I will stick to my dwarf puffer Missy!

 

[Aquascaper]

Those particualr puffers can be available in a variety of yellows, browns and tans.

If a puffer is properly cared for and fed with the correct types of food there should be no need to attend to its teeth as natural wear and tear will keep them in check. They eat hard shelled crustaceans like bi-valves by crushing the shells and mashing them up with their 'beak' which acts as a natural file. Should a puffers teeth need trimmed though there is a tool like an industrial nail clipper that does the job, and yes it does involve having to catch and hold the puffer.

 

[Fish Fingers]

Can't add much else to what Aquascaper has said. If the puffer couldn't open his teeth I would assume that they have grown too big. Once they get this big the puffer can no longer eat unless they get their teeth cut some how (like the method Aqua mentioned). It is best not to let them get to this stage of course.

 

[hapihour]

I had a tan colored dogfish for a few days. It wasn't that big but it had quite a temper. Most of the time it would lie motionless near the bottom of the tank but when it would roam around, it would bump into and dislodge small rocks and plants. Then it would look at me and angrily peck at the glass with it's huge teeth!

I traded it in for 4 dominos in my Lfs

 

[kimmers318]

Just an update....I did finally see the exact same fish at another store....and yes it was a dogface puffer. Sad that the first one I saw obviously had seriously overgrown teeth. What awesome looking fish.