"torpedo" Puffer

[flippajh]

Visited the fish shop yesterday to get some more food, and did the usual wander round the tanks to see if they'd got anything interesting in and saw some puffers labelled Torpedo Puffers, they were very different from the DP's same kind of colour, but all one colour no markings, and had a more pointy face than the DP. They were about 1" long. Anyone ever heard of these or an idea of what they were, they're being kept in a freshwater set up.

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

Torpedo puffers are typically Auriglobus species, and so named because these puffers, when young especially, are hyperactive, bombing around the tank like little torpedoes. Auriglobus are primarily freshwater puffers and not especially fussy about water chemistry. They sometimes occur in brackish water, and adding a little salt (3-5 g/l) may be useful if your find your specimen prone to fungal or bacterial infections. Generally this isn't required though. They are, however, incredibly nasty fish, both towards one another and any other unfortunate fish kept with them. They get to about 10 cm, plus or minus a few cm depending on the species. Auriglobus modestus and Auriglobus nefastus are probably the two most commonly sold species.

Chonerhinos silus may sometimes be sold instead of these fish. Care is similar to Auriglobus and visually they're practically identical. Xenopterus naritus is another species that might get confused with Auriglobus. It is a brackish water species, but otherwise similar; accord to Klaus Ebert, Xenopterus naritus has a yellow rather than white belly, so shouldn't be too difficult to tell apart.

Cheers, Neale

 

[flippajh]

Brilliant, thanks for that Neale.

I must admit there were quite a few rips in the tails of a lot of them, so they must be getting feisty with each other already. They all looked to be a fairly solid pale green all over. Lets hope they find good homes before they rip themselves to shreds. Very sad to see so many jammed in a small tank.

 

[nmonks]

To be honest, they're not a species I think should be traded by most aquarium shops. They're nice enough in their way, but very few aquarists will want to set aside a 20-30 gallon tank for just one puffer. Something perhaps people might order in specially, but hardly something most pet stores should hold in stock.

Cheers, Neale

Lets hope they find good homes before they rip themselves to shreds. Very sad to see so many jammed in a small tank.

 

[flippajh]

I wonder how many unsuspecting people have bought them, am sure the fish shop haven't explained what they are and what they need. Not when they've got a tank full to try and sell. Especially when you see how small they are in the shop. However I could be doing the shop a dis-service, perhaps they are only selling them to people asking the right questions. Just doubt it some how.

 

[kterens]

I wonder how many unsuspecting people have bought them, am sure the fish shop haven't explained what they are and what they need.

hello guys

i am one of the loosers have been screwed up in the way u mentionned, that facing now the most essential question -fresh or barackish water are mine. have 3 of them and already spended weeks on googling if they're auriglobus or chonerchinos/xenopterus ones after realised they're certainly not the "smaller gsp babies" as i was told.

they're about 1-1.5 inch size, all of them have shiny silver balleys with microscopic dots. 2 of them have rather khaki top while one has shiny green/gold one, all bit darker arround dorsal fin. 1st 2 of them when feeded have twice big balleys as they initially are, while last one is rather modest. for the moment agressive only 1st 2 between each other and all against the bbg (blumbleble gobies -have lost 2 of them), but they're ok with orange chromidies (hopefully not just for the moment).

what i was told after returned to lfs when finally smelled what happened was:

name -golden puffer (but it mibht be "find up one")
latin name -tetraodon (this is why i've bought them)
water reference -barackish (but they told the same for irrubesco)

... so u see one info doesn't stick to another.

if possible i would appreciate some help (as beeing more experienced collegues than some naive guy ) on the spice it might be.

cheers