Checkered Puffer..??

[saltyMJ]

My local Petco has a pretty cool looking puffer fish that likes to bury himself in the sand when scared. He's labeled as a checkered Puffer and is about 3 or 4 inches long. They've had him for a few months now and he is pretty healthy looking. Thinking about maybe getting him but couldn't find much info on them out there? Practically nothing. Anybody familiar with this fish? Wondering if Petco has mislabeled him, as I know that sometimes happens.

 

[JC1977]

My local Petco has a pretty cool looking puffer fish that likes to bury himself in the sand when scared. He's labeled as a checkered Puffer and is about 3 or 4 inches long. They've had him for a few months now and he is pretty healthy looking. Thinking about maybe getting him but couldn't find much info on them out there? Practically nothing. Anybody familiar with this fish? Wondering if Petco has mislabeled him, as I know that sometimes happens.

Do you have any pics of the puffer??

 

[saltyMJ]

Do you have any pics of the puffer??

Unfortunately not. I'll take one next time I stop in.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Pics to confirm would help, but here's an info sheet on checkered puffers:

https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/documents/ogatt/Sphoeroides_testudineus%20-%20Checkered%20Puffer.pdf

 

[saltyMJ]

Went back today and took a few pics. This guy Look familiar to anyone??

 

[saltyMJ]

Pics to confirm would help, but here's an info sheet on checkered puffers:

https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/documents/ogatt/Sphoeroides_testudineus%20-%20Checkered%20Puffer.pdf

Just posted some pics of him.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Just posted some pics of him.

That's a Bandtail Puffer, Sphoeroides spengleri - same genus as the Checkered Puffer, but a different species (the checkered is S. testudineus).

They're pretty similar; the Bandtail is reportedly typically around 12-16cm full grown (~4.7"-6.3").

Sphoeroides spengleri summary page

www.fishbase.de

 

[saltyMJ]

That's a Bandtail Puffer, Sphoeroides spengleri - same genus as the Checkered Puffer, but a different species (the checkered is S. testudineus).

They're pretty similar; the Bandtail is reportedly typically around 12-16cm full grown (~4.7"-6.2").

Sphoeroides spengleri summary page

www.fishbase.de

Thank you for the information. Are they common in the aquarium trade? Never seen one before. Do you know if they are aggressive? Thinking of adding to our 75 gallon FOWLR tank. He's in with an angel at the store and they don't seem to bother each other.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Thank you for the information. Are they common in the aquarium trade? Never seen one before. Do you know if they are aggressive? Thinking of adding to our 75 gallon FOWLR tank. He's in with an angel at the store and they don't seem to bother each other.

They're not very common, no. DeJong Marine Life and one retailer stocked them at one point, but both list them as out of stock currently.

They're not reef safe (eating inverts and reportedly sometimes corals too); I've heard they're not usually aggressive except to conspecifics (other puffers).

 

[saltyMJ]

They're not very common, no. DeJong Marine Life and one retailer stocked them at one point, but both list them as out of stock currently.

They're not reef safe (eating inverts and reportedly sometimes corals too); I've heard they're not usually aggressive except to conspecifics (other puffers).

Interesting.. thanks for the info!