MR. PUFF PUFF!

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

OMG!! Look what I just saw!

I just had to share since I’ve never seen him puff up for no reason other than needing to stretch.

livinlifeinBKK · Sep 2, 2023

I think that's generally a sign of stress and not usually a good thing to see...

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

livinlifeinBKK said:
I think that's generally a sign of stress and not usually a good thing to see...

Sometimes they do it just to stretch and puff up for no apparent reason! We all need to stretch. He deflated super quickly and is all good now.

sc50964 · Sep 2, 2023

What else is in the tank?

livinlifeinBKK · Sep 2, 2023

I don't have a dog in the race here but it's a defense mechanism caused by stress or fear

livinlifeinBKK · Sep 2, 2023

Glad he went down quickly though

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

livinlifeinBKK said:
I don't have a dog in the race here but it's a defense mechanism caused by stress or fear

I am aware of this but sometimes they’ve been known to do it for now apparent reason and just like we need to stretch they do too.

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

sc50964 said:
What else is in the tank?

A melanarus wrasse, bristletooth tang, lemonpeel angel, and yellow tamarin wrasse!

alannasfishies · Sep 2, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
OMG!! Look what I just saw! I just had to share since I’ve never seen him puff up for no reason other than needing to stretch.

Oh no! From what I’ve read, turning off the lights will help him deflate quickly and with minimal stress. I’ve dived with porcupines and they’re such long distance swimmers, even though they don’t look that way, I think sometimes they get so stressed inside a tank. I actually like them better when they’re not puffed up . It’s a defense mechanism and I think they exert a lot of energy doing so. Hopefully he will de puff soon! They are so cute, if I had a 300 gallon or something I would definitely have one

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

alannasfishies said:
Oh no! From what I’ve read, turning off the lights will help him deflate quickly and with minimal stress. I’ve dived with porcupines and they’re such long distance swimmers, even though they don’t look that way, I think sometimes they get so stressed inside a tank. They are so cute, if I had a 300 gallon or something I would definitely have one

Yes he’s all good now! I’m not concerned. As mentioned he deflated quickly and is all good.

sc50964 · Sep 2, 2023

AydenLincoln said:
A melanarus wrasse, bristletooth tang, lemonpeel angel, and yellow tamarin wrasse!

He should be fine. Prob just practicing

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

“Even though they sometimes do it just to stretch, puffing up often can be stressful for a puffer. So, it’s best if they do it only when they need to.” https://www.seattleaquarium.org/blog/why-do-pufferfish-puff

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

sc50964 said:
He should be fine. Prob just practicing

Yup! Practice puff or stretching so cute to see and I’ve never seen it before.

sc50964 · Sep 2, 2023

I was afraid that you got a cleaner wrasse or something else that picks on him. It’s for sure a defensive mechanism and we don’t want to trigger that but it is fine once in a while. It’s similar to flasher wrasse flashing or triggerfish raising his trigger.

AydenLincoln · Sep 2, 2023

sc50964 said:
I was afraid that you got a cleaner wrasse or something else that picks on him. It’s for sure a defensive mechanism and we don’t want to trigger that but it is fine once in a while. It’s similar to flasher wrasse flashing or triggerfish raising his trigger.

Nope! I was actually staring at the other fish on the opposite side of the tank when this happened. It definitely is but they’ve been known to do it from time to time. To give you an idea I’ve had him since February and only seen him full on puff up about 3 times. Once because his dinner bit him, another because I got him mad with my hands in the tank, and this.