Valentini Puffer Puffed air...

[Fisker]

So, I recently bought a couple of 29 gallon tanks (buy one get one free, couldn't resist!), and decided that I wanted a saltwater puffer in one of them. I've only ever kept freshwater and brackish puffers, and have wanted a valentini for a while now. So, naturally, I ordered one in to a LFS and picked him up today.



I asked to see him eat, and he ate a bunch of mysis. I told the employee I'd take him, and went off to talk to the owner about some unrelated stuff. I looked over and saw the puffer out of water, inflated with air. I could have screamed, but when the puffer hit the water in the bag, he expelled quite a few bubbles. Did he get it all out? I had read that puffers can't expel air, and have found that to be true in the case of brackish puffers as well - I've had to massage the air out of a figure 8 before, and got a few nasty bites doing it.



He doesn't seem to be floating around in his holding tank, and he doesn't seemed stressed beyond what you'd expect for a fish in a new tank. No problem turning, and no abnormal behavior that I can see. He does seem to be spending a lot of time in the top half of the tank, but I'm not sure if that's related or just kinda stress behavior. He seems to have the ability to go where he wants without any trouble.



I could just be overreacting. Just kinda gun shy, as I've had several puffers just up and die on me. I'm going to start this guy on Prazi and possibly metro tomorrow, and he's wild caught and I have almost no doubt he has parasites.

 

[Big G]

Really freaks you out when you see those little guys puff up so big. My Blue Spot did really well in General Cure. It's a bit lower Prazi so it's a bit easier on the fish and gets the job done. Plus since it's the powder version no big O2 worries from the oxybispropanol in Prazipro that uses up quite a bit of the O2.
They really like half shelled clams BTW.

 

[Fisker]

Really freaks you out when you see those little guys puff up so big. My Blue Spot did really well in General Cure. It's a bit lower Prazi so it's a bit easier on the fish and gets the job done. Plus since it's the powder version no big O2 worries from the oxybispropanol in Prazipro that uses up quite a bit of the O2.
They really like half shelled clams BTW.

Yeah, this guy is maybe 2 1/2", so I'm kind of worried that a half shelled clam would be a bit much for him right now. Aren't those shells a bit thick? Maybe too thick for his beak. I could be wrong!

He ate a few mysis and a few chunks of table shrimp (no preservatives), and has a nice round belly. Been checking out a few hermit crabs I've got in there too. Seems to be doing better!

 

[Big G]

Started feeding my BS with Hikari half shelled frozen clams (they've clean them and removed one side of the clam shell) and it loved it. About the same size as yours when I got it. Now it sees me walking toward the tank with a clam in my hand and it starts wagging its tail like a dog for the clams. LOL
Now if I could just get it to leave my Hammer and Duncans alone life would be grand.

 

[Fisker]

Started feeding my crap with Hikari half shelled frozen clams (they've clean them and removed one side of the clam shell) and it loved it. About the same size as yours when I got it. Now it sees me walking toward the tank with a clam in my hand and it starts wagging its tail like a dog for the clams. LOL
Now if I could just get it to leave my Hammer and Duncans alone life would be grand.

I'll try the clams, then!

This guy won't be going into a reef. It's gonna be a macro tank - so hopefully, he won't decide he likes salad!

 

[Fisker]

Doing much better today. Much more active, more inquisitive, and has begun to interact with me. He's scared of my phone, hence his tail curl in the picture, but I think he looks pretty fantastic. Can't wait to get him into the 29!

 

[Sailingeric]

I have one, the most popular fish in the tank. Just wait until it gets comfy in its new home and you see sleeping wedged up in the corner at night.

 

[Fisker]

He's pretty awesome! Puffers are always more pet fish than anything for me.

I actually saw him wedge in between the filter and the tank wall last night, and this morning he was wedge into the corner. I was kind of afraid he was sick or something from the air, so it's good to know that this is normal behavior.

 

[Sailingeric]

He's pretty awesome! Puffers are always more pet fish than anything for me.

I actually saw him wedge in between the filter and the tank wall last night, and this morning he was wedge into the corner. I was kind of afraid he was sick or something from the air, so it's good to know that this is normal behavior.

It did freak me out the first time I saw it. I love how mine has the deep in thought/confused look. Mine lives to surf the power head current. It will swim and swim against the current and then get blown back, only to repeat over and over again.

 

[Fisker]

Mine almost reminds me of a confused winnie the poo - he's constantly questioning everything in the tank. I think he's still got a lot of personality to show, but he's a blast to watch so far.

So these guys like a lot of current to play in? I'm using a pretty weak internal filter right now, so flow is pretty calm.