Their common name, figure 8, is derived from the eight-shaped marking on their heads. These fish have a creamy white belly, yellow body, and black markings. Their appearance is quite striking and earns them their name. With a maximum size of around 4 inches (10.2 centimeters), figure 8 puffers stay relatively small. However, because the Mekong River meets and mixes with the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea, it’s likely that these puffers mostly occur in mainly brackish waters. There, they prefer calm waters in estuaries, mangrove forests, and small streams.Īs we’ll discuss later, it has not fully been determined yet if the figure 8 puffer is a freshwater or brackish water puffer like other species in areas of rivers that are close to saltwater, these puffers probably migrate to different salinities based on seasons and mating. These fish have been studied in the Mekong River throughout Cambodia, as well as in Malaysia and Indonesia. Not much is known about the figure 8 fish’s natural habitat, which is why there is some controversy about how these puffers are best kept within in the aquarium hobby. Now, there are only six species in the Dichotomyctere genus, including fresh- and brackish water species from South and Southeast Asia. T etraodon biocellatus, though technically outdated is still how they are usually classified even though they have been moved to Dichotomyctere ocellatus. Scientifically, things get a little more confusing. These fish will usually be labeled as figure 8 puffers in pet stores, but you might also see them for sale as figure eight puffers or eyespot puffers. The figure 8 puffer has many names, both scientific and common ones. If you’re looking for a freshwater fish, check out our guide on strictly freshwater pufferfish species here.
Note: Figure 8 puffers belong in brackish tanks.
#Puffer fish puff up how to
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about figure 8 pufferfish, what water conditions they need, and how to keep one of these entertaining fish in your aquarium!
Though their size requirements are minimal, these fish can be more difficult for beginner hobbyists due to their brackish tank and dietary requirements. This smaller species of puffer is extremely popular and can bring life and excitement to tanks that might not have a large floorplan. To counter these predators the puffer inflates like a balloon, and if that and all else fails, the puffer gets the last laugh by killing the consumer with potent poison.Pufferfish are known for their fun and boisterous personalities in the aquarium hobby, making the figure 8 puffer a popular choice for beginners and more advanced hobbyists. Its slow speed and awkward shape leave it a sitting duck for predators. It has large powerful jaws to break the hard shells of clams and other shelled creatures. The puffer fish has high maneuverability, but low speeds, as it scours the ocean bottom for mulloscs. These two elaborate defenses are the result of the slow and bumbling nature of the puffer fish. Since the poison only is released when the puffer fish is dead, chefs will prepare puffer fish while they are still alive. The poison is contained mainly in the ovaries and the liver of the puffer fish. canada goose sale In several countries, most notably Japan, puffers have been documented to claim human lives, mostly due to improper preparation of puffer soup, and sometimes improper preparation of puffer sashimi. While not the most deadly poison known to man, that prize is held by botulinum which is used in very small doses for botox, the tetrodoxin in puffer fish will kill the majority of predators that might swallow it. If purified, less than could fit in a dewdrop (25mg) is capable of killing a person. Tetrodotoxin is an impressive poison, estimated to be 100 times more potent than cyanide. To some fish it might be communicating “I’m bigger than you, don’t mess with me.” To others the puffing reaction might be a warning, much like the bright colors on poisonous frogs, which communicate “don’t eat me, I’m poisonous, you’ll regret it.”In addition to being able to puff itself up, the more frightening ability of the puffer fish is to produce the poison tetrodotoxin. There is nothing dangerous about a puffer fish puffing up, it is not preparing to spit out its contents or threatening to attack with some of its poison. This is an adaptation that is meant to intimidate possible predators. When the puffer fish is faced with a dangerous situation, for example being caught and thrown onto the deck of a fishing boat, puffer fish will suck air or water into its stomach, and grow to three times its original size.
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