Do puffer fish puff in captivity?

S

simontan

So I was at our pediatrician's office the other day and was checking out the puffers in their FO tank. I can't have em in my tank, but I've always wondered if they ever puff in captivity or if it takes a really serious threat to make them go. Anyone actually seen one puff up in their tank? Pics?
 
I as well am very curious to the answer to this question... My LFS gets quite a few puffers in, but never have I seen one puffed out!
 
Yes they will puff up in captivity. They only do this as a defense mechanism when threatened or stressed so that they appear larger to whatever they think is trying to harm or eat them. [smilie=rofl.gif]

Cheers,
 
@Evangrant12 wrote:
I as well am very curious to the answer to this question... My LFS gets quite a few puffers in said:
You're best chance of seeing one puffed at a lfs is shipment day. When they first arrive, they are often very stressed and will come out of the bag puffed. Other that that, it's when they've eaten to much food.
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@Nicki wrote:
[smilie=smile.gif] said:
Thanks for the great pic! My 4 year-old has "Finding Nemo" on constantly, and that almost looks like a screen shot from the initiation scene. So what caused him to puff like that and how long did it last?
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@simontan wrote:
[I]@Nicki wrote:[/I][quote="[smilie=smile.gif] said:
Thanks for the great pic! My 4 year-old has "Finding Nemo" on constantly, and that almost looks like a screen shot from the initiation scene. So what caused him to puff like that and how long did it last?"]

These are some really old photos from when we used to keep an aggressive tank. The 8 years we had this fish he would puff occasionally. It would usually happen during feeding time, which was always crazy. Sometimes he would puff if another fish was picking on him. It would usually only last a few minutes. Here are a couple more photos I found from a different time.
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@Hoss wrote:
[I]@Nicki wrote:[/I][quote="[smilie=smile.gif] said:
This is awesome! It's like the fish is laughing....."go ahead....touch me..grin""]

The more I look at that pic, the more awesome I realize it is. The fish is perfectly centered and framed by the rock in the shot and has a great Mona Lisa-like expression. Great job - you really ought to make that your avatar.
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@simontan wrote:
[I]@Hoss wrote:[/I][quote="[I]@Nicki wrote:[/I][quote="[smilie=smile.gif] said:
This is awesome! It's like the fish is laughing....."go ahead....touch me..grin""]

The more I look at that pic, the more awesome I realize it is. The fish is perfectly centered and framed by the rock in the shot and has a great Mona Lisa-like expression. Great job - you really ought to make that your avatar."]

Thanks! I just may do that!
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My husband and I have a number of different species of puffers and for the most part they only puff when they are agitated about something like during water change time or a net gets too close to them. However they occasionally will just puff up to puff. Some people say they like to "practice puffing". We actually had one puffer that could see its reflection and would puff up to try and attract itself as a mate. Puffers are very fascinating fish! [smilie=smile.gif]
 
check out this youtube video. the first few seconds are other fish. but eventually you can see the puffer actually puffing up...

pretty sweet!
 
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