Puffer fish have long been regarded as one of the more exotic and unique species of fish that are sometimes kept in home aquariums. The history of the pufferfish’s discovery is fairly easy to trace, namely due to this fish’s unique appearance. The first documented history suggesting interaction with puffer fish actually dates all the way back to 2700 BC, in Ancient Egypt.
Many engravings of the puffer fish have been found in ancient tombs, and it is even thought that the puffer fish was dried to be used in some primitive ball games. Puffer fish are also known to be native the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean. Consuming puffer fish is a very dangerous ritual still practiced to this day in Japan, with the threat of succumbing to the deadly poisons in the puffer fish somewhat of a status symbol in certain cultures. It is said that the poison contained in the puffer fish is so potent in certain areas (such as the ovaries and liver), that even a touch of this poison can cause instant death if consumed by humans.
APPEARANCE
Some pet fish care enthusiasts say that the appearance of a puffer fish is one of its most endearing qualities. The frontal appearance of the puffer fish includes large, expressive eyes, an elongated nose and a flat snout. Some people liken the facial appearance of the puffer fish to a panda bear, a pig or sometimes even a dog. The unique inflating property of the puffer fish is its ability to rapidly appear to greatly increase in size. This is accomplished when the fish sucks in a large quantity of water to its incredibly elastic stomach. The downside of this defense is that if taken out of the water, puffer fish will sometimes activate this defense mechanism and become completely inflated with air.
BEHAVIOR
Puffer fish are a relatively bold species of fish, which is perhaps to do with their unique defensive properties. Puffer fish have a combination of fins that allow them to be extremely maneuverable, though fairly slow-moving underwater. Many puffer fish are innately curious, often coming to the edge of their tank to greet their owners during mealtimes. It’s very important to avoid placing a puffer fish in a tank with aggressive breeds of fish, since this can cause a stressful environment for the puffer fish. Puffer fish do not deal well with stress, requiring constant monitoring of their behavior to avoid being over-stressed.
FEEDING
It is a generally accepted fact among pet care experts that puffer fish are not able to survive off of a diet that contains any dry or flaked fish food formulas. Because of this, it is very important to feed your puffer fish a combination of live and frozen food ingredients. If you have other fish in your tank, you may need to use fish tank tongs to ensure that the food is placed in an area where your puffer fish will be able to eat it before other fish. You can also feed puffer fish shelled crabs, since they may otherwise require trimming of their teeth.
VALENTINI PUFFERFISH
The Valentini Pufferfish is also called the Black Saddle Pufferfish, Blacksaddled Toby, Valentini Toby, or Saddled Toby. It is found in the tropical Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to Eastern Australian coast.
Males are 4.3 in., females about 3 in. Small fish such as Damsels, Tangs and some Wrasses may be troublesome. Tank size is a minimum of 40 gal. When threatened, this fish will inflate its body to almost twice its normal size. To avoid alarming it, transfer it using a container. Feed a varied diet of meaty foods including; squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp. The hard shelled shrimp helps wear down the fish's ever-growing teeth. It should be fed two to three times a day.
