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Thanks for the beautiful pics everyone, now I just don't know which to choose from! I agree with the other posts that intentionally making these guys puff is unethical because it is stressful, if not harmful, to these poor little guys. I was in Cabo just last week-end and saw tons, but left them alone to their "unpuffed" cuteness.
Just to contribute to my own query, here is a pic that I took this week-end on a quick trip to Cabo. Cheap camera alert so please don't make fun of me! (at least now you know why I'm asking for pictures from other people!
Firstly, a disclaimer: I never ever puff up puffers as I prefer not to touch the marine life and it does cause stress to them. However thought I'd clear up a few statements:
Quote:
Originally Posted by driftin' by
OMPH!!! So much for "Leave only bubbles, take only pictures" concept. I heard that it's often fatal for a puffer to puff? We saw one semi-deflated last May in Cozumel and it was the saddest looking fish I ever saw.
No it is not fatal. It is a defense mechanism. A defense mechanism that kills you is not much use. It can be fatal, however, if a puffer is puffed up on land, say after it has been caught on a fishing line. This usually stresses them out, they puff up on the surface and air is harder to get rid of than water after they puff up, sometimes impossible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by seaducer
I would leave it alone. To be honest they do not puff up for no reason, you generally have to work pretty hard to get them to do it. In other words just poking at it won't do the trick, you have to grab and restrain it. One that is inflated is really upset, it may "go off" again at the slightest provocation. This defense mechanism leaves them weakened, and if they are forced to inflate repeatedly it can and has killed them all on its own.
Agree with your first statment. However, they can and do puff up for no reason. I have had a few friends who've had them as pets and occassionally they will just blow up for no reason, and have no ill effects afterwards. It does leave them weakened though if it is forced repeatedly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by parabolic
It takes them a long time to deflate.
Not really. From what I know of friends who keep them they deflate very quickly. Also with the species in the pictures I have displayed below, I have seen many people puff them up under water. They deflate in a matter of seconds.
...No it is not fatal. It is a defense mechanism. A defense mechanism that kills you is not much use....
Defense mechanisms are not generally fatal in and of themsleves, but are never easy on the animal in question. It can also easily lead to death. The point of these devices is to give the animal a chance when it would otherwise be killed.
Many species of lizards drop their tails as a means to escape predators. They also store whatever fat they carry in their tails, so depending on the time of year, losing your tail means losing your fat reserves which could mean you are going to starve if you are getting ready for brumation or about to enter some other low food phase of the year.
Humans have an adrenaline response, you may have experienced this before, many of us have. It can often leave you weak, dazed and not aware of your surroundings. If you also suffer from heart disease it may trigger an arrest, making the phrase "scared to death" somewhat accurate.
In the case of fish, scaring them can cause the release and buildup of lactic acid. This is the same stuff that makes our muscles burn during exercise. If you work out too hard in the beginning you spend several days working through the stiffness and soreness that too much lactic acid causes. In fish and most reptiles, there is no mechanism for getting rid of lactic acid. It may kill the animal outright, or at the very least leave it easy prey for a larger fish, as well as reduce it's ability to catch food or fight off rivals. This is also a reason that fisherman who intend to release a fish should watch how long they fight it, and cut the line or land teh fish before too long. If you land a fish after an extended fight you may as well keep it because there is a high liklihood it will die anyway.
In an aquarium inflating is probably not to much of an issue. In the wild there are many other variables. In a diving hot spot that may see 5 or more dive boats a day this can be a recipe for death for a puffer who finds themselves repeatedly molested by divers.
Remember the alternative to not inflating is death, so even a 25% chance you will live is preferable.
Came across this little fella on a night dive. We see tons here and do our best to discourage people from touching them. The un needed stress if anything isnt good for them.
Defense mechanisms are not generally fatal in and of themsleves, but are never easy on the animal in question. It can also easily lead to death. The point of these devices is to give the animal a chance when it would otherwise be killed.
Many species of lizards drop their tails as a means to escape predators. They also store whatever fat they carry in their tails, so depending on the time of year, losing your tail means losing your fat reserves which could mean you are going to starve if you are getting ready for brumation or about to enter some other low food phase of the year.
Humans have an adrenaline response, you may have experienced this before, many of us have. It can often leave you weak, dazed and not aware of your surroundings. If you also suffer from heart disease it may trigger an arrest, making the phrase "scared to death" somewhat accurate.
In the case of fish, scaring them can cause the release and buildup of lactic acid. This is the same stuff that makes our muscles burn during exercise. If you work out too hard in the beginning you spend several days working through the stiffness and soreness that too much lactic acid causes. In fish and most reptiles, there is no mechanism for getting rid of lactic acid. It may kill the animal outright, or at the very least leave it easy prey for a larger fish, as well as reduce it's ability to catch food or fight off rivals. This is also a reason that fisherman who intend to release a fish should watch how long they fight it, and cut the line or land teh fish before too long. If you land a fish after an extended fight you may as well keep it because there is a high liklihood it will die anyway.
In an aquarium inflating is probably not to much of an issue. In the wild there are many other variables. In a diving hot spot that may see 5 or more dive boats a day this can be a recipe for death for a puffer who finds themselves repeatedly molested by divers.
Remember the alternative to not inflating is death, so even a 25% chance you will live is preferable.
Sure I agree that it is stressful (in order for them to puff up the vast majority of times it has to be caused by them being very stressed out). The chances of a puffer living through being puffed up are well over 25% though. It being puffed up once is not going to harm it unduly if it happens under water. Multiple times, yes it would be stressful but that is the same with any animal that has to undergo prolonged stress. Unfortunately for puffers they have a very visible sign of stress that some people seem to get a real kick out of seeing.
I was president of the Marine Aquarium Society of Los Angeles, own my own aquarium maintainance company and have a pet puffer...(not to mention I stayed at a specific hotel last night) I do not believe the physical act of inflating with water is stressful, its the stressor that causes the infaltion that is stressful. When I first got my pet puffer, he would not eat (pretty normal with new animals) puffers are pretty easy to teach to eat, you grab ahold of them (politely) and they start to inflate. As they open their mouths to suck in water, you stick a piece of food in the mouth. After a day or two they figure out that the food is tasty and take care of the rest of the work themselves.... Anyhow my fish had some brain damage, for weeks, I would have to catch it, wiggle it, get it to puff to feed it. It finally associated me with food, and would beg. I'd throw in food and it still wouldn't eat, I still had to catch it and make it puff. Months into out partnership, the fish would swim into my hand, puff half way and just sit there with its mouth open waiting for the food. A few more weeks of that then it would just swim into my hand and open its mouth. It finally started eating on its own, but still prefers for me to hold the food for it.
If the fish calms down, the deflation is very quick. If the fish puffs up and inhales air, the poor guy will have a big bubble and have a heck of a time swimming around. I have had to catch the fish when it has a bubble, hold him mouth side up, shake to inhale, then let it relax a moment and the bubble will come out. Once in a while you may have to do this a few times to get all the air out. Or you can just leave it alone and it will eventually pass. Along these lines Sea horses can also end up with a bubble of air in its pouch (male carries the babies) and cause stress for the animal.
I heard that it's often fatal for a puffer to puff? We saw one semi-deflated last May in Cozumel and it was the saddest looking fish I ever saw. 
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