Green Spotted Puffer Tetraodon nigroviridis, spotted puffer, or leopard puffer as it’s also called ~is a unique fish. Its back has a bright green color that contrasts beautifully against its white abdomen. The green spotted puffer, like most puffers, has some personality – it recognizes its owner and becomes very active when they see me. The pug-like dog face with slightly bulging eyes and petite little mouth give it a cute peevish expression. It is very playful, active, and curious making it a joy to watch. It will come to recognize its owner, getting excited when it sees you. It will quickly steal your heart, yet this is not an easy fish to keep as it has very specialized requirements for its care.
This little cutie can be found across Southeast Asia. Despite the fact that this species is frequently kept in freshwater tanks and sold as a freshwater fish by many retailers, this is a brackish fish. They inhabit brackish coastal estuaries, lagoons and river and stream openings.
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| "Freckles" |
Little did I know a trip to Walmart for paper towel would turn out so costly...
Oh Lawdy!!!What have I done...
I walked past the fish tanks just as they were adding their new shipment...I had my glam daughter along and of course she wanted to see the "fishies"...we watched as all the baggies were taken from the foam coolers they arrived in and were floated in each appropriate tank . My eye caught these adorable little green chubby fish covered with black spots...well anyone that knows me knows how much I love a cheetah print, and these little guys were right up my alley.I was hooked!(pun intended)
I asked the girl how hard it was to keep these little guys, and she said "Oh really easy. They are fresh water and eat tropical fish flakes"...easy peasy, right???
Well... how could I resist??
I came home to do more research after which they were already added to my tank of Goldies (the pond fish that I bring in for the winter) ..
I found out she could not have been more WRONG..
Now comes the costly part...
I had no idea Green Spotted puffer fish....
~Need at least 10 gallons per fish...some say 20...yikes!
~Need Brackish water(half salt water)(I had to buy special salt and testing equipment $$$)
~Eat just about any tank mate(now I needed to buy them their own house $$$$)
~GROW TEETH
~Owner may have to trim said teeth!!!oh hells no...
~Are carnivores
~Eat live prey like shrimp,clams, snails,etc.{ya..that is not happening}
~Need to have very clean water that must be monitored often.(I needed a better filter system$$$)
~Very susceptible to diseases due to their lack of scales...(I found out a couple days later mine were sick and the tank needed to be treated with numerous different medicines $$$$$$)
I honestly wish Walmart would take the time to know what they are selling, and educate their employees...I have to wonder how many people are set up for failure to the demise of these little creatures.I am so attached now, that if they die , I will be very upset for a long time...
So I now had to treat all the fish including my Goldies ,as I have no idea what they have...I do not think it is ick, and was unsure if it was a fin rot due to a bacteria, or if other fish had just nipped them from being in such close quarters in transit...fingers crossed everyone makes it thru this process alive...
I will keep this post updated...thanks for stopping by...
P.S. Just a word of warning if you buy live crickets for puffer food...they can and will chew thru the plastic bag they come in from the store!!!((Don't even ask how I know that))))
UPDATE...
As of 1.7.19 , these lil guys are getting so big...they have big appetites, so I have added snails to their diet.
