What kind of puffer is this?

[Kevin Polap]

Hey, saw this puffer at my local lfs and had to buy it cause ive never seen one like this before, hes doing really well in my tank but would like to know for sure what kind it is? map puffer maybe?

 

[Terrance]

Arothron mappa

 

[Kevin Polap]

Thank you so much, the lfs labeled it as a dog face puffer so I got this guy for way cheaper than he would have been had they known what kind he actually was

 

[Terrance]

I haven't seen one of these puffers in real life yet. How big is yours?

 

[Kevin Polap]

He's not too big, about the size of a childs fist, still a young puffer

 

[Brandon K.A]

Very nice puffer!

 

[jeremyz]

Very nice find! He is an amazing looking puffer and I am totally jealous. Conrats!

 

[Kevin Polap]

Thanks so much, yeah when I saw him at the lfa he was totally black but I could vaguely see the spot pattern, must have been very stressed cause when I put him in my tank, his colour came out instantly. So glad i got him cause I'm reading up on these ones and apparently they are the most rare of the puffers?

 

[Gubernaculum86]

Gorgeous puffer!

 

[Metalheadx]

Very pretty puffer ! Congrats ! Puffers are so cool and interesting fish to care for either it be fresh or salt.

 

[Tony Gill]

I don't think it's Arothron mappa. I suspect it's A. stellatus instead. Check out images online (and bear in mind that the background coloration varies a lot, as does the degree to which the dark lines are broken into spots). If this identification is correct, that's going to be one big puffer (growing to around 3 feet).

 

[Terrance]

A Stellatus has a white underbelly.

 

[Tony Gill]

Yes, this is true of larger individuals, but in juvenile A. stellatus the belly is striped. Check out images on Encyclopedia of Life or Fishbase (e.g., Arothron stellatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) - Encyclopedia of Life). I have collected juveniles of this species - they sit on the bottom and mimic sponges. I also once had to deal with a very large adult. It set up shop right in the middle of a site where we were making a fish collection (as part of a survey of reef fishes off Western Australia) - not the most comfortable of experiences.

Tony

 

[Terrance]

Does the stellatus also have elongated spots around the face area and back areas (whatever that place is called)?

I think its a mappa because the patterns on its back is a little long and then it turns into spots. Then the stripped underbelly. The stellatus just have spots with some stripped underbelly.

 

[Kevin Polap]

I compared the images of both kinds and to me it looks more like a mappa, but hey I could be wrong, its still small so we will see when it grows a bit I guess

 

[Tony Gill]

I can see where you're coming from Terrance. However, small A. stellatus may have stripes rather than spots on the back and elsewhere on the head and body. In contrast to A. mappa, however, the stripes around the eye do not radiate out (like spokes on a wheel). If you do a google image search on Arothron stellatus juveniles, you will see there is a fair amount of variation in the stripe versus spot arrangements.

 

[Tony Gill]

I still feel confident it's A. stellatus, but I agree A. mappa is a possibility given its small size. In any case, it would be really helpful Kevin if you could post additional photos as it grows. There is a paucity of photos of juveniles of either species, and it is always better to document colour changes in a known individual, rather than string together photos of different individuals from publications or the web (some of which may be incorrectly identified).

Tony

 

[Kevin Polap]

Thanks alot, I will post more photos soon and I believe your right, I've seen a few photos of juvenile A. Stellatus and pretty sure it is A. Stellatus. However it turns out, its a great puffer and I will enjoy it no matter what.

 

[Terrance]

I still feel confident it's A. stellatus, but I agree A. mappa is a possibility given its small size. In any case, it would be really helpful Kevin if you could post additional photos as it grows. There is a paucity of photos of juveniles of either species, and it is always better to document colour changes in a known individual, rather than string together photos of different individuals from publications or the web (some of which may be incorrectly identified).

Tony

Good call. I talked to an expert and learned more about juvenile mappas. From his info and the info Tony provided, I can now agree that its 100% Stellatus.

Its really hard to raise these puffs to max size in hobbyist's tank. Please provide pics when it gets bigger.