mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 9, 2021 Author Share Posted November 9, 2021 Day 17 am feeding. The fry behavior changed mid day 16 and they are all more outgoing and inquisitive now. 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crabby Posted November 10, 2021 Share Posted November 10, 2021 On 11/10/2021 at 10:40 AM, mountaintoppufferkeeper said: The fry behavior changed mid day 16 and they are all more outgoing and inquisitive now. Oh how interesting! Just a sudden transition? And was it all of them? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 10, 2021 Author Share Posted November 10, 2021 (edited) On 11/10/2021 at 3:27 AM, Crabby said: Oh how interesting! Just a sudden transition? And was it all of them? Yes it was at least the 8 that are most out and about on the afternoon of the 16th day. They all hatched pretty much simultaneously over an hour or two. I'm assuming its an age thing and they need more food for growth now so instinct has them actively hunting more as a result. It was pretty much a flip if a switch behavioral change. My first batch left in with male was harder to see the change in since they were in breeder boxes for most of the first month. This group has a 20 that is nothing but live foods, cover, a controlled heater, a box filter, and puffer fry Edited November 12, 2021 by mountaintoppufferkeeper 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 14, 2021 Author Share Posted November 14, 2021 Day 20 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 Day 22 Nice little puffer bellies growing well And a fun action shot i managed to not mess up. Nothing changed just a phone photo 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colu Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 Congratulations very interesting breeding project how big do they need to get before they will start to eat snails 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 Not sure on snails the 20 with these fry have blackworms and scuds. There are ramshorn and Malaysian trumpet snails of all sizes as well. I'd assume they might already be eating smaller snails but have not seen that yet. They mostly investigate the driftwood and plants for food and eat the brine when dropped in 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisD90 Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 Wow this is so cool! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 18, 2021 Author Share Posted November 18, 2021 Day 25 Being a puffer trying out its camouflage ......and who we clearly can not see. Moved off post photo. All showed some interest in whiteworms today so hopefully we are on the path to big growth soon. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 why are you posting pictures of the bottom of your tank?! 🤣 Seriously though, neat little guys. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 19, 2021 Author Share Posted November 19, 2021 (edited) Day 25 afternoon feeding graduation to white worms. No hesitation going for worms about their size The puffer food belly just like adults Edited November 19, 2021 by mountaintoppufferkeeper 3 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 19, 2021 Share Posted November 19, 2021 Just like a spaghetti noodle! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 Day 31.....counted 10 fry this morning though i would guess there could be a few more. This group and last fry batch have been submitted for the Colorado Aquarium Society Breeders Award Program. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Hope you get an award!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 26, 2021 Author Share Posted November 26, 2021 Day 32 Thought this would be fun to share. The eye spot in action. The parents do not have the eye spots so observing when the change in pattern as they grow will be enjoyable to document. Sure seems to look like eyes and a nose. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 Too stankin cute and such a cool natural camo- they're pretty convincing eyes. Do you know if it's supposed to mimic another natural predator in the wild or? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 26, 2021 Author Share Posted November 26, 2021 On 11/25/2021 at 9:55 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said: Too stankin cute and such a cool natural camo- they're pretty convincing eyes. Do you know if it's supposed to mimic another natural predator in the wild or? Since only the fry have the spots in palustris it must be to avoid being eaten by bigger fish/ predator. Its interesting that neither of the palustris adults have eye spots at all and the fry have pretty significant ones. I found the below paper about the eye spot on fish in general seems like the answers are pretty all over to distract, to intimidate, for no reason, etc. https://appliedecology.cals.ncsu.edu/absci/2013/08/false-eyed-fishes-fool-predators/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 No joke, they certainly do NOT seem to know, but I can see where that would be a hard thing to prove since probably years of research/following fish like these in the wild and seeing what results is probably the only way to get even near an answer, but very interesting! So your adults have no signs of prior eye spots? No pattern or color left behind? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 26, 2021 Author Share Posted November 26, 2021 (edited) They do have the ability to reverse colors for spawning which I find pretty amazing. In both their casual and "formal" attire there is nothing but a normal dark spot there as adults. With the direct comparison of these photos it is interesting to see that the fry lack all the solid adult spots of their parents and only have what is basically a camo pattern with the two eye spots so far. It will be educational.for me to see when that swap happens and what type of behavioral changes, if any, occur Adult female spawning colors Adult females in normal coloration Fry coloration Adult male spawning colors Adult male bottom center normal colors Fairly varied species color intensity and pattern wise Edited November 26, 2021 by mountaintoppufferkeeper 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xXInkedPhoenixX Posted November 27, 2021 Share Posted November 27, 2021 This is seriously fascinating stuff (the color changing) I'm glad you're able to document like you do and capture those images. So very interesting! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted November 30, 2021 Author Share Posted November 30, 2021 Day 36 (No puffers were harmed in the making of this GIF). All continued to eat their body weight in worms after the slight surprise of missing the worm and accidentally catching a sibling. 7 of 10 fry caught in one photo ....similarly challenging to what I would imagine herding cats is like. 1 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odd Duck Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 I got 8 of (I think) 12 the other day of my pea puffer fry. That’s by far the most I’ve gotten together in a pic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintoppufferkeeper Posted December 3, 2021 Author Share Posted December 3, 2021 (edited) Day 40 ... the case of the 11th puffer. Took 40 days to show but now 11 puffers. Guess the cover is decent enough in there. Could be another 1 or 2🤷♂️ Update now 12 Edited December 3, 2021 by mountaintoppufferkeeper 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minanora Posted December 3, 2021 Share Posted December 3, 2021 They're so cute! I am excited to see more of them hiding in there. I wonder what the grand total will be. I have swordtail fry in my 75g that I find more of as they get bigger. When I first found them I thought I only had 6, last week, maybe 10, yesterday I counted 13. Then, one of my new guppy females had surprise babies in the 20g. I've seen 3 babies so far. There's tons of cover, so I'm sure I'll count more as the weeks go by. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinm Posted December 6, 2021 Share Posted December 6, 2021 Great thread. My hairy puffers just laid eggs. How long before your eggs hatched? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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