Red Porcupine Puffer?

[Turbovr3six]

Has anyone seen one or know anything about them? I'm cleaning out a tank for a new client and he has a regular porcupine as well as a RED, and I have never seen one. Looking for any information. Thanks.

-Justin

 

[Turbovr3six]

Picture

 

[George]

Picture
View attachment 121360

Great photo, Justin!!! You should enter it in the MACNA photo contest!

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

J/K J/K

We get the idea. Neat fish. Maybe some kind of color mutation. Now it needs to be bred so we can fix the color and make a fortune selling them red porky pines!

George
--

 

[Turbovr3six]

George! I'll get a clearer picture tomorrow when I'm back there. Here is another blurry shot.



Also had this lion with crazy colors on it.

 

[Arati]

wild looking

 

[mic_1011]

i seen some blue ones too! no joke

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

What kind of lighting is it under? Maybe the lighting is affecting the appearance of the fish?

 

[Turbovr3six]

When I first showed up I thought it was the lighting also, but the other puffer looks 'normal' colors under his light. I'll snap some better pictures today.

So we think this is just a mutant?

 

[ravi197699]

very nice color i have never seen red though

 

[lfsmarineguy]

My first thought (just from the condition of the tank) was some sort of disease. Puffers are notorious for bacterial infections. But the other fish look fine and even though the pics are blurry, the fish looks pretty normal. If you can send me a good pic I can pass it on to a friend of ours who specializes in fish disease and see what they have to say about it. The colors almost look leucistic though. What color are the eyes on the red puffer?

 

[Turbovr3six]

Jared, the owner claims he bought the fish from his LFS (fish town?) about 2 years ago. He said it was the normal tan colors when he bought it and it changed into the red within a year. He also claimed today that he has seen it "droppings eggs" twice, so I don't know if that could be something to look into. I have doubt that they were eggs, but I'm also far from a fish breeding expert. I'll try to get a clearer picture, but it's always swimming and my iPhone camera isn't the best. Videos are actually clear and you can see some detail. I'll try to shoot you the video and some pictures to your email. The eyes on the red guy are blue, just like the 'normal' one. I'm stumped!

 

[Turbovr3six]

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

It can be the fishes diet do they feed squid or octopus or anything with carotene. It can make things more yellow orange.

Or conversely is it feeder fish?

 

[Turbovr3six]

Silversides, and krill as far as I know. If it is the diet, would the other fish be affected? He said all of the fish eat like pigs.

 

[Master Shake]

it cant be the diet or the lighting like recomended previously because this tank has a control aka the other normal looking porcupine puffer. possibly some sickness, disorder or gene mutation. he can probably get a lot of money for it if he thinks of selling it

 

[lfsmarineguy]

If it happened after he got it in the tank and the other stayed the same color, I think we can rule out an external cause or any pathogen since they would both be effected. It could be a condition that causes carotene or other dietary elements to be metabolized and stored abnormally.

 

[Turbovr3six]

That sounds like a good theory. I'm going to get in contact with my buddy out west who has shop that specializes in 'rare' fish to see what he says. If I find out anything good, I'll let you guys know.

Thanks for the replies!