How do you make a puffer fish puff?

[Anonymous]

Well, now you've gone and completely muddled the whole picture. <smacks forehead> I was having a hard enough time wrapping my head around the mind of a FISH, how am I ever going to do it with a CORAL??? 8O

 

[Anonymous]

Couldn't resist, SeaMaiden. I've been a bad boy.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh God, why did you have to tell me that? Did someone tell you about my "thing" for spankings? 8)

 

[Anonymous]

:wink: :mrgreen:

 

[John_Brandt]

"There must be 50 ways to Pinch your Puffer......"

 

[John_Brandt]

"Just pull out your Dremel, Emil..."

 

[John_Brandt]

"Cut off his tooth, Ruth..."

 

[Zepplin]

I've seen such picture before. The teeth of dogfaced puffers often outgrown thier mouths making it impossible to eat. Sometimes, they need surgery to correct the problem, and thier teeth have to be worn down with a dremmel.

From what I remember reading, they are sedated for the process, and then kept in a hospital tank until they come back to thier senses. Very cool pictures John. Did those come off the "puffer ladies" website?

-Meg

 

[esmithiii]

"50 ways to pinch your puffer"

LMAOROTF

Many here will be too young to get the reference.

Ernie

 

[Reef_Monkey]

You see, this "buy first ask questions later" mentality has always been a huge pet peeve of mine, long before I ever kept my first fish.

I don't quiet get that comment. I mean it's not like I bought em' and threw it in my swimming pool and then figured, oh hell, maybe I should ask some questions on how to set up an aquarium and put him in there. I just asked how to make him puff...well next time I make sure I know EVERYTHING about the next fish I buy... :wink:

Speaking of which, what do puffers like to eat :?: I have noticed that he isn't to big on the whole brine shrimp idea!

( I bet that question just tricked your pet peeve button :wink: )

 

[dizzy]

RM,
Puffers usually aren't that picky once they begin eating. Try some freeze dried krill. Most of them love shrimp, squid, fish, and just about anything that comes in big bites. Just keep offering different items.

 

[John_Brandt]

I've seen such picture before. The teeth of dogfaced puffers often outgrown thier mouths making it impossible to eat. Sometimes, they need surgery to correct the problem, and thier teeth have to be worn down with a dremmel.

From what I remember reading, they are sedated for the process, and then kept in a hospital tank until they come back to thier senses. Very cool pictures John. Did those come off the "puffer ladies" website?

-Meg

You got it, Meg! It's Kelly Jedlicki (Puffer Queen, or PQ to her friends) doing dentistry on two of her puffers. She's in Louisville, Kentucky.

We (CMAS-Chicago) had her up to do a lecture on puffers a few months ago. It was really a great presentation. She did have some slides of the Puffer Tooth Grind. You should think about having her come up to your club meeting to give a talk on puffers. Will you be going to MACNA in Louisville this year? Of course, she is helping to run the conference.

Here's a link to the story and pictures about puffer dentistry: http://www.lmas.org/library/dentistry.htm

 

[John_Brandt]

Bu'u Chinh translates to "We eat them because once they puff up they die anyway"

Photo copyright by B. Fabres.

 

[Anonymous]

"50 ways to pinch your puffer"

LMAOROTF

Many here will be too young to get the reference.

Ernie

I got that reference...hey wait! Just because I knew that doesnt mean Im old (looks at drivers license). Disregard my last transmission.

 

[Anonymous]

To rationalize or argue that one hobbyist's puffer pinching is wrong because it "is torture" - without taking into account the hobby as a whole could be construed as "torture" - is inherently hypocritical, and a great example of the above definition.

This argument continues to be raised, although to the reasonable observer it is illogical. If maintaining a puffer was "torture" (to which presumably the fish would respond with its normal defense reaction), wouldn't the puffer be in a continual "puffed" display?

Of course, it is much easier to ignore this idea than think about it logically.

Personally, I am not ignoring the idea, I am just puzzled at to why the theory is espoused that due to the inarguable fact that removal of marine life from their natural habitat is stressful to them, that any acts we may perform subsequent to their removal is immune from any moral judgement.

 

[Anonymous]

To rationalize or argue that one hobbyist's puffer pinching is wrong because it "is torture" - without taking into account the hobby as a whole could be construed as "torture" - is inherently hypocritical, and a great example of the above definition.

This argument continues to be raised, although to the reasonable observer it is illogical. If maintaining a puffer was "torture" (to which presumably the fish would respond with its normal defense reaction), wouldn't the puffer be in a continual "puffed" display?

Not necessarily.
And I think the meat of the argument is being missed. An analogy that may, or may not help: Some slaves were treated pretty well after they got off the boat. :wink:

Of course, it is much easier to ignore this idea than think about it logically.

Personally, I am not ignoring the idea, I am just puzzled at to why the theory is espoused that due to the inarguable fact that removal of marine life from their natural habitat is stressful to them, that any acts we may perform subsequent to their removal is immune from any moral judgement.

No one here is making that argument.

 

[Anonymous]

Righty, your "slave" analogy misses the boat, so to speak.

As for your comment that "no one is making this argument", perhaps you should read the thread and count the number of times people are called hypocrites for questioning husbandry practices (inducing stress responses in fish) since those people are guilty of inducing stress for removing the fish from its environment.

You can argue in circles all you want and rationalize all you want, but purposely inflicting stress on an otherwise unstressed animal (witness the lack of "puffed display" prior to inducement) is not a husbandry practice that I admire.

Of course, perhaps some of you enjoy going to the zoo and "tapping on the glass" to make the animals react. Nothing like a little stress in an animal to make our enjoyment of it increase.

 

[Anonymous]

Righty, your "slave" analogy misses the boat, so to speak.

How so?

As for your comment that "no one is making this argument", perhaps you should read the thread and count the number of times people are called hypocrites for questioning husbandry practices (inducing stress responses in fish) since those people are guilty of inducing stress for removing the fish from its environment.

That is very different than the claim that people saying that since the animals have already been collect, we can treat them as 'badly' as we want - like you were saying in your previous post. No one has made the argument that since we collect them we should do with them what we will.

Some people expressed incredibly strong, unwavering opinons about puffer pinching being 'torture' and, and as such should not be done. They have then been asked how the justify the 'torture' of collecting the animals they keep in the first place. They were called hypocrites because they seem to claim to abhor 'torture' only after the animals have reached their tanks, but seem to accept the 'torture' that happens when the animals are collected.

The issue at hand seems to be: How can one be so upset over 'torture' in the aquarium, but accepting of 'torture' on the way to the aquarium.

You can argue in circles all you want and rationalize all you want, but purposely inflicting stress on an otherwise unstressed animal (witness the lack of "puffed display" prior to inducement) is not a husbandry practice that I admire.

Why then, do you feel it is ok to collect the animal in the first place? Is that not 'purposely inflicting stress on an otherwise unstressed animal'? Why are you so adamant about the one, and not the other?
Note that I am not arguing against you point about not wanting to stress the animal in the aquarium. That is your opinion and I am glad you have it.

 

[Anonymous]

Righty, read what I said. I said it was not a husbandry practice I admire. I said nothing about collection. Collection is a necessary evil for the hobby to exist. Purposely stressing collected animals is not. Surely you can understand the difference.

 

[Expos Forever]

Righty wrote

Some people expressed incredibly strong, unwavering opinons about puffer pinching being 'torture' and, and as such should not be done. They have then been asked how the justify the 'torture' of collecting the animals they keep in the first place. They were called hypocrites because they seem to claim to abhor 'torture' only after the animals have reached their tanks, but seem to accept the 'torture' that happens when the animals are collected.

The issue at hand seems to be: How can one be so upset over 'torture' in the aquarium, but accepting of 'torture' on the way to the aquarium.

I will roll the dice and attempt to paraphrase you... You are basically saying: how can you decry making a puffer puff knowing about the stress of collection and the mortalities involved in the hobby.

I'm positive you know things aren't that simple. As I've already mentioned on this thread. If the hobby stopped today what would happen? How are the poor fishermen/collectors in Phillipines/Indonesia going to live? By taking less per fish than they were making from the hobby and selling them/eating them for food or, even worse, curios. Cyanide use will continue, the reefs will continue to be damaged. Instead of ridiculing people for being hypocritical, why doesn't the RDOTF (for those of you to whom the comment applies) educate people about purchasing captive-raised tank bred animals, net-caught fish, purchasing ethically in regards to survivability, knowing your supplier, proper husbandry, etc... Hopefully, making the reef a re-newable resource for both the hobby and the people of PI.