Griffie the puffer keeping in shape

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by my2rotties

I can honestly say that Griffie is not at all stressed when he blows himself up. I also read that puffers do this in the wild to make sure everything is working correctly. This fish does not get scared of anything and swims into my hand for belly rubs. I cannot say he looks bothered by blowing up unless a powerhead kicks on while he is inflated...

I don't think he does it for fun, but I do think he does it because he can. When he is done he comes up to us and starts doing blowfishes on the glass, begging for a treat. NO fish in my tank has ever bothered him or ever will. When we turn the lights on he is the first one out begging. Nothing scares him at all.

I do at times think he blows up to align whatever he should not have eaten... for example snails. He will usually just suck them up and spin them to find soft spots... then spits them out again. I have never seen him find one with a soft spot and eat it, but I am sure it has happened.

I wrote out a long response but its not fair to start a debate in your picture thread about why puffers puff. I would stop reading the source that says they do it to make sure 'everything is working properly' though.

You know best.