Griffie the puffer keeping in shape - Page 2

GreenSpottedPuffer · #11 04-15-2009, 12:23 AM

^^

Not true. I am not sure where you heard this but there are soooooo many rumors about why puffers puff.

They do often tend to inflate in captivity for little to no reason but thats not to say its stress free. Puffing puts so much strain on their body and does not feel good. Most likely he is indeed scared of something or was startled. Thats not to say its horrible but it does stress them.

Inflating is a defense mechanism and can decrease a puffers immune system and life span. It puts a great deal of pressure on their internal organs. They don't actually "puff" up per say, they actually pump water into their stomach which expands to nearly a hundred times its original volume. This is possible because the puffers stomach is pleated, like a skirt. They have so many pleats in their stomach that you need a microscope to see the smallest ones.

As the puffer fills with water its spine bends into an upside-down U and the liver, intestines, and other internal organs get very tightly squeezed between the fish's backbone and its now huge stomach.

They have two layers of skin too. The outer layer is elastic and stretches when they inflate. The inner layer is fibrous and actually pleated like the stomach. So if they did not have the outer 'stretchy' layer, they would look hilarious (all wrinkled up) once they deflated

The outer layer of skin also works to raise the spines of the puffer up...

Another interesting fact about puffers is that their stomachs have lost all digestive function.

A few biologist actually believe Puffers have evolved from Triggerfish who can do the same 'pumping' of water with their stomachs. But if you watch triggers do it, they simply pump water in a bit (not to the stomach) and then blow it right back out to move sand around and flip urchins over. But its the same action.

Anyways, a bunch of random stuff here but the bottom line is that they do not have 'fun' puffing up and its certainly NOT stretching.

You say try keeping your arms at your side for a few weeks and then see if you want to stretch--try this instead. You feel normal and loose but then you suddenly get startled and react by filling with air like a balloon as your internal organs squish up into a fraction of the area they usually occupy and press against your spine which is now also bending with great strain...I bet you will like to deflate as quick as possible and never want to inflate again

They are not stiff and need to stretch. In fact, after inflating I bet they do not feel too well. There is just so much pressure put on their body when inflated. Their skin stretches so much that the collagen fibers are stressed directly and the skin becomes stiff.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #12 04-15-2009, 12:58 AM

This was one of mine just over a year back after he was bitten by another puffers while eating. Check out the strain on that skin!

my2rotties · #13 04-15-2009, 12:58 AM

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.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #14 04-15-2009, 01:03 AM

Quote:

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.

my2rotties · #15 04-15-2009, 01:36 AM

It's all good, he is my fish and I know him very well. I think it all depends on personality and such, Griffie pitched a fit at me for ignoring his begging once and blew himself up (that sounds funny). I dropped in his cube and he deflated right away. He still does it to this day if I am not feeding him fast enough since he knows it gets results. He probably did it this morning to my husband since he was hungry and Frank was not feeding him I (my job and I was not out of bed yet). Perhaps I taught him a bad habit with positive reinforcement... He blows himself up and I give him food. People train animlas with this method all the time...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

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.

GreenSpottedPuffer · #16 04-15-2009, 01:37 AM

And now we get into the anthropomorphism...lets just enjoy the pics I guess. Hope he stops his monthly puffing for you soon though.

EDIT: i read that again and it sounds bad. I don't mean it in a negative way but sometimes we have to separate what we feel and what is fact. Its easy to get attached to fish and make yourself believe they have feelings and personality when in fact they have behavioral instincts. It does vary a bit from individual fish to fish (of the same species) but not much. Most all puffers act the same and are thought to have 'loads of personaility' which in fact is just how they are. Even in the wild I was able to pet them. They paced in the wild too up and down, up and down the poles at piers...but we like to think they are bored if they do this.

Fish like Puffers have defense mechanisms for a reason and use them for the most part involuntarily. Its not like they choose to do stretch or make sure they can. Its stress.

Anyways, I really apologize for being a bit off topic but the fact is that its not good for them to puff and we want our fish to live long. Just don't want people to read this and think they are doing it for 'fun'.

fishoholic · #17 04-15-2009, 03:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

^^

Not true. I am not sure where you heard this but there are soooooo many rumors about why puffers puff.

They do often tend to inflate in captivity for little to no reason but thats not to say its stress free. Puffing puts so much strain on their body and does not feel good. Most likely he is indeed scared of something or was startled. Thats not to say its horrible but it does stress them.

Inflating is a defense mechanism and can decrease a puffers immune system and life span. It puts a great deal of pressure on their internal organs. They don't actually "puff" up per say, they actually pump water into their stomach which expands to nearly a hundred times its original volume. This is possible because the puffers stomach is pleated, like a skirt. They have so many pleats in their stomach that you need a microscope to see the smallest ones.

As the puffer fills with water its spine bends into an upside-down U and the liver, intestines, and other internal organs get very tightly squeezed between the fish's backbone and its now huge stomach.

They have two layers of skin too. The outer layer is elastic and stretches when they inflate. The inner layer is fibrous and actually pleated like the stomach. So if they did not have the outer 'stretchy' layer, they would look hilarious (all wrinkled up) once they deflated

The outer layer of skin also works to raise the spines of the puffer up...

Another interesting fact about puffers is that their stomachs have lost all digestive function.

A few biologist actually believe Puffers have evolved from Triggerfish who can do the same 'pumping' of water with their stomachs. But if you watch triggers do it, they simply pump water in a bit (not to the stomach) and then blow it right back out to move sand around and flip urchins over. But its the same action.

Anyways, a bunch of random stuff here but the bottom line is that they do not have 'fun' puffing up and its certainly NOT stretching.

You say try keeping your arms at your side for a few weeks and then see if you want to stretch--try this instead. You feel normal and loose but then you suddenly get startled and react by filling with air like a balloon as your internal organs squish up into a fraction of the area they usually occupy and press against your spine which is now also bending with great strain...I bet you will like to deflate as quick as possible and never want to inflate again

They are not stiff and need to stretch. In fact, after inflating I bet they do not feel too well. There is just so much pressure put on their body when inflated. Their skin stretches so much that the collagen fibers are stressed directly and the skin becomes stiff.

GSP what you're saying is what I have always understood about puffers puffing. Mostly that they only do it if something is stressing them (even if nothing seems to be stressing them, something unknown is, otherwise they wouldn't puff, at least that's what I've been told and what I have read about) and that the stress of puffing does shorten their lifespan.

Some interesting puffer links if anyone is interested.

http://biomechanics.bio.uci.edu/_htm...ish/puffer.htm

http://www.pufferfish.net/

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/puffcareinfo.htm

SeaShell · #18 04-15-2009, 04:17 AM

Those are great pictures! I don't even care WHY he's puffing.... it's cool and it sounds like he's a real card.

Enjoy him.... he's a keeper!

karazy · #19 04-15-2009, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

This was one of mine just over a year back after he was bitten by another puffers while eating. Check out the strain on that skin!

Isnt that the EXACT same picture you have on a thread thats basicaly the same as this one,
saying your puffer puffs up for food and its hilarious? So hilarious you were laughing so hard that you were almost crying?

link below:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37420

GreenSpottedPuffer · #20 04-15-2009, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karazy

Isnt that the EXACT same picture you have on a thread thats basicaly the same as this one,
saying your puffer puffs up for food and its hilarious? So hilarious you were laughing so hard that you were almost crying?

link below:
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=37420

Yup and since then I have learned a lot and know better. Actually I told my brother that story and he got pretty mad as he knew a lot more about puffers than I did at the time. I think this picture was actually from after he was bit on the tail though. Perhaps I have the two mixed up, don't remember anymore. But the point is that mine was puffing sometimes for food which is a sign of stress.

This is why I said a lot of myths about why they puff up are out there and unfortunately not true. Like stretching. A year and a half ago I would have believed that. I have kept puffers for 12 years now, 6 years saltwater and never knew these things until I was told. I tried to pass on the knowledge and basically got the 'doesn't apply to my puffer, hes just got personality' answer. No problem...I am learning (maybe too slowly) to just keep my mouth shut and not bother giving advice unless its asked for around here.