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FAQs about Tetraodon mbu Puffers

Related Articles: Tetraodon mbu, T. suvattii, Green Spotted Puffers, Freshwater to Brackish Water Puffers, (Big) Pufferfish Dentistry By Kelly Jedlicki and Anthony Calfo Small Puffer Dentistry By Jeni Tyrell (aka Pufferpunk),

My MBU puffer -10/31/08
Thanks for such a great site! Several months ago my wife gave me a MBU puffer about 3 inches long for a anniversary gift to go in my 30 gallon aquarium.
<Oh boy...>
(we all know this story) So after reading about them on your site I have him in a 100 gallon tank with med. size natural gravel, 2 Fluval 405's and an Eheim eco 2236 with bio material and the floss pads. 2 150 watt heaters, temp at 80 deg., ammonia 0,-nitrite-0, nitrate 20, ph-7.6. There is a 3 inch Pleco, 2 Cory's and a Tire track eel with him.
<While that's a fine tank for now, do understand these Mbu Puffers are ridiculously large when mature and annoying sensitive to poor water conditions as well. So you end up needing a gigantic aquarium with a massive filter just to keep it alive. Not recommended for home aquaria at all.>
And even though he bit me <!!!> when I was doing a water change I am still in the process of getting a 265 gal. or larger cage for him. Is this over filtered?
<Not even close to being over-filtered... Seriously, these fish need swimming pool-sized tanks.>
And Do you have recommendations for the next cage.
<As a baseline, we're talking some hundreds of gallons, and there's a good argument to be made for tanks around the 1000 gallon mark. A lot depends on the quality of your water supply, because it's the nitrate that's the killer. If you have zero nitrate right out the tap, then tanks around 250-500 gallons may be viable, if coupled with generous filtration and large scale water changes. But if you're in area where the nitrate level in your tap water is 50 mg/l, as is the case where I live, your margins for error are much reduced. Do see Stuart Morse's article on this fish, here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/mbupuffer.htm>
As of now I have to fix the house to support the weight of anything larger than the 100 gal. and locally 265 gal. is the largest I have found but I am happy to go bigger.
<If this was me, and I liked the idea of a big puffer, I'd try to rehome him in favour of getting myself something a notch down the size scale, maybe Tetraodon lineatus. It's about half the length, and therefore one-eighth the mass, and consequently a heck of a lot easier to look after.>
And lastly, is it safe to feed him the $2.00 snails ( mystery, yellow assorted ) from the LFS, and there crayfish. Thanks again Ed
<Well, they're probably "safe", but why bother? Most any frozen seafood sold for humans will be readily taken and a combination of mussels, prawns, and squid will cover all the major dietary needs for this species. Unshelled seafood like frozen crayfish, crab legs, whole prawns, and live mussels can be offered as required to wear down the teeth. Much cheaper than live snails or crayfish, and certainly much safer. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: My MBU puffer -10/31/08
Neale, Thank you for the fast response. I live in Northern Virginia, can you give me any pointers as to were I might want to look for Aquariums around 1000 gal.. And what type of filtration would you recommend for 1000 plus gallons. Ed
<Hello Ed. Since I'm in England and not really very familiar with American retailers, this isn't a question I can easily answer. If you can wait a couple weeks until Bob Fenner gets back, he's the guy to ask about such things. In the meantime, do browse some of the FAQs on large tank design/purchasing; there are some links and comments that may be of interest. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lgsystks.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/lgsysdes.htm There's no real rush, as Mbu Puffers doesn't grow especially fast, so you've got lots of time to research things carefully. Mbu Puffers are widely and successfully kept, so spending a bit of time e-mailing other keepers or visiting forums would probably pay dividends. They're fantastic fish, but also incredibly challenging: a bit like getting a wolf cub as someone's first pet dog. For the right person, a Mbu is a superb pet that is smarter than any ten fish stuck together, and frankly smarter than most dogs and cats. But Mbu puffers are unquestionably hard work, so while centerpiece fish at zoos and aquarium shops, they're strictly for the ambitious fishkeeper. As for filtration, it's hard to fault a reverse-flow undergravel filter for systems where sensitive fish are being kept. This is basically one or more large canister filters with outflows that push water into an undergravel filter plate and up through the gravel. This system is fantastic in terms of biological filtration, and also keeps the substrate extremely clean, since it's constantly being rinsed with filtered water. So the only maintenance is cleaning out the canisters every month or so; the gravel itself shouldn't need anything more than the occasional sift and siphon. The old "pros" of the hobby do swear by filters like the larger Eheim canister filters, and these certainly are extremely reliable and well worth their slightly higher initial cost. But I'm hearing good things about the big Fluval FX5 as well. It doesn't much matter what filter (or filters) you use provided it's [a] reliable; and [b] offering upwards of 4 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour. Cheers, Neale.>

State of health declined / AW: Pufferfish, MBU, with lump - 05/06/08
Pufferfish, MBU, with lump - 06/02/08
Hi Marco & the WetWebMediaCrew,
<Hello Lars.>
Some weeks ago Heike emailed you about our MBU (+50 cm size) with a lump on the left side next to his mouth.
<I remember.>
Back then - apart from the lump - the fish was in good shape (active, eating regularly etc.).
<Did you find out what caused the lump, was the lump sampled (e.g. syringe = a hollow needle) in cooperation with a vet? I understand this sounds difficult and potentially dangerous to the fish, but it is done with Koi, and large puffers also have been sedated successfully in order to cut their teeth. Those samples could have been cultured and you would have known if it was a lump caused by a bacterial infection.>
Unfortunately the state of health declined by Wednesday/Thursday this week, when he (or she) stopped eating. He is not moving and/or eating anymore.
<I am very sorry to hear that. Sounds really bad.>
Attached please find a picture from today, showing the MBU laying in the water on his back.
Heike gave the puffer a massage and some air
<Did he swallow air (increase oxygen content of the tank water in this case)? Or did you see gases that were produced by bacterial processes inside the fish?>
went off his body already (he/she started swimming a few minutes). She is keeping up with the massage which hopefully help ...
<I believe touching will rather stress the animal, potentially harm its protective coat of mucus. Should only be done when air was swallowed cannot be expelled by the puffer himself.>
If possible, please provide us with additional tips that will help to save our beloved brother (or sister).
<I suspect (from description, this is not a fail proof diagnosis) a bacterial infection that originally caused the lump and now has spread to other organs. You can try an antibiotic treatment (only in cooperation with a vet and in a separate tank to avoid a kill-off of filter bacteria), I fear it is too late for sampling and a bacterial culture now. You know/have called the Koi Vet in Stelle (Fisch-Reha-Zentrum Nord), east of Bremen? Or Annette Bley a vet in Bremen?>
Best, Lars.
<Good luck to you and Klaus, even if I have to confess it does not look good for him. Marco.>

Submitting an article, on Mbu Puffers   5/15/07
Hi there
<Stuart>
I am a member of thepufferforum.com and www.fishkeepingforum.co.uk <http://www.fishkeepingforum.co.uk/>   and recently after lots of questions wrote a small article on the care of Mbu puffers as I have one.
It has been received well and when I passed it on to Pufferpunk on the puffer forum she suggested it be posted on Wetwebmedia too.  As I have never really used this site I wondered how I go about it.
Many thanks Stu Morse
<Do please send this along. We are in need of such coverage, and will pay you for its non-exclusive use... Our rates are stated: 1400 words or so as a minimum... For $150 w/o graphics, $200 with, on acceptance. It will help expedite payment matters if you have a PayPal account. Easy to sign up, associate your/an email address with. Bob Fenner>

Re: Submitting an article – 05/16/07
Ok great, should I wait till PFK get back to me or would you be willing to have a look at the article in the next few days to allow me time to sort the pictures?
<Either one will be fine Stu. BobF>

Re: Mbu article -01/30/08
Hi there Bob.
<Thank goodness Stu!>
I don’t know if you remember me but back last year I sent you an article called Mbu for You for your consideration for the WWM site. You were kind enough to suggest that I contact the glossy magazines first before you featured it on your site. I am pleased to say that it has made the latest issue of practical Fishkeeping magazine which I am very pleased about and somewhat excited as it’s the first one for me. So thank you for suggesting that to me.
<Ah, very good.>
I thought I would ask if you would like the article still and the associated pictures that I have for use on WWM. The images are hi-res and the article is either in word or as an RTF file whichever suits you best. Would you like me to resend you the article?
<Yes! Will you accept $200 U.S. for its non-exclusive publishing to our site? Please send along if so.>
Thanks for taking the time to read this, Stu Morse
<Thank you and congratulations. Bob Fenner>

African Yellowtail Puffer... ID, fdg... FW? 10/26/07
Hi Guys,
I bought a 2 inch African Yellowtail Puffer about a month ago. I have been feeding small live fish which he would eat voraciously. One day, almost overnight, it seems like he could no longer eat properly. For the last week he has been hanging out on the bottom and occasionally swimming around looking like he is very weak. I noticed that it looked like he had problems trying to eat anything. What could be the problem??
Thanks
Peter
<Hello Peter. I have absolutely no idea what an "African Yellowtail Puffer" is. Perhaps Tetraodon mbu, since that's from Africa and has a yellow tail. I just hope not though, because it is a very difficult (read: almost impossible) animal for the home hobbyist to look after. For one thing, it is extremely sensitive to poor water quality. Zero ammonia and zero nitrite go without saying, but nitrate needs to be as close to zero as possible, and certainly not above 20 mg/l. Next, it's huge. I mean gigantic. In the wild, these fish get to over 60 cm (about 24") in length (excluding the tail fin). Some captive specimens have grown even larger. In terms of aquarium conditions, this demands a tank of the largest possible size, probably something upwards of 1000 litres (over 260 US gallons). Admittedly, yours will take a few years to get to full size, but still, you do need to have a plan. I'd actually argue they aren't aquarium hobby fish at all. Anyway, when a puffer stops feeding, you know something is very, VERY wrong. Normally they are swimming dustbins that will eat until they can't move. Your first problem is feeding the wrong food. Never, EVER give feeder fish to a puffer. Not only is it not required, but it is actually hazardous. Goldfish and minnows, for example, contain thiaminase (which breaks down Vitamin B1) and large amounts of fat (that cause problems with the internal organs). The correct diet for all puffers, repeat ALL PUFFERS, in captivity is a variety of the following: mussels, pond snails, krill, unshelled prawns, bloodworms, earthworms, river shrimps, and clams. Many also enjoy (and probably need) some amount of green food too. Tinned peas seem to go down well with many pufferfish. Puffers also need to be fed in small amounts. The goal is to feed once a day, or every other day for big (~10 cm/4") specimens. Each time, the fish should eat no more than enough to slightly fill out the belly to a gently convex shape. Puffers will eat until they swell up like bowling balls; that is not good for them! Also check water quality. With Tetraodon mbu especially, any amount of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate will sicken the fish. So instead of trying to ram more food down their throats, when these fish go off their dinner, do a 50% water change. And then another! Give it a couple of days, and then try something small and tasty, like a river shrimp or half a mussel. Above all else, worry more about water quality than food. When the water conditions are right, your fish will start feeding again. Hope this helps, Neale>

Mbu Puffer, fdg... sys. 7/17/07
Hello Crew, my name is Kevin.
<Hi Kevin, Pufferpunk here>
I have a Mbu puffer fish that measures about 7 inches, in a 100 gal tank with several species of cichlids.
<You are aware of this fish's potential size & that he will need a MUCH larger tank (1,000 gallons is recommended)?>
He has not eaten in at least 6 weeks. I have done
everything, water changes,
<How large, how often?>
adding salt, offering crayfish, crabs, snails, shrimp, to no avail! Before he stopped eating I tried to feed him some dead crayfish that I had frozen that he was very hesitant to
eat, so I think that may have something to do with it. Please let me know what I can do to fix this before he dies.
<Have you checked his teeth to see if they might be overgrown?>
I have also treated the water with Melafix since, it has worked with so many other problems.
<Can't hurt... I really can't give you any kind of diagnosis, without knowing the exact ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & pH levels. In the meantime, check this Mbu profile: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/ug.php/v/PufferPedia/Freshwater/T_Mbu/
and please read: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=150
Your input will be much appreciated!
<Please write back with more info. ~PP>

Mbu not eating, No information 4/2/07
My Mbu puffer is not eating
What should I do?
<You should figure out why it’s not eating and rectify the problem, not any information here to help you determine what that is. Please see here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pufferFAQs.htm for more.>
<Chris>

Pufferpoo  1/26/07 Mbu health
<Hi Shazza, Pufferpunk here>
I have a 5 month old Mbu Puffer, he has always been fine, eats well and happy. Today ive <I've> noticed a very large bowel movement coming from him,<.> its <It's> thick and lumpy, whitish with red veins going through it. I am very worried. It is still joined to him and is as long as he is (4.5 inches at least)<.>  Please help<!>
Thanks<,> Shazza
<Please read your letter before sending, to be sure you have used the proper punctuation & capitalization.  I corrected this one.  These have to be posted in our FAQs.  My thought about your puffer is that it may have a prolapsed rectum/intestine.  You can try treating with 1 tbsp Epsom salt/5gallon.  It may just be a superpoo.  Epsom salt wouldn't hurt in either case.  You might be overfeeding your puffer.  In that case, the food is only partially digested & this may be what you are seeing.  Here is an excellent Mbu story by a puffer keeper of close to 50 years:
http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150
You are welcome to join in at that forum & post about your puffer!  ~PP>

Mbu Puffer in Non-Cycled Tank 11/16/06
Hey,
<Hey yourself, it's Pufferpunk here.>
I own a 4 inch (not including tail) MBU Puffer and I've had it for a week so far.  He had been introduced to a tank that had been matured for a month and he has a very healthy appetite, eating everything from cockles, mussels, shrimp, bloodworm but the ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels in the tank sky rocket so high that I have to do a 50% water change every 2 days to stop him from dying!
<I'd raise that to 80% daily, until you can get that tank cycled or your puffer will definitely not make it.  They are extremely sensitive to those toxins, because they are scaleless & have no gill covers.  What do you mean by, "matured for a month"?  If you just let the tank run for a month, that's not cycling the tank.  Or were there other fish that would equal the bioload of that puffer in there for that month & the water parameters were perfect (0 ammonia & nitrItes, <20 nitrAtes), then removed, when you placed the Mbu in there?  How big is the tank?  That puffer will grow VERY quickly, needing at least a 300g tank in 2 years, upgrading even larger after that.  If you don't understand the facts of cycling a tank, you may not be ready to house such an exotic fish like the Mbu.  Please do a search for "fishless cycling".  If you insist on keeping this fish & are prepared to buy it much larger tanks & huge filtration systems (including veggie refugiums, to keep the nitrates down), in the very near future, then you can instant cycle the tank with Bio-Spira.  Do an 80% water change, before adding it to your filter.>
I have a fully functioning filter and I regulate the amount of food he eats (around 2 cockles or 1 mussel a day) but the water gets dirty so quickly that I'm worried about his health. What can I do to keep the levels stabilized so I don't have to change the water so often and why is this happening?  I use Amquel to reduce the levels when I don't have time for a water change.
<You're going to have to MAKE time for this!  Eventually, plan on a 1,000 gallon tank for this beautiful, 30" tank-buster.  Forget about Amquel, it is just inhibiting the cycle.  Bio-Spira is the only way you're going to save this fish.  You may have to search around for it but more shops seem to be carrying it.  To dechlorinate, use Prime.
Please read this Mbu story, written by a puffer keeper of over 50 years: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150
I know it sounds like I'm being really hard on you but personally, I think these fish only belong in public aquariums or in the wild, where they have room to grow & swim.  ~PP>
Thanks, M

Lumpy Mbu Puffer  9/11/06
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I have a MBU puffer fish called ASBO. He is not very old and has formed a lump on the right side of his mouth. I have looked all over the internet to see what it could be. The only thing I can come up with is a cyst or tumour. He seems to be eating fine and his mood is fine also. Do you know what it could be and is there anything you can suggest? I have tried putting Melafix in his tank. I did a seven day treatment then done a 25% water change. The
lump got bigger but now is staying the same size. I love my puffer fish and don't want him to die, please help.  What can I do?
<I have seen most lumps like these are just cysts that get absorbed back into the fish.  In some cases, it has been caused by a shell fragment stuck in their mouth.  Have you been feeding him snails?  Keep his water pristine--be sure you have extra-heavy filtration, large water changes are in order for these fish (50% weekly) & extra large tanks, eventually close to 1,000 gallons for these monsters!  See www.thepufferforum.com for more info.  ~PP>

MBU Puffer not eating.. read: stunting - 8/9/2006
Hello,
I saw your post on FAQ’s for MBU puffers and had to get in touch with you.  I also have a Tetraodon MBU and I was having some problems feeding him. I have  had him for about 8 months and he currently lives in a 30 gallon tank by himself.
<<Just for the record, you do realize that your puffer will grow to 30” (two and a half FEET) or more, and will need a 1000-gallon (one thousand US gallons) tank?
I would say he is about  4-5" long now.
<<He is likely stunted already.  Please look into housing this giant puffer properly, or donating him to a public aquarium or research centre, even another aquarist that can.  It infuriates me that pet stores sell these monsters without educating people on how enormous they get.>>
When we first bought him the aquarist told us to feed him freeze dried krill and we have been feeding him this throughout.
<<An all-krill diet is not sound.  Try crab legs, snails, shell-on shrimp, cockles, clams, mussels.>>
Recently it seems  he has developed an aversion to this food.
<<Common when fed only one item.>>
He is  going up for the food, takes a bite and than doesn't touch it.  I have tried to feed him shrimp, silversides, scallops.  He does not even move towards  them.
<<Give him time to get hungry, try a garlic additive, or try dangling it around to have it appear live.>>
My water has been tested and everything is normal.
<<Actual numbers are helpful.>>
The temperature is at 82 degrees F.
<<A little high.>>
The pH is around  8.0-8.1.  These are the conditions that he has been in from the start.  There is also no salt in the water.
<<That’s good.>>
Physically he looks very healthy (well rounded).
No signs of fungal or bacterial infections, no signs of starvation, and he has the drive to eat.  So I guess my questions is: How do I get him to eat other foods, is he disinterested or is there something else that I am missing?  If I have left anything out please feel free to contact me via my email.  I will appreciate any help. My other thought was that he could possibly have a parasitic infection.  His anal region is black.
<<My guess is this poor puffer has stopped eating due to severe stunting and improper diet.  Eating means growing, and he has no room to.  Please take what I say about the size and tank requirements of your puffer seriously. I can tell you love him, so lets try and house him in a way that will not end in death prematurely.>>
Thank you.
Jawad
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>

Mbu Puffer - 5/11/2006
Hi ,
<<Hi Paul.>>
I have a juvenile Mbu puffer about 6in at the moment and he hasn't eaten for going on 3 weeks. He still has his bright colours and his eyes are very alert. There doesn't seem to be any markings or visible illness on him. He just sits on the bottom of the tank lopsided and occasionally has a brief swim round.  I read that some of the smaller puffers can get air bubbles in there stomachs and require burping, could this be the case here?
<<Possible.  Read here: http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/airpuff.html. Are your water parameters in check (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?  Your Mbu will not be 6” for long.  They grow to almost 3 feet (72cm), and require a tank of at least 1000 (yes a thousand!) US gallons (833 UK gallons) to sustain them properly for their entire life cycle.  I surely hope you are prepared/up for the challenge!
Hope you can help,
Paul ( Huge puffer enthusiast)
Sheffield, England
<<Glad to help. Lisa (also a huge puffer enthusiast.  Come see www.thepufferforum.com.). Toronto, Canada.

Re: Mbu Puffer - 8/11/2006
Water quality is fine. I don't know how many gallons my tank holds its 6ft by 4ft by 4ft in depth which was bought specially for the Mbu, will this be ok?
<<That works out to ~718US-gallons. 200-gallons too small in my opinion, but certainly MUCH better than most. If you pay attention to water quality and water changes as he grows, along with perhaps a large veggie filter, I think you'll do fine. Lisa.>>
Thanks Lisa
<<You're welcome :). Lisa.>>

-MBU in trouble- - 04/10/2006
Hi Bob,
<Justin with you today.>
fortunately we've found your resource on the web (hard to find more detailed info about the MBU anywhere else here in Germany).
<Well we will do what we can.>
We're the owner of a small MBU (10 - 15 cm) since end of last year.
We have serious problems with him for the last 10 days:
- He is not eating anymore (we've offered him mussels, prawns etc.)
- He often turns upside down and remains there for minutes (sometimes hours), but recovers and returns to normal position afterwards
- Sometimes his belly blows up near the tail fin
- His anus stays open sometime and it looks like (at least something similar to) a worm is visible
- Small white dots are visible on his fins and the body
<Well to cover your list so far,  He has trapped air in his body.  most likely at this point it is in his intestines, you can try to help him by burping him (read here :http://www.thepufferforum.com/articles/puffer/airpuff.html).  He has ich which needs to be treated with Saltwater dips or with anti ich medication like formalin in his own quarantine tank. He may not survive if the air has entered his bowels as that is what it sounds like has happened.  but there is not much at that point you can do short of taking him to a veterinarian who specializes in fish.>
Some additional info:
- He is living in a 450 ltr. tank together with other fish
- We medicate him with antibiotics (separate tank, 15 minutes per day, Nifurpirinol)
- We medicate all fishes with drops against the dots (although no other fishes seems to show up with dots at this moment)
<This is acceptable for now, however if this puffer survives this it will grow to somewhere north of 3 feet long or close to 1 meter.  it will need a 1000 gallon tank and serious filtration.  The is not a puffer for the general public.  you might look into a fahaka or another smaller freshwater puffer.>
Attached please find two small pics of our MBU: <<Rats... file not moved/saved, seen by me for this. RMF>>
- They have been shot yesterday and today
- One shows up with the white dots
- One shows up with upside down position and blown up belly.
It would be great, if you would be able to share some ideas.
It's hard to see his torture, weï¿½ll see him better again ...
If you provide me with a phone number in the US, I would love being able to give you a call. We're lost with ideas how to help this poor guy ...
<Just follow the article and keep offering food. That is unfortunately all you can do at this point. Keep the water pristine and keep other fish from bullying it.  www.thepufferforum.com has quite a bit on this puffer as does www.fishbase.org .  I recommend you read up on here and at both those places.>
<Justin (Jager)>
Thanks
Lars

Re: Big problems with our Tetraodon MBU -Mbu in trouble 2- - 04/11/2006
Hi Justin,
<Lars>
thank you very much for your speedy reply.
<Sorry that it was too little too late.>
Unfortunately our MBU died two days ago (hopefully it was better for him to stop his torture).
Since he has been the dearest fish of our son, no ... not true ... the dearest fish for all of us (gentle, relaxed, friendly ...), it would be
great to know about other puffers that could make sense for a 450 gallon tank.
<In your previous email you said the tank was in liters.  which is 120 gallons, however, regardless a Fahaka would love it.  try www.pufferlist.com for a very complete list of the common to the trade puffers in freshwater.>
You've mentioned to think of an Fahaka, what other puffers would make sense to think of?
Nevertheless it would be important for us to know, why our MBU went seriously ill, since we did not experience something similar with all our other fishes.
<I believe that based on your photos he swallowed air, and was unable to clear it.  that blocked its bowels and it died.  Not a good way to go.  Puffers don't do well in air and should always be moved in water or bagged in the water.>
Thanks for your help.
Best,
Lars
<I'm sorry you lost the fella.  If you want another puffer try the pufferlist above and www.thepufferforum.com both of which have a vast knowledge base on the friendly little/big guys. >

Offering a home for a Mbu puffer    3/31/06
I recently read on your forum that someone is trying to find a home for a Mbu puffer.  I don't know their email to write them back>
<Was this on WetWebFotos? You should be able to respond to them (see their profile by clicking on their handle/web-name) directly. If it was on WWM, do provide us with permission to post a/your email address in the hope they will see this>
I have a 450  gallon tank that would be perfect.  Can you help me contact them?
Liz
<Bob Fenner>

Sulking Mbu Puffer  12/28/-5
Hi,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
I am hoping you can help us with our MBU puffer as we are so worried about him,
We have had our MBU puffer for about a year now. He has always been a happy little fish and has always fed well. We recently moved house and were in the fortunate position of being able to purchase a new tank and set it up at our new house several weeks before we moved our fish across. We have a Trigon 350 tank now and had a 3 foot regular tank before. We were able to take half the water from our old tank with us also and were really careful to get the water chemistry the same as our old tank. All our fish have been fine during and since the move (now a month ago) except the puffer. He has not really eaten at all since the move. His colour is still perfect, but he has obviously lost a lot of weight. He seems to have a small lump on the right hand side of his body towards the base where it meets his tail although we're not sure as his body looks different now he has lost weight and think maybe its just his body if that makes sense. We have been monitoring the water and apart from a small problem with nitrate levels which we have managed with water changes the water is fine. The thermostat on the heater broke initially during the move and the water got hotter than it should (approaching 30) so we had to get a new heater and slowly got the water temperature down again and it has remained constant since then. This is the only thing that I can think may have affected him other than the move. I have tried all his favourite food (mussels, cockles, shrimp, live river shrimp) which he would normally relish and he has shown no interest at all. He spends most of the day sitting mid tank in one corner at the front pointing slightly at an angle down (with his mouth down and his tail in the air), and has a swim round the tank two or three times a day. He swims fine and all his fins and tail seem to work and look fine. I've asked all our local aquatic centres and they keep asking about the water chemistry which we know is fine so we are stuck.
I don't know what info you need but we have had the same fish for years now (one Plec, one black red tailed shark, one one spot Synodontis, two clown loaches and one solitary zebra danio). We added the puffer about a year ago and they all get on fine together. We use the jewel internal filter and our Fluval 404 which we used with the old tank. We have air stones, but no live plants.
Can you suggest what we should do? Should we try snails - we have never fed him them before? Help!   Abi
<Sounds like you're taking great care of your puffer!  I know you would think it would appreciate the bigger roomy tank but puffers are very sensitive creatures & not happy with changes.  I moved a fahaka puffer from a 55g to a 125g & it wouldn't eat for 3 weeks.  Just sulked in it's cave & wouldn't even greet me.  You could try adding garlic juice to it's food & offer live foods but it should be back to itself soon.  Check out this mbu article: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=150 & post your puffer stories there too!  ~PP>

Availability of Mbu puffers
Hi Robert, I am looking to stock a 29gal tank with some sort of puffer
(it is empty now). Can you tell me where to look for a Mbu puffer?
<Your better retailers should be able to "special order" you one. If not them, the etailers about can do so. A few of these are listed on our links pages: http://wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
And
where to find out water chemistry requirements?
<It's a bit of work, but I'd use fishbase.org: for instance, cut and paste this URL: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10103
for the Mbu puffer... you can insert any common or scientific name in Fishbase's search feature... it will give you habitat information for many species, references (albeit scientific) for many. Have you read through the FAQs on freshwater and brackish puffers posted on our site?: http://wetwebmedia.com/fwpufferfaqs.htm
Other people's Mbu puffer queries/my responses there>
If not this species
maybe a more available one like green spotted or Congo. Thanks for any
info you can provide.
Jesse
Durham, NC USA
<Keep studying my friend. Bob Fenner>

Tetraodon Mbu
Hi,
1.What tank size for Tetraodon Mbu?
<Starting size of the fish? How long do you want to keep it... happy, healthy? A twenty to a two hundred gallon...>
2.How much swimming space?
<About the same as specified by tank dimensions above>
3.What tank mates?
<Only very aware, and or tough, mean, fast fishes... perhaps some live plants. Doubtful any invertebrates...>
4.What filter?
<Outside power and internal powerheads for added circulation, aeration>
5.Any other important information?
<Frequent partial water changes with pre-made water of high alkalinity, some salt... see here: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10103&g
Cut and paste URL.
A very mean fish species... best kept either in a "species tank" or a biotopic presentation with other fishes from the region (Lake Tanganyika, Congo...>
Thank you
<You're welcome. Bob Fenner>

Mbu Puffer
I am thinking on getting an Mbu puffer fish I know that it gets big but just how big does it get in the home aquaria
<About a foot in length in a big enough system, time, food going by...>
there is all different advice like this puffer can go in with other fish depending on how the fish is but they never say which fish
<"Smart", fast, aggressive ones... best are cichlids, catfishes, Characoids from the same region the Mbu is collected. You can find this information on fishbase.org>
and also if I get one from a baby how long does it take to lets say 6 inches from say a 2inch <About a year to two years... depending on feedings, maintenance... Please see "Optimized Growth": http://wetwebmedia.com/optgwth.htm >
please could you email me back which some advice thank you
<Chat with you soon my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: availability of Mbu puffers
Thanks very much for your reply. Your website is fantastic. I will continue my research until I am sure to treat my finned friends right.
Jesse
<Outstanding! Bob Fenner>

Puffer Ails 7/10/03
Our Mbu Puffer about (12 inches in length) has decided he does not want to eat shrimp anymore. We were always supplementing snails, crawfish. He just will not eat the shrimp. He has been doing something funny with his mouth, after he has bit into something, He opens up his mouth very wide like he is trying to push something out but nothing comes out, its gives us the impression that something is stuck in his gums??? Does that make sense??
<have you checked for overgrowth on the teeth?>
He has been eating the snails even though he goes through this ritual. He is not as eager to eat as he once was. We have ordered him Ghost Shrimp, Brown Snails and crab. What else do you suggest?
<some Selcon to supplement the diet... also gut-loading the prey with nutritious dry foods and frozen fare that the puffer would not eat alone>
My husband pet him yesterday, when he was cleaning the tank. The Mbu "Andy" started to color up and move his fins like this made him happy. I thought he would puff up and act mad but he seemed to like the contact. Cute. He has tank mates that he has had from the very beginning. A Bala Shark "Cedric" and 30 small Tetras. When he is finished with his food they all come over and he lets them eat what ever he was having. I don't know how long this will last but it is really cool. I'll take a picture for you guys... We were rinsing the shrimp in filtered water, we should use a little water out of his tank I guess in a cup that belongs to him do you think he may not like his food rinsed in the filtered water?? Could there be too much Chlorine??
<no worries here>
We research and read and talk to people we just want to do the right things for our Mbu Puffer Friend. He has become quite the family member. We are getting him that 300 gallon tank so that he can grow very old in it. Thanks, Vivian
<many FAQs in our archives on puffers... do browse as well http://www.wetwebmedia.com Anthony>

Jaws the Mbu Puffer?
<Ananda here today, fielding the puffer questions...>
is this a silly question? if you were to be accidentally nipped by a Mbu puffer would you get sick?
<Not a silly question at all. There might not be any of the puffer toxin in the bite, but there could be other nasties in the tank that might make a cut unpleasant, to say the least.>
I know if you value your life you shouldn't try to eat them in the sushi bars and such.. I don't know who could eat a puffer anyway....
<Me neither! And I love sushi, but puffers are just too cute to consider eating. Even if it wasn't dangerous.>
I know they could kill you if you ingest them, what about just sticking your hands in the aquarium and such?
<At the least, do wash your hands -- and arms! -- with hot water and soap before and after putting them in the tank. If you have any cuts or scrapes on your hands, use aquatic gloves. Otherwise, you risk getting infections from the stuff in your tank, and risk contaminating the tank, especially if you use hand creams/lotions, perfumes, etc. --Ananda>

MBU Puffer 8/4/05
I hope you can help.
There are so many conflicting issues on the net and from my LFS.
My tank is approximately 5ft(long) x 2ft(high) x (just under) 2ft(depth)
Its currently running at ammonia=0 nitrite=0 and nitrate=5ppm
My PH is about 7.6
I am trying to create perfect conditions for a MBU puffer.  My LFS has said that he needs soft water, which i have since found to be incorrect.  I actually bought an RO unit so that I could soften my water, a complete waste i know, but i thought perhaps by adding more minerals I could control the water levels more...any comments?
Really what i would like to know is what are the perfect water conditions for a MBU puffer including GH and KH.  Bearing in mind that i also have 2 pictus cats and am planning on getting 2 clown loach. (As long as this does not overcrowd the tank).
I hope you can help.
>> Certainly your Mbu will eventually eat the pictus cats, or damage their sensitive whiskers, clown loaches are fast and should be able to live with him long term.
Most Mbu puffers are caught in the Stanley Pool area of the Congo River. pH 6-7, GH 5-10, KH 0-8 sounds right, but for puffer species like the Mbu the water chemistry is not so important. More important is a varied diet and strong filtration and frequent water changes. This fish will get big, and it will have an even bigger appetite. You should try and see how the fish will do in your tap water, because altering the tap water every time you do a water change may become a hassle, and is usually not needed for this species.
Good Luck, Oliver

Mbu Puffer--Tank Size  6/29/05
<Pufferpunk again>
Yeah, I actually have some nitrates but the tank has been set up for over a year,
<So why did you say nitrates were 0?>
the tank is only about 65 litres (17 gallons), although he will go in something like a 400 (105g) when bigger.
<Hmmm, that's going to be a problem.  Did you read the article I linked you to?  400l is no where near large enough for that puffer!  Even at 2", it should be in a larger tank, due to its messy eating habits & large bioload.  If you aren't prepared to house that fish in a MUCH larger tank, please return it for a more suitable fish.>
The only food I have given him are mussels and cockles.
<Puffers need a large variety of foods.  Look through The Puffer Forum for more diet ideas.  ~PP>

Mbu Puffer Grumpy? 7/4/05
Thanks for your views but is there anything else you can think of why he may be grumpy?
<I believe I have already told you what my guess is to problem. ~PP>

Sulking Mbu Puffer 6/29/05
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Hi, I wondered if you can help me?  I have had my Mbu for about a month and is about 2 inches long.  When I first got him, he seemed quite happy swimming around at the front of the tank and was eating every day. The last couple of weeks he has retreated to the back of the tank and wont come out, he still eats but only if I put the food at the back with him. I have checked the quality of the water myself and also had my local fish shop do the same and everything checks out fine with the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate being 0.
<If the tank is established (cycled), you should be seeing some nitrAtes.  How was the tank cycled?  How large is the tank?  How large of a tank are you expecting to put that monster in, in a few years?>
I was told that he might be lonely as he was in the tank on his own so I put 5 zebra danios in with him but nothing's changed. The only other change I have noticed is that he was darker in colour when I got him but is now a lot lighter.
<Many puffers change hues as their moods change or to match the colors surrounding them.  What foods are you offering him?  Please read: http://www.thepufferforum.org/viewtopic.php?t=150  There are several Mbu owners at that site.  ~PP>
I'd appreciate it if you could help.  Matt

Mbu Coloring 11/3/03
hi guys,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
Andy our mbu puffer is about 14 inches long.
<Beautiful fish!>
we have had him about 10 months. he is so sweet. he lives with tetras and a Bala shark. he is in a 135 gallon with two canister filters.
<How often do you clean the filters?  I use 2 AquaClear 500s & clean them on alternate weeks, in addition to an Eheim 2217 that gets cleaned when clogged on my 125g.  I hope a much larger tank is in his future.  At least 300g?>
I'm worried about his coloring it seems to be dark along the edges of his underside. he has what looks like a small white ulcer near his tail. I'm sending you some pictures could you please look at him and tell me what you think?
<What are the water parameters?  A puffer that large in a tank that size is emitting a huge bioload.  I would change 50% of the water weekly.  I have a 12" Fahaka in a 125g & do the same.  As far as the ulcer (couldn't really see a clear picture of it), I'd add Melafix to the water.  I buy the large pond kind (best value). You can get it from www.bigalsonline.com.>
he eats fresh shrimp (staple) and I get him fresh water clams, snails, ghost shrimp, crawfish, he has had a couple of red claw crabs lately. we take the pinchers off.
<Sounds like a good diet, although I buy pretty much everything I can find at the fish dept of my grocery store.  In addition to what you are feeding, I feed squid, scallops, mussels, crab legs, krill earthworms & crickets.>
thanks, Vivian Rahman
<You're welcome--Pufferpunk>
<PS I thought you'd like to read a mbu story from a friend & puffer mentor, who has been keeping puffers for over 40 years, Robert T Ricketts:
"A long sad and story which I really do not enjoy relating, but they are wonderful fish... Mine stepped up from 40 -> 75 in only a few months, then to 180 at between 2 & 3 years, and it should have been sooner.  Eventually that was too small.  He did permanent damage to his caudal fin that never straightened out. The first damage was done in the 75, later got worse in the 180.  He really could not turn comfortably even in the large tank.  It should probably have required 3-4’H x 4’D x 8”W to keep from cramping him (or on the order of 1000 gallons for the display only), and larger would have been better.  He was my favorite (and my wife’s) by a wide margin of all the fish I’ve kept, but is probably not suitable for hobbyists.  They are just too big.  His system was the 180 with him, a 120 veggie filter, two 40-gallon veggie filters, a 20-gallon Daphnia filter, a 20-long filter-feeding shrimp filter after the daphnia tank, plus a twin-tower W/D, two large Eheim external canisters and multiple internal Eheims, and 2- or 3- 50 gallon partials per week (alternating weeks).  He was stunted, only about 18-20” standard, but with the huge caudal fins these fish have, he would have been ~26” full length with his caudal flat – which it could not do with the vertical curl at the rear – he always seemed to turn the same direction.  Very friendly, very excited to see us, very much a high-personality pet.  I doubt that I will ever keep another, as I cannot house one properly.  I don’t track my tank expenses, but I don’t think his feeding was that bad, considering that he required about half the tank room just to support him – his electric bill was likely pretty high though – all those lights on his veggie filters.  I did breed some albino bristlenose cats in the veggie filters then, to offset part of his food supply (trade goods).   Unless you have the space, the time, and the price of luxury car to put into a fish, they are just not suited to private keeping.  If I could and was willing to do it over, I’d devote the entire tank room to the one fish.  It would house only the single tank, Monaco style, custom built in place, with custom filters and automated changes.  That was what I had originally planed for the space, but reality intervened, along with college for the kids."
Unfortunately his mbu jumped out of his tank one night & was found dead the next morning.  PP>

Availability of Mbu puffers
Hi Robert, I am looking to stock a 29gal tank with some sort of puffer
(it is empty now). Can you tell me where to look for a Mbu puffer?
<Your better retailers should be able to "special order" you one. If not them, the etailers about can do so. A few of these are listed on our links pages: http://wetwebmedia.com/links.htm
And
where to find out water chemistry requirements?
<It's a bit of work, but I'd use fishbase.org: for instance, cut and paste this URL: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10103
for the Mbu puffer... you can insert any common or scientific name in Fishbase's search feature... it will give you habitat information for many species, references (albeit scientific) for many. Have you read through the FAQs on freshwater and brackish puffers posted on our site?: http://wetwebmedia.com/fwpufferfaqs.htm
Other people's Mbu puffer queries/my responses there>
If not this species
maybe a more available one like green spotted or Congo. Thanks for any
info you can provide.
Jesse
Durham, NC USA
<Keep studying my friend. Bob Fenner>

Mbu Puffer
I am thinking on getting an Mbu puffer fish I know that it gets big but just how big does it get in the home aquaria
<About a foot in length in a big enough system, time, food going by...>
there is all different advice like this puffer can go in with other fish depending on how the fish is but they never say which fish
<"Smart", fast, aggressive ones... best are cichlids, catfishes, characoids from the same region the Mbu is collected. You can find this information on fishbase.org>
and also if I get one from a baby how long does it take to lets say 6 inches from say a 2inch <About a year to two years... depending on feedings, maintenance... Please see "Optimized Growth": http://wetwebmedia.com/optgwth.htm >
please could you email me back which some advice thank you
<Chat with you soon my friend. Bob Fenner>

New Mbu Puffer  8/10/04
Hey crew,
<Hi, Pufferpunk here>
First let me point out that I think your site is fantastic.
<Well, thank you very much!>
I found myself looking and learning about systems I never even thought about.  Thanks for the good info. I read a lot of great info on Mbu puffers, but found some of the eating habits and acclimation techniques to be contradicting. Just to clarify, here is my situation.
<There is a lot of contradicting info on puffers in general, on the web & even more from shops that sell them.>
I have a 55gal, with 2 large Tinfoil Barbs (8"), 3 Bala Sharks (ave.. 5"), 1 Clown Knife (4"), 1 large Pleco (8" need to do something here, whole other subject) and a few Tiger barbs (1")
<Hmmm, sounds overstocked already!  Do you have any idea how large clown knives grow?  4 feet!  They will also eat anything they can fit into their huge mouths.  Mmmmmm, tiger barbs!  I hope you aren't going by the 1"/gal rule, that's only for 1" fish.>
All except the Clown Knife have been in the tank since inception. My tank has been up and running for over 2 years now with no major problems.  I do plan to upgrade to 100-200gal in the next year,
<Not nearly large enough for all those fish.  I don't think a 4' fish will be able to turn around in there.>
but trying to do things one step at a time. I was ready to put a great fish, and make an investment on something special.  After research into my water conditions I found that the Mbu Puffer would be a good choice.  After talking to a few people, I got one and he is glorious.
<One of the most stunning & personable fish alive, IMO.>
Anyways, while I acclimate the most expensive fish I've ever bought, I am finding myself nervous.  I was very slow and deliberate in my introduction to the tank.  He even ate about 20min after getting out of the bag--fantastic.  But has not eaten since.  I am trying with Krill, frozen and freshly thawed.  I feed my other fish in the tank a variety of flakes/Brine Shrimp/ Bloodworms and other frozen that the Mbu takes no interest in either.  It has only been 24hrs, and normally I would just let the fish be, but this time I have more invested, financially and emotionally.
<The 1st thing that comes to mind is when I introduced 4 7-8" tinfoil barbs to my large puffer's tank (12" Fahaka alone in a 125g tank) for some swimming interest.  Boy was he pissed!  It seems they were just too much & his eyes would shift back & forth angrily at them.  They would eat every morsel of food, before it would get down to him.  I had to get rid of them, for his sake.  Now all is good in his tank.  You may be having the same problem. Between the rotund, slower-moving  puffer & all the streamlined fish you have in there, who do you think is going to eat 1st?  The puffer may not want to even bother, since he is the new guy.  Another scenario I can imagine, is the puffer getting mad enough to just start taking chunks out of some of the other fish.>
My question is basically how much will he eat (4in) and how often?
<One of the most difficult aspects of keeping these special fish is their diet. All puffers are predatory fish and need hard-shelled, meaty foods to keep their teeth trimmed. Like rabbits, their teeth grow constantly and can overgrow enough to cause starvation in the fish. Puffers eat crustaceans in the wild. Foods for smaller puffers are frozen/freeze-dried krill/plankton, gut-loaded ghost shrimp, glass worms, crickets, worms and small snails (the size of their eye). As your puffer gets larger (even now), there are many more crunchy foods for them to eat. Larger Puffers will eat cut-up pieces of scallops, shrimp, crab legs, whole mussels, clams, oysters, squid, lobster and crayfish. Mine love to chase live crayfish, fiddler crabs and gut-loaded ghost shrimp. I gut-load (pre-feed) my live food with algae wafers, so my puffers get their veggies. I buy most of these foods at the fish department of my grocery store, freeze and later thaw in warm vitamin water as needed. Smaller puffers need to eat every day, skipping one feeding/week. Feed them until their bellies are slightly rounded.>
Are their any other techniques I should try when feeding him?  And at what point should I be concerned? He is moving smooth and seems OK as of yet.
<I'd be concerned when he hasn't eaten in a week or 2.  Again, I must stress, I think there is way too much competition for food in there.  Puffers are actually rather shy.>
For your info, here are the basics about my water conditions.  T=77F, pH=6.9-7.0, Ammonia, nitrates-low, but known to jump (no live plants), filter-established external Biowheel with snorkel.  Bimonthly water changes (25%- probably increase now with Puffer)
<You are having ammonia & nitrIte problems, because your tank is overstocked.  For most fish, puffers especially, those must always be 0!  Also, your pH is extremely low, from the huge bioload & small water changes.  Puffers prefer hard, alkaline water, with a pH of around 8.  I do 50% weekly water changes on all my tanks & none of then are stocked anywhere near the capacity of yours (even before your Mbu).>
Any advise would be appreciated.  Thanks for calming my nerves.
<Please read this.  It was written by my puffer mentor, Robert T Ricketts, who has been keeping puffers for over 40 years.  Please reconsider your tank & inhabitants.  http://puffer.proboards2.com/index.cgi?board=fbp&action=display&num=1088527135  ~PP>
Sean

New Mbu Review (03/21/03)
Hi,
<Hi. Ananda here today.>
We are the proud parents of a beautiful Mbu Puffer.
<And here we missed the baby shower.>
We briefly have put him in a 37 tall (he is 7 inches) we are having a 135 delivered and set up with an established filter system tomorrow.
<The 135 is a good starter tank for a fish this size... you are making plans for that 300+ gallon tank you're going to need when it gets to its full-grown length of 26 inches, right?>
My question is last night my husband was on the other side of the mirrored side of the tank. He adjusted the heater and this scared the Mbu, "Simon". Simon moved so fast across the tank I could not believe it.
<Despite the fact that they swim like tugboats most of the time, puffers can move amazingly fast when they need to.>
He bumped into the other side of the tank. He hit so hard. He then sat on the bottom of the
tank and I noticed blood coming from his left gill every so often. After about 1 minute this stopped.
<Ouch! Sounds like the fishy equivalent of a bloody nose.>
This morning and afternoon he is swimming and is colored up beautiful. Do you think this hurt him? This was really scary.
<For him, especially!>
Please let me know what you think?
<Keep an eye on him. If there will be movement near his tank when the people come to set up the 135, cover his tank with a blanket so he won't get startled.>
Also we have fed him mystery snails and shrimp..
<You don't have to use mystery snails; ordinary pond snails will work fine, too. You might want to set up a snail farm tank. Check out the article here: http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/snailsforpuffers.shtml>
My husband says its ok to take the shrimp out of the freezer and leave in the refrigerator for a few days and feed it to him.
<Sort of like leaving bread out on a plate for a few days before you eat it....>
I say no, its not safe. Better to take the shrimp out the night before and feed the next day..
<I just take the shrimp out of the freezer and drop them into the tank. (Though I have to chop them up a bit, first; my puffers are little guys.) Hard and crunchy foods mean more wear on his ever-growing teeth. Do vary his diet a bit more; check out the puffer feeding FAQs here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/pufferfdgfaqs.htm ...Also check the various puffer FAQs, including the marine ones -- your puffer is closer in size to marine puffers than to the more common fresh/brackish puffers.>
Help...
Vivian Rahman
<Have fun with your new family member. --Ananda>

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