Puffer – Avocado Puffer Fish

Description

Avocado Puffer
Xenopterus naritus

aka: Chonerhinos naritus, Bronze Puffer, Yellow Puffer, Xenopterus naritus, Tetraodon naritus, Colomesus psittacus, Papageikugelfisch, Parrot puffer, Banded puffer, Marilyna meraukensis

The Xenopterus naritus lives in the demersal, amphidromous freshwater environment can also live in Brackish or Marine as well. Xenopterus Naritus in the light has a neon green color. It has a tall broad (but not long) tail fin. These Puffers are piscivorous, that will enjoy eating other fish that they can fit into their mouth. Can be housed with other aggressive fish.

Xenopterus naritus
Maximum size in aquariums (min-max): 24 – 29 cm ( 9.45 – 11″)

The Avocado Puffer is a generally aggressive and intolerant species that really should be kept alone or with other aggressive animals. Many aquarists have had better success keeping this fish in groups or colonies but a large tank is required.

Puffers have the ability to inflate their elastic stomachs with water or air. This is usually a response to some kind of threat, although in the aquarium many specimens appear to inflate themselves for no apparent reason. The fish becomes 2 or 3 times it’s normal size, big enough to scare away many potential predators, or difficult to swallow. Puffers are also one of the few fish that can actually blink or close their eyes. Many parts of the body of puffers contain the deadly neurotoxin tetrodoxin. This is the same poison found in the notorious blue-ringed octopus. When ingested in sufficient quantities, it can cause paralysis and death. As yet there is no known antitoxin and to humans it is over 1000 times deadlier than cyanide. Puffer are a famous delicacy in Japan, but is prepared only by highly-trained chefs, and even then many people have died from eating it. This need not worry you. We’re aren’t eating our expensive pets.