The Saddle Pointed Puffer is a saltwater or saltwater fish. It belongs to the puffer fish family. Its natural range includes the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific. There he stays in coral reefs in water depths of up to 55 m.
The fish lives in Harem. A male rules in a large territory with 1 to 7 females. He always spawns with a different female. If a male does not have a harem and wants to breed with a female, he will invade an existing harem. If it comes to a confrontation with the actual owner, he imitates a courtship female as a distraction.
The body of the Canthigaster valentini is somewhat flattened at the sides and narrows towards the caudal fin. The head and eyes are large. The forehead is steep. The beak-like snout is pointed and drawn out. It is made up of dental ridges made up of overgrown teeth. There is a nostril on each side. The basic color of the body is whitish with a drawing of 4 dark saddle spots on the back. The leathery skin is bare and the scales become short spikes on the ventral side. The caudal fin has a yellowish hue with dark stripes.
Danger, the puffer fish is poisonous! It contains a strong neurotoxin with the main component tetrodotoxin (can be filtered out of the pool water with a carbon filter).
The puffer fish differs from other fish by special behaviors:
- In case of danger, it inflates itself to defend itself by pumping water in jerks into an expansion of the stomach lying on the abdomen.
- When swimming, he keeps his body straight. At the same time, it turns the two fins like propellers and moves like a little one helicopter through the water.
- He has a peaceful and trusting being.
attitude
The species-appropriate keeping of the puffer fish requires effort:
- The water conditions must be very good, as the fish species’ eyes are very sensitive and easily become ill.
- The coral reef aquarium should at least when stocking run a year. It possesses many stone constructions and above all live rock. Enough small animals and algae settle there for the puffer fish to collect. The animal is constantly on the lookout for something to eat and collects a large part directly in the tank. If it finds enough food, it also spares the corals!
- The trimming consists of a small fish group. This includes one male and several females.
- One cover prevents the fish from jumping out of the aquarium.
food
The Teeth of the puffer fish constantly grow back and eventually prevent the absorption of the food. For this reason, the teeth must be worn down regularly. A hard-shelled food and small pieces of frozen food, which are distributed on the stones and the fish have to gnaw off, suck for this.
The diet includes: Artemia, Cyclops, small crustaceans, krill, moss animals, squid, mussels, shrimp, mysis, large frozen food, red and green algae.
gender differences
In the male species, bluish longitudinal stripes behind the eyes.
breeding and rearing
There are no successful breeding reports.
socialization
Canthigaster valentini is difficult to socialize with other fish. Crustaceans are not recommended at all, as they are considered food.
When kept in a species-appropriate manner, the life expectancy of the saddle puffer in the aquarium is from 5 to 7 years.