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False-eye PufferSharpnosed Puffer ~ Solander's Toby ~ Blue-spotted Toby

Family: Tetraodontidae

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Canthigaster solandri

     Where did this fish, the False-eye Puffer get it's "false-eye" name? (Also called the Sharpnosed Puffer, Solander's Toby, or Blue-spotted Toby) Well, the false eye is a black spot at the base of the dorsal fin! You can just barely see it in this photo.

     The False-eye Puffer, Sharpnosed Puffer, Solander's Toby, or Blue-spotted Toby are in the family of "true" puffers and members of the sub-family Canthigaster. They are all identified by their elongated and pointed snouts. Thus, the name "sharpnose" is associated with all these fish.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance difficulty:    Although the false-eye puffer, (aka sharpnosed puffer, solander's toby, or blue-spotted toby) is easy to feed and generally hardy, they require special care and a special diet to stay healthy.

Maintenance:    Puffers have strong teeth that grow throughout their lives. They need to be offered hard shelled live food often to keep their teeth worn down. For a better explanation and links to the practice of puffer dentistry (if needed) please read here. Because they eat a meaty diet and are often messy eaters, puffers will produce a large bio load on the biological filter of your aquarium requiring frequent water changes and good maintenance practices.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:      False-eye puffers are found in the Indo-Pacific and the Red Sea

Foods:   Puffers are primarily predatory fish in the wild, though they do graze on algae as well. Acceptable foods include shellfish, crustaceans and hard shelled foods such as snails. A large variety of all kinds of live and frozen meaty foods are best. It is best to feed small amounts several times a day. Some of the suggested frozen foods include prawn, crabs/crabs legs, bloodworms (live or frozen), blackworms (live or frozen), silversides, and mussels. Be sure to wash these foods thoroughly before feeding. Live foods can include snails, crabs, crayfish, shrimp (these are good for keeping their teeth trimmed), and earthworms. Live fish will also be eaten but it is thought it may cause problems such as 'fatty" liver and so should be fed sparingly or not at all.. Puffers are not picky eaters and will quickly become adapted to a variety of prepared aquarium foods and an occasional algae wafer. Flake food is not recommended. Even though they may eat it, puffers will not thrive on it.

Social Behaviors:      This is a peaceful community fish.

Sex: Sexual differences:      Unknown.

Light: Recommended light levels:      No special requirements.

Temperature:      No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Length/Diameter of fish:      False-eye Puffer, Sharpnosed Puffer, Solander's Toby, or Blue-spotted Toby adults can grow to 12.0 cm (4.7 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:      A minimum 30 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong      No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom      No special requirements.

Availability:      This fish is available from time to time.

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Latest Comments
I have a Blue Spotted Toby, he always waits untill after all the other fish have eaten then he takes what's left or the meal. He is very reclusive and does not seem to like coming out when the tank light is on during the day, but loves to come out from the rocks at dusk and dawn, by far the most docile fish in my tank. nosphantom 2009-12-13
I have a blue-lined toby, and although he is personable and rather easy to keep, he does take nips out of the other fishes fins. My poor sailfin tang looks scalloped now! Mika 2005-07-20

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