Fish-ball: description and why it inflates in danger, are the needles poisonous, reproduction

Ballfish is one of the most interesting species of fish that lives in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Its unique appearance and amazing behavior attract the attention of researchers and lovers of marine fauna. The fish got its name due to its rounded shape, resembling a ball. She also has the amazing ability to disguise herself and pretend to be other types of fish in order to evade predators.

What kind of fish is this

The ballfish is an unusual member of the puffer fish family, whose scientific name, tetraodon, comes from a combination of two words: “tetra”, which means four, and “odontos”, which means tooth. This is due to the presence of four hard, tooth-like plates on their jaws.

They mostly live in tropical Pacific and Atlantic waters. Some species can be found in different types of waters: freshwater, brackish and s alty. These threat-puffing fish prefer dense patches of coral and other vegetation, where they live either on their own or with a few other fish.

What she looks like

The shape of the fish-ball resembles a drop, with a large head and narrowed tail. It has eyes that are far apart and can move independently of each other, allowing the fish to remain still while it explores its surroundings.

She doesn't have scales. In general, this is a hedgehog-like creature, covered with small spikes. When it inflates out of fear or stress, these spines provide extra protection, stopping any predators from eating this spiny fish.

Tetraodon size can vary from 4 cm to 70 cm.On the back there is an expanded fan-shaped fin located closer to the tail, while the ventral fins are completely absent. The coloration usually consists of yellow-green-brown shades, but other tones are sometimes found.

Are there any enemies

Tetraodon is a spiny fish with several defense mechanisms such as toxicity and the ability to inflate like a round ball when threatened. This solitary creature has no natural enemies other than humans.

The pufferfish, a species of tetraodon, is a popular delicacy in Japanese cuisine; however, it is extremely dangerous because it contains tetrodotoxin, which leads to muscle paralysis, including the heart muscle, and death from cardiac arrest. Despite this risk, people still eat this fish - up to sixty percent of those who cook it themselves end up dying from poisoning. To ensure safe handling of this fish in Japan, chefs must be trained and licensed before they can serve it.

Behavior in the natural environment

The peculiar defense mechanism of the fish-ball is quite remarkable. When threatened, this fish is able to take on water and inflate its body into a spherical shape resembling a round balloon. She has special bubbles that she fills with water, which allows her to grow several times her original size and scare away predators. In addition, many species of pufferfish are toxic due to their tetrodotoxin content. This element can be fatal if ingested by an animal.

Varieties

The family of spiny tetraodon has more than a hundred varieties, all of which are the result of natural evolution and have never been changed by selective breeding. Popular species of non-toxic aquarium pufferfish kept as pets include the following eight representatives.

Leopard

In the lower reaches of the Congo River lives this pouting creature with a yellow body adorned with black spots. The shade of his abdomen is lighter. This species can reach up to ten cm in size.

Zebra

This fish is easy to find in the central and northern part of the South American continent. Its color varies from yellowish green to dark green, with wide stripes of some dark color along the body. The underside of the body is white. When kept in an aquarium, it usually grows to six to eight centimeters in length, and the entire body is covered with small spines.

Kutkutya

Females have a yellow body tint, while males are green. The back of this conditionally poisonous fish is olive or dark green in color, and its lower part is usually grayish white. In addition, there are dark blots or a mesh pattern on the general coloration. During the mating season, males will also have a bright red stripe on their tail.They grow up to eight to ten centimeters in size.

Fahaka

This rather large and very bright tetraodon lives in the Nile basin. Its body is elongated with small translucent fins. Coloring - pale brown with white stripes along the entire length; it has a yellow belly and a large yellow spot on its belly. In size, it reaches 50 cm.

Green

This species is native to Southeast Asia and is easily identified by its yellow-green coloration with black spots and stripes on the sides and back. The underside of these fish is white. In aquarium conditions, they usually grow up to 12-15 cm in size.

Dwarf

Inhabits the freshwater regions of the Indian subcontinent and usually has a green or brownish-yellow hue. She is quite small, about three centimeters long.

Gold

This species is distinguished by its round body shape even when at rest, which distinguishes it from other members of the family. The dorsal fin is sharply pointed, and the body is distinguished by a golden-green hue with light white coloration on the underside. In length, it sometimes reaches ten centimeters.

Redish

The body is elongated and the head is big. The mouth is relatively high. The color of the fish is gray-brown with dark stripes along the body, and the abdomen acquires a yellowish tint with streaks. When mating or in a state of fear, it even appears reddish. It reaches fifteen centimeters in length.

Can I keep at home

Actually, tetraodon is a marine fish that usually lives in the open ocean. Due to their characteristics and requirements for keeping conditions, not all aquarists allow themselves to keep this fish at home. Ball fish require spacious reservoirs with crystal clear and warm water, as well as a special water filtration and aeration system.In addition, she is a predator and will attack other fish if she has enough room to maneuver. In this regard, it is recommended that ballfish be kept only by experienced aquarists with a large aquarium and relevant knowledge and experience in caring for this aquatic inhabitant.

Tetraodon life expectancy in captivity is 5-10 years. It is unwise to make a fish afraid by provoking it to puff up, as this causes great tension in it and will adversely affect its he alth.

Puffers are incompatible with other fish species. He will eat the little ones and fight the bigger ones. In addition, they are able to gnaw the fins of brightly colored or long-tailed fish. It is best to keep tetraodon in a species aquarium. In addition, these fish should not be kept with snails or shrimps, as they are their natural prey in their natural habitat.

Which aquarium to choose

The shape of the aquarium for the ball can be any, but it is recommended that there be a lid on top, as the fish are prone to jumping. The volume for dwarf tetraodon should be at least fifteen liters per fish, while larger ones require up to one hundred liters.

Round fish consume a lot of food and, accordingly, produce a large amount of waste; therefore, external filtration with a capacity of seven to ten times the volume of the aquarium per hour is necessary.

If there are more fish in the aquarium, then aeration is also necessary. For optimum lighting conditions, provide 40-60 lumens per liter using cold range fluorescent or LED lamps. The duration of light during the day should last ten to twelve hours for these fish.

The pH level (acid-base balance) should be in the range of 6-8.2, and the hardness should be in the range of 1.3-8.8 °F.The water temperature should be maintained at 20-27 °C. Some species require s alt water; regular table s alt or bath s alt will not work, so you should use aquarium sea s alt from a pet store instead. The salinity of the water is increased gradually.

The cost of these unusual fish ranges from 200 to 2500 rubles, and you can buy them both in pet stores and online.

How to equip it

The ground and decorative elements should not have sharp edges, as fish can gnaw them, which will lead to injury. In addition, their skin is very delicate. The substrate must be dense enough so that waste does not accumulate inside it. These types of fish prefer a sense of privacy, so it's worth using plants and decorations to create secluded spots for them. Stones, driftwood and ceramic elements are ideal.To form a natural thicket, it is acceptable to place the plants thicker.

Once a week it is necessary to replace one fourth of the water in the aquarium, while always adding s alt. In addition, any waste found at the bottom should be removed as it will lead to pollution and acidification of the water, which is not good for the fish.

What to feed the fish

The diet of ball fish in nature usually consists of snails and shells. Their teeth are constantly growing, so it's important to give them something to chew on or they'll get sick and lose their appetite. Avoid feeding live food from natural waters as it may be contaminated with diseases or parasites.

Alternatively, it is allowed to feed them frozen food, sea fish and shrimp meat, boiled liver pieces. If you see fish consuming the plants in the tank, then adding vegetables to their diet will be helpful.

Dry food should not be given as it can cause illness or death in fish. Feeding should be done once a day for two minutes; more than that is too much for them.

How to breed

Some tetraodons are not bred in captivity; they are obtained by catching from their natural habitat.

These fish are ready to breed at the age of one year. It is best to keep breeding tetraodons in a separate one hundred liter tank, which has plants and hiding places for two potential parents. If there is a larger aquarium, it is acceptable to keep two females and one male, however it is not recommended to keep two males in the same aquarium, as they will fight for territory and mates, which usually leads to death.

Javan moss is perfect for covering the day in a breeding tank. To encourage spawning, feed them shellfish or meat and raise the water temperature to 27-30 degrees Celsius.

When two fish mate, they usually follow a certain pattern of behavior.The male pursues the female for a long period until both come to an understanding. Then they will go to a secluded place where the female will lay eggs, which will be immediately fertilized by the male. She lays up to five hundred eggs at a time.

The male himself looks after the eggs for eight to ten days until the fry are born. After that, it is better to remove the parents from the aquarium, as they are able to take the offspring for food.

All pufferfish babies have a shell, but at about a month old it disappears, and thorns begin to grow in its place. At this stage, young fish differ from adults only in size and bright coloration.

For the first few days of life, they should be fed live dust, worms, and mashed boiled egg yolk. After a period of one to one and a half months, daphnia and ciliates are added to their diet.

Possible diseases

Tetraodon diseases will have to be de alt with quickly, as delay in treatment will lead to the death of the fish. The most common ailments are:

Anoxia - lack of oxygen; symptom - rapid respiratory movements and open gills; the fish should be transferred to another aquarium rich in oxygen, change the water or turn on aeration.
Cold diseases - due to the low air temperature, the fish become lethargic and lifeless.
Chlorine poisoning - caused by deteriorating water quality, fish become inactive and lose their appetite.
Fungal diseases - growths appear on the skin of fish. The fish should be placed in a separate aquarium, the water should be changed, and everything that the infected individuals have come into contact with should be disinfected.
Disorders of the digestive system is a predator that needs animal food, otherwise it may even die.

Can you cook ball fish

Experts do not recommend cleaning puffer fish yourself, as it contains poisonous tetrodotoxin, which is deadly to humans. If you still want to cook such fish, then it is best to turn to professional chefs with experience and knowledge of how to properly clean and cook it.

As for the most poisonous parts of tetraodon, it is the liver, ovaries and tongue of the fish. For the safe consumption of fish, it is recommended to buy carcasses only from trusted suppliers and restaurants that are licensed to work with this fish.

Poisoning from this fish is called tetrodotoxicosis and can lead to serious he alth problems, including paralysis of the respiratory muscles, unconsciousness and death. Tetraodon venom is one of the strongest in the world.If the fish is not properly cooked, the poison will remain in the body and cause poisoning.

Symptoms of fish poisoning include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of sensation and muscle weakness. If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately seek medical help.