Blue Arathron Puffer?

Blue Arothron puffers do not exist. Those others posted appear to be blue but it's the lighting that causes that effect.
 
There is the possibility that this could be a rescue specimen that was taken in from a private owner that couldn't care for it any longer or someone in the wholesale chain offered it to Old Town to get it out of 'hang-around' holding stock.

I see some abrasion just above it's mouth, the type of injury seen in fish kept in tanks that pace against tank panels because the tank is too small. It could have occurred in the wild but that injury is large and looks like it hasn't had any time to heal.
 
The dyed color doesn't last the fish's lifetime. Generally it shortens the fish's lifespan by most of it's years. Especially, since a puffer should easily live into it's late teens.
 
Pufferpunk said:
The dyed color doesn't last the fish's lifetime. Generally it shortens the fish's lifespan by most of it's years. Especially, since a puffer should easily live into it's late teens.
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Thats horrible . But at same time poor thing deserves a good home to live out his shortened life dont it. Or should it be doomed to live in. A lfs rest of its life or be destroyed. Serious question whats the right thing to do. On one hand if somebidy buys its suporrting bad things on second hand if nobody buys it its sad . It didnt asked to be dyed its a moral deleama
 
You can't scientifically prove it's a dyed fish from a photo. Let's say it was dyed. I would have great respect for the LFS if they explained the situation. Something like:

"This specimen has been subjected to a harmful artificial color morph process by a source unrelated in any way to this store. An ignorant but very small minority within the ornamental fish trade assume that livestock subjected to this process is somehow perceived as being more valuable. To an overwhelming majority of pet fish dealers, this is not the case. This artificial color morphing process compromises the specimen's natural life span. It has arrived in this condition to this LFS as a means of last resort. Normally this LFS would refuse to sell livestock that shows evidence of harmful or cruel treatment during it's acquisition into captivity. We are making an extraordinary exception for this specimen because of it's size and the delightful pet-fish behavior typically exhibited by this species. This LFS will attempt to find a good home for a very deserving victim of animal cruelty. This specimen is being sold at a greatly reduced price. The buyer must be willing and able to provide best care for this animal during the remainder of it's life."
 
madjoe said:
Thats horrible . But at same time poor thing deserves a good home to live out his shortened life dont it. Or should it be doomed to live in. A lfs rest of its life or be destroyed. Serious question whats the right thing to do. On one hand if somebidy buys its suporrting bad things on second hand if nobody buys it its sad . It didnt asked to be dyed its a moral deleama
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It is a bit of a moral dilemma, but as harsh as it may be, I'd say leave it there and don't buy it. Yes the damage is done, and yes it deserves a good home, but at the end of the day I'd vote for the greater good, which is voting with your dollars against dyed fish. If the LFS wanted to do the fish "right" with respect to the problem you bring up, they would donate it to someone willing and eager to care for the beautiful fish. That said, I would not expect that either - it would be an unusual business move.

Skimmo, you're right to a point, we can debate whether someone decided to photoshop the hell out of it, or if it is a dyed fish, but not come to any real conclusion without seeing the fish in person. I'm not familiar with the LFS in question, and don't pretend to know the background on the fish, nor their motivation for advertising with either a dyed fish or a blatantly treated photo. If a LFS had some disclaimer like you mention, then great.
 
madjoe said:
Thats horrible . But at same time poor thing deserves a good home to live out his shortened life dont it. Or should it be doomed to live in. A lfs rest of its life or be destroyed. Serious question whats the right thing to do. On one hand if somebidy buys its suporrting bad things on second hand if nobody buys it its sad . It didnt asked to be dyed its a moral deleama
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WOW, when the heck did you get so logical....there is proof of regeneration here. Very well said, I'm always stumped by this.
 
tkh said:
It is a bit of a moral dilemma, but as harsh as it may be, I'd say leave it there and don't buy it. Yes the damage is done, and yes it deserves a good home, but at the end of the day I'd vote for the greater good, which is voting with your dollars against dyed fish. If the LFS wanted to do the fish "right" with respect to the problem you bring up, they would donate it to someone willing and eager to care for the beautiful fish. That said, I would not expect that either - it would be an unusual business move.

Skimmo, you're right to a point, we can debate whether someone decided to photoshop the hell out of it, or if it is a dyed fish, but not come to any real conclusion without seeing the fish in person. I'm not familiar with the LFS in question, and don't pretend to know the background on the fish, nor their motivation for advertising with either a dyed fish or a blatantly treated photo. If a LFS had some disclaimer like you mention, then great.
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We can revolt all we can, finally there will be a newbie with deep pockets that will get the fish & support more of this kind of inhumane practices. It is the LFS that needs to have the ethics to stop supporting this.
 
That's the reality in a nutshell. It will get out of the store. No laws I know of that ban that kind of animal from being sold. If they want to go from the LFS that supplied livestock to Shedd to the LFS that sells molested fish, then sh-t has really changed there.
 
Just like all the idiots still buying puppies at pets shops, supporting puppy mills, thinking these puppies still deserve a home... :/
 
thinkfuture said:
WOW, when the heck did you get so logical....there is proof of regeneration here. Very well said, I'm always stumped by this.
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Im always logical but usually just get straight to the point. Im actually smarter then most dumber then some . Just dont have the patients to argue with logic physical force works faster.
 
Pufferpunk said:
Just like all the idiots still buying puppies at pets shops, supporting puppy mills, thinking these puppies still deserve a home... :/
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I hate puppy mills and dyed fish . But at the same time i do believe its not the animals fault and still deserve a good home no matter what. I believe they need to make laws making it illegal to sell the enhanced fish and puppy mills need to be shut down and fined . But at the same time the animals deserve a good life too . So it is a moral deliema for me at least . Its just a all around sad situation that i wish never existed but unfortunitly it does.
 
I am the owner of Old Town Aquarium, and I guarantee that the fish in discussion is not at all dyed. It is a wild collected specimen from Sri Lanka. A few others of these fish showed up at a smaller size in California about 10 years ago. The fish looks a little more royal blue in the picture than in person. It tends to shift color through out the day depend on lighting. Sometimes it is a slate/blue and more bluish at other times. I have spoken with many of the nations famous and leading aquarists/biologists and it is unclear if this is a new species or a rare color morph. Quick glance in person and there is no doubt about the fact that this fish is not dyed.
 
Thanks for your input, i was about to call Old town to ask about the clown being dyed. So how much i the puffer going for?
 
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