A poorly puffer fish which was donated to Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium has delighted staff by piling on the pounds over the festive period.
When he arrived at the Towan Promenade aquarium after being donated, along with several other tropical marine fish, Trevor the white-spotted puffer fish was looking decidedly under the weather.
He was extremely thin and his general condition was not good. However, within weeks of settling in to a temporary new home in the aquarium’s quarantine area his weight increased significantly and he became much more active.
His condition is now so good there are plans for him to be transported to Newquay’s sister Blue Reef Aquarium in Tynemouth to move in to a spacious ocean display – alongside a quartet of other puffer fish.
Blue Reef Aquarium’s Steve Matchett said: “When Trevor first came in we were surprised to see just how thin he was.
“However ‘Skinny Trevor’ has now returned to a normal happy plump shape after some TLC from our aquarist team and will soon be going on display at our sister aquarium in Tynemouth.
“Frankly it’s remarkable how well he has responded to treatment and you only have to look at him now, compared to when he first came in, to see what a difference there is in his condition,” he added.
Found in the Red Sea and throughout the Indo-Pacific, the white-spotted puffer can reach lengths of up to half-a-metre when fully grown.
As its name suggests the fish is light grey in colour and covered with numerous small white spots. Individuals are usually solitary and tend to become most active after dark.
In the wild their diet includes sponges, corals, crustaceans, starfish and sea urchins.
While recovering at the aquarium Trevor was fed a mixture of fresh fish, squid, crab and prawns.
Issued by Blue Reef. For more information and to arrange interviews please contact Steve Matchett on 01637 878134.
