Mary Allen
The behavior, to which the pufferfish owe their colloquial name, is impressive: they “inflate” themselves into balls in a flash for self-defense purposes. But not only because of this and because of their poisonous interior, but the predatory fish should also be “enjoyed” with caution. The fish have a pronounced territorial behavior and are better suited to being kept individually, only a few species are considered to be more compatible with one another. Small pufferfish species such as the dwarf or isopod pufferfish are best kept in the home aquarium.
What is a Pufferfish?
The term “pufferfish” includes 25 species of fish with a total of around 200 subspecies of all conceivable sizes. Compared to streamlined fish, pufferfish appear stocky and plump. They have no pelvic fins and only a short tail. Nevertheless, they are agile swimmers and can even move backward.
Pufferfish come in a diverse range of colors and patterns. Their skin is smooth and covered with spined scales that lie flat when at rest. They are predatory fish that – like moray eels and sunfish – belong to the bony fish family. The animals have strong, constantly growing teeth, whose rows of teeth have fused into a beak-like structure. The fish can even bite people with it.
Pufferfish are distributed around the globe. Some species live in tropical marine areas, others inhabit freshwater – for example, the Amazon or the Congo Basin – or thrive in the brackish water of estuaries. Such habitat can also be recreated in an aquarium for some small puffer species.
Are Pufferfish Poisonous?
Many types of pufferfish carry the nerve toxin tetrodotoxin in their intestines, which is life-threatening for humans even in small doses. It is assumed that the fish do not produce the poison themselves, but synthesize it from bacteria. However, the risk of poisoning only exists if the fish entrails are eaten. An aquarist does not face any danger when caring for his pets.
What’s the Deal with the Spherical Shape?
When frightened or threatened, pufferfish can “inflate” themselves in a very short time by sucking water into an extension of their stomach. The fish gains enormous volume in a flash. At the same time, the spines are spread out. This unexpected change in size is intimidating, larger predators cannot grab the fish due to the balloon shape and the tips.
As impressive as the animal’s defensive behavior is: You should never deliberately provoke puffer fish in the aquarium in order to trigger it. Each “inflating process” stresses the fish.
Which Pufferfish are Suitable for the Aquarium?
In the pet sector, the most common and uncomplicated are small pufferfish for freshwater tanks. Popular puffer species for aquarium keeping are Carinotetraodon travancoricus and Colomesus asellus.
The Dwarf Pufferfish
Carinotetraodon travancoricus, known in this country under the names pea puffer and (Indian) dwarf puffer, is freshwater and occasionally brackish water resident. Its natural habitat is rivers, freshwater lakes, and canals in southwest India and Sri Lanka. There he prefers to stay in places with little current and dense aquatic vegetation, where he can hide and retreat.
With a maximum size of only three centimeters, the pea puffer is the smallest pufferfish. With its dark markings on a yellow background, it has an attractive appearance. Its color changes in intensity when it is courting or trying to impress rivals. It doesn’t appear to be particularly aggressive by pufferfish standards. Nevertheless, the pea pufferfish should not be socialized with other fish species in the aquarium. However, pea pufferfish can be kept as pairs or in a small group of one male and several females in a sufficiently large species tank in which each fish can occupy its own territory.
For your orientation: As the absolute minimum size for keeping a pair of pea pufferfish, the tank must have a capacity of at least 54 liters and be 60 centimeters long. Keep in mind that pufferfish are very agile and swim around vigorously. The more space they have, the more comfortable they feel.
The water in the pool should have a pH between 6 and 8.5 and a water hardness between 5° and 20° dGH. The temperature should be between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. With good care, the dwarf pufferfish can live up to five years.