Husbandry Information:
Relishes all kinds of shellfish, as well as worms and other live and frozen foods. It should be fed snails and unshelled shellfish (such as crab legs, prawns etc.) regularly, in order to maintain its sharp teeth. As with other puffers, these grow continuously and become a problem for the fish if they’re not kept ground down
Compatibility:
Can be kept in a community tank but caution should be exercised when choosing tankmates, as it tends to nip the fins of slow-moving or long-finned fish. In freshwater, it does well with fast-moving species such as characins, rasboras and barbs. In a brackish community, tankmates can include Monos, bumblebee gobies and salt-tolerant Chanda species.
Although it will live in the company of conspecifics in a suitably large tank, studies have shown that specimens kept singly usually live much longer in captivity. If you want to keep more than one, try to buy at least four fish so that any aggression is dissipated between the group.
Temperature: 72-79°F (22-26°C)
pH: 6.5-7.5
Hardness: 5-12°H
Max Adult Size: 3.2″ (8.0cm)