Cochin Puffer
Pao cochinchinensis
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 40 litres
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C
Species profile
Bornean Red-eye Puffer
Carinotetraodon borneensis
Common names: Bornean Red-eye Puffer
Recognized speciesPufferfish
Adult size
Up to 4.5 cm
Up to 4.5 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A collector with a planted species tank
- A keeper experienced with small puffers
Think carefully if
- You also keep shrimp or snails you want to protect, because this puffer will eat them
- You need a fish that is easy to find, because it is rarely imported
A small, rarely imported puffer from Sarawak in Borneo. It is less aggressive than some relatives, but males still claim territory.
Appearance and Identification
A small red-eyed puffer. Males are greyish and faintly mottled, with the body colour merging gradually into a whitish belly.
Sometimes sold mixed with the Striped Redeye Puffer, which has distinct dark bars in both sexes. This species does not.
Males are greyish and faintly mottled, with no sharp line between the flank and the belly. Females look different and are plainer.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 110–160 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 50–75 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 54 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 60 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 1
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Very low
- Planting preference
- Heavily planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Probably lives in sluggish edge water among plants, so use dense planting, wood and gentle flow.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Less aggressive than some of its genus, but still a hunter.
Only loosely social. A group can work with enough cover and space.
Males in particular tend to hold territories.
Keep it alone or with peaceful schooling fish of a safe size. It may nip long fins, and it will eat shrimp and snails.
Water Parameters
Soft to moderately hard freshwater. Few water measurements exist for its habitat.
Parameter caveat
Puffers are messy feeders and sensitive to waste, so keep up regular water changes and use a filter rated for a larger tank.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Carnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Snails with the shell onEssential. Crushing shells wears down the beak, which never stops growing.
- Frozen or live worms and shrimpGood everyday variety between shelled meals.
A carnivore. Feed live and frozen meaty foods, with regular snails.
Check the beak regularly. If it overgrows, the fish can no longer eat and the teeth may need to be trimmed by someone experienced.
Breeding
- Breeding difficulty
- Not commonly bred
- Parental care
- Unknown
No aquarium breeding has been recorded. The related Redeye Puffer scatters eggs among plants, and the male guards them.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Malaysia, Southeast Asia
- Natural habitat
- Slow River, Vegetated Shoreline
- Aquarium contexts
- Collector Aquarium, Planted Aquarium, Species-Only Aquarium
- Audience level
- Advanced
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Carinotetraodon
- Family
- Tetraodontidae
- Species group
- Fish, Pufferfish
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Congo Puffer
Tetraodon miurus
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 68 litres
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C
Cross River Puffer
Tetraodon pustulatus
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 30 cm
- Minimum tank
- 540 litres
- Temperature
- 20–28 °C
Dwarf Malabar Puffer
Carinotetraodon imitator
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 2.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C