Congo Puffer
Tetraodon miurus
- Care level
- Advanced
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 68 litres
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C
Species profile
Cochin Puffer
Pao cochinchinensis
Common names: Cochin Puffer, Fang's Puffer
Recognized speciesPufferfish
Adult size
Up to 7 cm
Up to 7 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A single fish in a small planted tank
Think carefully if
- You want tankmates
- You also keep shrimp or snails you want to protect, because this puffer will eat them
A small Mekong puffer with a red spot towards the rear. It is aggressive for its size, so it should be kept alone.
Appearance and Identification
A small, rounded puffer with mottled colouring and a red spot towards the rear of the body.
Species of Pao can be hard to identify, so check adult markings. Seriously Fish gives 7 cm, while FishBase records 11.3 cm.
Unknown.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 80–120 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 50–75 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 40 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 45 cm
- Minimum group size
- 1
- Recommended group size
- 1
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Low
Provide plants, wood and places to hide, with gentle flow. Going larger than the minimum is wise if your fish keeps growing.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A watchful fish that stays near cover, and is aggressive for its size.
Keep alone. It should never be kept in groups.
Very aggressive towards its own kind.
Keep alone. Its beak can bite chunks from other fish. It will eat shrimp and snails.
Water Parameters
Moderately hard freshwater. Some habitats are slightly brackish, but salt is not usually needed.
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 and mussels in the shellEssential. Crushing shells wears down the beak, which never stops growing.
- Crab legs, prawns and cocklesFeed unshelled where you can, for the same reason.
- EarthwormsA useful meaty food, and many puffers take them readily.
A carnivore. Feed snails and shellfish in the shell, plus worms and frozen foods.
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
- Difficult
- Parental care
- Paternal care
Has been achieved in aquariums, but little detail is available. The male is reported to provide some care for the brood.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Cambodia, Laos, Southeast Asia, Thailand, Vietnam
- Natural habitat
- Lake, Pond, Slow River
- Aquarium contexts
- Species-Only Aquarium
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Pao
- Family
- Tetraodontidae
- Species group
- Fish, Pufferfish
- Previous scientific names
- Tetraodon cochinchinensis, Former genus, still used in many shops.
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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
Dwarf Puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 2.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 litres
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C