All fish / Tetraodontidae

Green pufferfish

Dichotomyctere fluviatilis

Also known as green puffer, green spotted puffer, ceylon puffer, topaz puffer, tetraodon fluviatilis, spotted puffer, gsp, ปักเป้าจุด, buntal hijau, ミドリフグ, 绿河豚, 金娃娃

This is a rounded puffer with a green to yellowish back covered in dark spots and a plain white belly. Keepers like it for its lively, curious behaviour and the way it seems to recognise its owner. It can puff itself up with water when it feels threatened.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Best kept alone or as a group in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shellfish, shrimp, bloodworm and other hard-shelled meaty foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

South and Southeast Asia: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar

Breeding

Females lay eggs on a hard, flat surface and one parent guards them until they hatch. Captive breeding is rare and poorly documented.

Good to know

Although often sold as a freshwater fish, adults need brackish water to stay healthy over the long term. It nips the fins of tankmates, and its teeth keep growing, so it needs hard-shelled foods such as snails to wear them down.