All fish / Tetraodontidae

Green Spotted Puffer

Dichotomyctere nigroviridis

Also known as green spotted puffer, gsp, spotted green puffer, green puffer, tetraodon nigroviridis, green spotted pufferfish, leopard puffer, buntal pisang, ミドリフグ, ปลาปักเป้าจุดเขียว, buntal hijau, buntal tutul

A chunky, inflatable puffer with a bright green back covered in black spots and a white belly. It is kept for its curious, interactive personality and its habit of recognising its owner.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Best kept alone; several only in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shrimp, mussels, cockles, bloodworm and krill, with hard shelled foods to wear down the teeth

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

South and Southeast Asia: India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia, Philippines and southern China

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs on a hard surface and the male guards them until they hatch in about a week. Captive breeding is rare and seldom achieved in home aquariums.

Good to know

Although often sold as a freshwater fish, adults need brackish to near marine water and do poorly in fresh water long term. It nips fins, so it is unsuitable for community tanks, and its teeth overgrow without hard shelled foods.