All fish / Tetraodontidae

Pao baileyi

Pao baileyi

Also known as hairy puffer, bailey's puffer, tetraodon baileyi, sabretooth puffer, mekong puffer, hairy pufferfish, ปักเป้าขน, テトラオドン・バイレイ, 毛河豚, 贝氏河豚

It is a stocky ambush puffer with mottled, rock-like colouring and small skin filaments that give it a hairy look. It spends long periods sitting still among rocks, and keepers value its odd appearance and its personality at feeding time.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Best kept alone

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shrimp, earthworms, mussels and other meaty foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong basin in Laos, Thailand and Cambodia

Breeding

There are few or no reliable reports of it breeding in home aquariums. Almost all fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

It bites tankmates and should be kept alone in a single-species tank. Feed it hard-shelled snails often so its teeth do not overgrow, and be careful when handling it because it can bite hard.