All fish / Tetraodontidae

Fangs Puffer

Pao suvattii

Also known as arrowhead puffer, mekong puffer, pig-nosed puffer, tetraodon suvattii, monotrete suvattii, fang puffer, suvatti puffer, ปักเป้าหางวงเดือน, スバッティー, 苏氏魨, 箭头魨

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This is a stocky, sandy-brown puffer with an arrow-shaped head and a darker, mottled pattern, and it can lighten or darken its colours to suit its mood. It is an ambush hunter that sits half-buried or hidden among decor waiting for prey. Keepers like it because it has a lot of personality and often learns to recognise its owner.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shrimp, mussels, earthworms and other meaty foods; hard-shelled items help wear the teeth down

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong basin in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia

Breeding

It is a substrate spawner, and the male guards the eggs. Captive spawnings are rare and have mostly happened by chance, so home breeding is very difficult.

Good to know

It will kill or eat any tankmate, so it has to be kept on its own. It is a venomous puffer and should never be eaten, and its constantly growing beak may need trimming if it is not given hard foods.