From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Dwarf Pufferfish
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 6.8 – 8
- Min. tank size
- 40 L
- Lifespan
- 4-5 years
- Diet
- carnivore
- Care level
- moderate
Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. That describes the wild population — the criteria cover only wild populations inside their natural range, and captive-bred fish are not assessed. Almost all stock in the trade is wild-caught from that population.
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Carinotetraodon travancoricus |
| Family: | Tetraodontidae |
| Origin: | South Asia (rivers and lakes of Kerala, southwestern India) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | carnivore |
| Max Size: | 3.50 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | aggressive |
| Min Group: | Can be kept alone |
| Varieties: | No cultivated strains. There is no albino, no long-finned form and no colour selection — every dwarf puffer in the trade is a wild-type fish, and almost every one is wild-caught. It is sold under several names: dwarf puffer, pea puffer, pygmy puffer, Malabar puffer and Indian dwarf puffer, all for the same species. Natural variation exists in the depth of the yellow and the pattern of dark blotching, and males in display darken substantially, but none of it constitutes a strain. Two relatives are sometimes confused with it. The red-eye or red-tail dwarf puffer, Carinotetraodon irrubesco, and the crested puffer, C. lorteti, are both larger and are separate species. Fish sold as "South American puffers" (Colomesus asellus) are also fully freshwater but reach around 8 cm and are a different proposition entirely. The point worth repeating is the sourcing. The species is IUCN Vulnerable with aquarium collection named as the principal threat, so captive-bred stock — which does exist, from specialist breeders — is the responsible choice where you can find it. |
| Lifespan: | 4-5 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Low
- Min Tank:40 L
- Substrate:Sand or fine gravel; densely planted with sightline-breaking cover
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Moderate (clean, stable water)
Dwarf Pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) is a species of fish in the family Tetraodontidae. It is native to South Asia (rivers and lakes of Kerala, southwestern India). The dwarf puffer is probably the smallest pufferfish in the trade — a maximum of 3.5 cm, with most individuals under 2.5 cm — and it has more personality per centimetre than anything else in fresh water. The eyes swivel independently, it watches the room, and it hunts. It is endemic to rivers, lakes and estuaries in Kerala and southern Karnataka, in the Western Ghats of southwestern India. It is one of only 27 tetraodontid species adapted to fresh water, and it is strictly freshwater — it is not a brackish fish and does not need salt. It is also listed by the IUCN as Vulnerable. The threats are damming, deforestation, pollution and, primarily, overfishing for the aquarium trade. Essentially every dwarf puffer in a shop is wild-caught from a vulnerable population, which is worth knowing before buying one. Its teeth grow continuously, which dictates the whole feeding regime.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- aggressive
- Keep in
- Can be kept alone
- Swims
- middle
- Fin nipper
- Yes
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Dwarf Pufferfish
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