TankBud

Arrowhead puffer

Pao suvattii

Also known as Tetraodon suvattii, Pignose Puffer, Mekong Arrowhead Puffer

FreshwaterFish

Arrowhead puffer (Pao suvattii)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
Species tank only
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Thailand, Laos

Overview

The arrowhead puffer is an aggressive, solitary ambush predator for a species tank of one. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The arrowhead puffer spends most of its life sitting motionless and half-buried, looking like a lump of debris. It then explodes upward to grab a passing fish or shrimp, and settles back as if nothing happened.

Caring for the arrowhead puffer

Give the arrowhead puffer a deep bed of fine sand so it can bury itself naturally, with only its eyes showing. Add a few flat stones and some roots or bogwood for structure and cover. It is a hefty, inactive fish rather than a swimmer. A single fish suits a tank of at least 26 gal (100 L) with plenty of floor space.

It is a pure freshwater fish that likes calm, warm water and gentle filtration. Keep it at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Keep the water steady and clean, since like all puffers it is sensitive to poor conditions.

Feed meaty foods such as snails, mussel, prawn and earthworms. Include hard-shelled items to keep its teeth worn down.

The arrowhead puffer is aggressive and must be kept strictly alone, since it attacks tank mates and other puffers. It lunges up from the sand at anything that passes.

It has been bred in aquariums, though breeding is hard. The pair spawns in a pit or cave, and one parent guards the eggs until they hatch.

Good to know

The arrowhead puffer, also known as the pignose or Mekong arrowhead puffer, belongs to the family Tetraodontidae. It was long placed in the genus Tetraodon and is now often placed in Pao. It has a broad, flattened head and a dark, arrow-shaped marking on the back that gives the fish its name. Like other puffers, it has four fused, beak-like teeth and can inflate when alarmed.

In the wild

The arrowhead puffer comes from the Mekong and Chao Phraya river systems of Thailand and Laos. It lies half-buried in sandy and muddy riverbeds, waiting to ambush prey.

Common questions

What size tank does an arrowhead puffer need?

An arrowhead puffer needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an arrowhead puffer need?

An arrowhead puffer is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an arrowhead puffer eat?

An arrowhead puffer eats meaty foods such as snails, mussel, prawn and earthworms. Hard-shelled items keep its teeth worn down.

How big does an arrowhead puffer get?

An adult arrowhead puffer reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does an arrowhead puffer breed?

An arrowhead puffer pair spawns in a pit or cave, and one parent guards the eggs until they hatch. It has been bred in aquariums, but breeding is hard.

Related species