TankBud

Cross River puffer

Tetraodon pustulatus

Also known as Pustulatus puffer, Red-line puffer

FreshwaterFish

Cross River puffer (Tetraodon pustulatus)
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Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
14.2 in
36 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Cross River basin, Nigeria and Cameroon

Overview

The Cross River puffer is a large, aggressive African puffer, kept as a solitary show fish. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The Cross River puffer is one of the rarest freshwater puffers in the hobby, and it is Endangered in the wild. Any adult on sale is a genuinely scarce fish.

Caring for the Cross River puffer

The Cross River puffer grows large and needs a big tank to itself, at least 119 gal (450 L) for an adult. It works the middle and lower water, so leave open swimming room. Give it a soft sand floor, driftwood and some shade.

Keep it warm at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), close to neutral at a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Use steady, strong filtration to keep the water clean and the nitrate very low.

Its strong beak grows continuously. Feed a shellfish-heavy diet of snails, clams, mussel, prawn and crab to wear it down.

The Cross River puffer is aggressive and does not tolerate its own kind, so plan on a single show fish. It will attack tank mates, so treat any companion as a real risk. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The Cross River puffer is a member of the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae and one of the largest freshwater puffers. Tetraodon pustulatus is one of the few species still held in the true genus Tetraodon. Most of its former relatives were moved elsewhere. It is cream-spotted, with red lines along the flank.

In the wild

The Cross River puffer is found only in the Cross River system of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. It lives in clear, shaded rainforest streams and channels.

Common questions

What size tank does a Cross River puffer need?

A Cross River puffer needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Cross River puffer need?

A Cross River puffer is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a Cross River puffer eat?

A Cross River puffer eats a shellfish-heavy diet of snails, clams, mussel, prawn and crab. The hard shells wear down its strong, ever-growing beak.

How big does a Cross River puffer get?

An adult Cross River puffer reaches about 14.2 in (36 cm).

Related species