Dwarf pufferfish

Carinotetraodon travancoricus

Also known as Pea puffer

FreshwaterFish

Dwarf pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) — Chunbin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–82°F; 22–28°C
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in; 3.5 cm
Minimum tank: 15 gal; 55 L

Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Shoaling
Tankmates: With caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Family: Tetraodontidae
Origin: India

Overview

A curious, territorial little fish that holds the midwater and constantly investigates its surroundings. It is mostly peaceful but can be nippy, so it usually does best in a species tank, with at least 55 liters for a small group and lots of plants to break up territories. It wants meaty live and frozen foods like bloodworms and small snails, and snails help keep its growing beak worn down. Watch males, which get scrappy with each other.

In the wild

Dwarf puffers come from slow, weedy freshwater in southwestern India, especially Kerala, in rivers, lakes, and floodplains full of plants, roots, and leaf litter. This is fully freshwater, with no need for any salt despite the puffer reputation. Give them a planted tank with plenty of cover and sightline breaks, slightly acidic to neutral water, and warmth in the mid to high 20s C.

Good to know

This is one of the smallest pufferfish, in the family Tetraodontidae, reaching only about 2.9 cm. It is a true freshwater puffer, unlike many relatives that need brackish water. Breeding is hard in the home tank. It is considered vulnerable in the wild because of habitat loss and heavy collection for the aquarium trade.

Did you know

Each eye moves on its own, so a dwarf puffer can watch two directions at once while it hunts. They are sharp-eyed predators that pick off tiny snails and worms one at a time, almost like they are aiming.