TankBud

Fahaka puffer

Tetraodon lineatus

Also known as Nile puffer, Banded puffer, Lineatus puffer

FreshwaterFish

Fahaka puffer (Tetraodon lineatus)
Earedien · Public domain

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
17.7 in
45 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Tankmates
Species tank only
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Native to the Nile and other major African river systems including the Niger, Volta and Senegal, among vegetated riverbanks.

Overview

The Fahaka puffer is a large African river puffer that needs a tank to itself. Only an experienced keeper should take one on.

Did you know

Fahaka puffers are famous for their personalities. The Fahaka puffer is an intelligent fish that learns to recognize its keeper and will follow them around the room. It also defends its tank so fiercely that almost no tank mate survives.

Caring for the Fahaka puffer

Give a Fahaka puffer a tank of its own, at least 119 gal (450 L) for an adult, with strong filtration. Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. It is very sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, so keep the water spotless.

Its beak of four fused teeth grows constantly. Feed hard-shelled foods such as snails, mussel, prawn and crab to grind it down.

The Fahaka puffer is highly aggressive and will attack almost any tank mate. Keep only one per tank, with no other fish.

Good to know

Tetraodon lineatus belongs to the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae. Its striped body brightens when it is active. It can inflate its body with water as a defense, and it carries tetrodotoxin in its tissues.

In the wild

The Fahaka puffer is native to the Nile and other major African river systems, including the Niger, Volta and Senegal. It patrols vegetated riverbanks there, crushing snails and shellfish.

Common questions

What size tank does a Fahaka puffer need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Fahaka puffer need?

A Fahaka puffer is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

What does a Fahaka puffer eat?

A Fahaka puffer eats hard-shelled foods such as snails, mussel, prawn and crab. Crunching them grinds down its ever-growing beak.

How big does a Fahaka puffer get?

An adult Fahaka puffer reaches about 17.7 in (45 cm).

Related species