TankBud

Golden puffer

Auriglobus modestus

Also known as Bronze Puffer, Avocado puffer

FreshwaterFish

Golden puffer (Auriglobus modestus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
22 gal
85 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Borneo

Overview

The golden puffer is a fierce-tempered puffer that is best kept alone in a species tank. It is best for a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

Most puffers are rounded, slow-moving fish. The golden puffer is built like a torpedo instead, and it swims fast in open water.

Caring for the golden puffer

Keep a single golden puffer in a tank of at least 22 gal (85 L), with room to cruise. It is an active swimmer that needs open water as well as cover from driftwood, roots and hardy plants.

Hold the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It likes clean, well-oxygenated water with a moderate current, so use strong but not violent flow and efficient filtration. Like all puffers, it is sensitive to poor water, so stay on top of maintenance.

Its teeth grow constantly, so feed hard-shelled foods such as snails, small shellfish and shell-on shrimp. Add frozen meaty foods alongside them.

The golden puffer is one of the more aggressive freshwater puffers and quick to nip fins. It will not tolerate other fish for long, so do not try community tank mates. Even other golden puffers are risky, since some individuals attack their own kind. Aquarium breeding is undocumented.

Good to know

The golden puffer, also sold as the bronze or avocado puffer, is a member of the family Tetraodontidae. Its back shifts between gold, green and bronze depending on the light. Like all true puffers, it has four fused, beak-like teeth and can inflate with water when threatened. Fish in the trade are wild caught.

In the wild

The golden puffer comes from the fresh waters of Borneo, and it is a pure freshwater fish. It patrols flowing rivers and streams as an active, open-water hunter rather than a lurking ambusher.

Common questions

What size tank does a golden puffer need?

A golden puffer needs at least 22 gal (85 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a golden puffer need?

A golden puffer is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a golden puffer eat?

A golden puffer eats hard-shelled foods such as snails, small shellfish and shell-on shrimp, plus frozen meaty foods. The shells matter because its teeth grow constantly.

How big does a golden puffer get?

An adult golden puffer reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

Related species