TankBud

Greenbottle puffer

Auriglobus nefastus

Also known as Golden puffer, Nefastus puffer, Emerald puffer

FreshwaterFish

Greenbottle puffer (Auriglobus nefastus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.1 in
13 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Sundaland rivers

Overview

The greenbottle puffer is a fast, restless puffer that works the open water. It suits a keeper who has moved past the easiest fish.

Did you know

The greenbottle puffer's species name, nefastus, means wicked or inauspicious in Latin. The name suits a fast, sharp-beaked puffer with a reputation for shredding the fins of anything it can catch.

Caring for the greenbottle puffer

Give one adult greenbottle puffer a tank of at least 66 gal (250 L). Unlike the sit-and-wait puffers, it patrols the middle water almost constantly and needs room to swim. Add driftwood, but leave plenty of open swimming space.

Keep the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), mildly acidic to neutral, at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Give it moderate to strong flow and strong filtration. Keep the water clean and stable, with low nitrate.

Its beak grows for life. Feed shell-on foods such as snails, prawn and mussel to keep it blunt, along with other meaty items.

The greenbottle puffer is a determined fin-nipper, so keep it alone. It will not settle with its own kind and is a serious risk to tank mates. A species tank is the sensible default. Aquarium breeding is not recorded.

Good to know

The greenbottle puffer belongs to the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae, and it is also sold as the golden puffer. It has a metallic green to gold color.

In the wild

The greenbottle puffer lives in the rivers of Sundaland in Southeast Asia, in flowing, well-oxygenated water.

Common questions

What size tank does a greenbottle puffer need?

A greenbottle puffer needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a greenbottle puffer need?

A greenbottle puffer is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a greenbottle puffer eat?

A greenbottle puffer eats shell-on foods such as snails, prawn and mussel, with other meaty items. The shells keep its ever-growing beak blunt.

How big does a greenbottle puffer get?

An adult greenbottle puffer reaches about 5.1 in (13 cm).

Related species