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Striped red-eye puffer

Carinotetraodon salivator

Also known as Salivator puffer, Zebra puffer

FreshwaterFish

Striped red-eye puffer (Carinotetraodon salivator)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.0–6.8
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Sarawak blackwaters, Borneo

Overview

The striped red-eye puffer is a tiny, aggressive blackwater puffer for a species tank of its own. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The striped red-eye puffer's species name, salivator, refers to a pale blotch on the lower lip that looks like a drop of saliva. The describers used that small detail to tell it apart from its close relatives.

Caring for the striped red-eye puffer

Keep the striped red-eye puffer in a tank of at least 14 gal (54 L), which suits a single fish. Recreate its blackwater home with soft sand, driftwood, leaf litter, dim light and gentle flow, plus plenty of plants and cover. It swims through the middle and lower water. Give it soft, acidic water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 6.8, with low nitrate.

Its beak grows for life, so feed small hard-shelled foods such as pond snails and small shrimp to keep it worn down. Add other small meaty frozen foods as well.

The striped red-eye puffer is aggressive and does not tolerate its own kind, so keep one to a tank. It is risky with tank mates, which makes a small species tank the safe default. Any companions call for real caution.

It shows strong sexual dimorphism, with bold stripes on males and a finer, scribbled pattern on females. Aquarium breeding is seldom recorded.

Good to know

The striped red-eye puffer belongs to Carinotetraodon, the genus of keeled red-eye puffers, in the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae. It is also sold as the salivator puffer or the zebra puffer.

In the wild

The striped red-eye puffer is known only from the peat-stained streams of Sarawak in Borneo. Its home waters include the Lupar, Sarawak and Rajang river systems, where the water is soft, acidic and dark with tannins.

Common questions

What size tank does a striped red-eye puffer need?

A striped red-eye puffer needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a striped red-eye puffer need?

A striped red-eye puffer is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.8.

What does a striped red-eye puffer eat?

A striped red-eye puffer eats small hard-shelled foods such as pond snails and small shrimp, plus other small meaty frozen foods. Its beak grows for life, and the hard shells keep it worn down.

How big does a striped red-eye puffer get?

An adult striped red-eye puffer reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

How can you tell a male striped red-eye puffer from a female?

Males carry bold stripes, while females wear a finer, scribbled pattern.

Related species