Puffer – Figure 8 Puffer Fish

Description

Figure 8 Puffer Fish

Figure 8 Puffer Fish

Tetraodon biocellatus
Temp: 75-82° F
KH 8-15
pH 7.0-8.0
Max. Size: 3″
Native to: Asia

The very entertaining Figure 8 Puffer is a dark brown to green on the back w a white underside. These puffers have many yellow lines & spots covering the backside of the fish, and a few black spots that are outlined in yellow on the tail, body and nose giving it a unique look.

Water Parameter Habitat suggestions:  Figure 8 Puffers will live just fine in tropical freshwater and offering doses of marine salt will help improve thyroid function in ALL fish which also improves the vibrancy of color and overall health, These fish will likely live a longer improved life and chance of spawning in a completely brackish environment. Puffers will do great in semi-brackish or periodic brackish water with many freshwater/salt-tolerant plants such as lace java ferns, java ferns, hornwort, tiger lotus red and frogbit. Decorate to create nice habitat with plenty of rocks situated to create sweet little hiding places, and a sandy bottom composed of an aragonite-based sand/gravel which will help keep the pH up. Although they can be kept in freshwater aquaria successfully, spawning will only occur in brackish water and the eggs will be laid on the bottom either on the substrate or on flat rocks. After the eggs are fertilized, the female will re-join her colony while the male will stay behind to guard the eggs for approximately 7 days until the fry become waterborne.

The Figure 8 Puffer can be aggressive to members of its own species when only a few or a couple are housed together. Keeping larger numbers of these puffers together in a colony dramatically decreased aggression and increases your chance of mated pairs. Offering lots of plants to create natural habitat will prove to be successful. The Figure 8 Puffer should be fed crustacean foods such as freeze dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, krill, mollusks & even earthworms from your garden! In a 20 Gallon tank you can happily raise a group of 6-10 Figure 8s with other fish.