How to Tell if a Green Spotted Puffer Is Pregnant

Saltwater pufferfish have always been intriguing to children and adults alike, but did you know that there are freshwater puffers too? Freshwater and brackish pufferfish are not as common as their salty brethren but are quickly gaining popularity. In this article, we are going to focus on the Pea Puffer, the Spotted Puffer, and the Congo Puffer. All three of which have their own unique care requirements.

Freshwater puffers are known for being very personable, whether you're interested in a large or small setup, there is a puffer out there to brighten up your aquarium!

The Pea Puffer ( Carinotetraodon travancoricus )

At a Glance

Adult Size: 1 inch

Minimum Tank Size: 5-10 gallons

pH: 7.0-8.0

Diet: Carnivore

Behavior: Aggressive and Territorial

Habitat: freshwater​

Water Tempera ture: 76-80°F

Origins

The Pea puffer, also known as the dwarf puffer, is one of the smallest freshwater pufferfish in the trade. This puffer is specific to Southern India and the slow-moving rivers and streams that snake through the area. Due to deforestation and human encroachment, wild Pea Puffers as a species are being threatened. If possible, try to avoid specimens taken from the wild, but this may be difficult since this fish is difficult to breed in captivity.

Color and Appearance

Pea Puffers can vary in color from green and yellow to light brown. They typically have a white or yellow underbelly. All Pea puffers have spots, but the size of those spots can differ from fish to fish. Some have quite fine spots, almost like specs of pepper, while others have larger black spots.

At a quick glance, the fins on pea puffer appear to be non-existent. The fish seem to "hover" through the water. But alas, they do have fins, just large enough to propel them through the near-stagnant waters that they prefer. The dorsal and anal fins appear to be further down the back of this fish than what's typically seen in other species. These fins are way down the back near the tail. The pectoral fins are transparent, tiny, and nearly impossible to see.

The aptly named Dwarf Puffer reaches a max size of only 1 inch! This makes them the only puffer than can tolerate nano aquariums as small as 5 or 10 gallons!

Behavior and Tankmates

Pea puffers are aggressive to any and all species, including other puffers. Because of this, it is best to house them singly if you are new to the species. However, it is possible to house this species in pairs or trios with a ratio of one male to every one or two females. Some keepers have managed to successfully house pea puffers with non-threatening species like loaches and other bottom feeders, but there is always an inherent risk. With this species, I'd play it safe. They're interesting and lively enough to be on their own.

Did you know? Pea Puffers are known for showing interest in what's going on outside of the tank! Plenty of keepers attest to being followed and observed by their little puffy friends!

Tank Setup

The preferred minimum for this species is 10 gallons, especially if you are planning on having a pair or trio of puffers. But, in a pinch, 5 gallons is the absolute smallest you can go for a single puffer. This fish is fully freshwater, unlike other puffers which tend to be brackish. These fish are very sensitive to ammonia and poor water quality. It is imperative to cycle your tank before adding this species to it.

Dwarf Puffers are intelligent and can get bored easily, therefore a heavily planted tank with plenty of opportunities for exploring is needed. Plenty of plant cover is also necessary if keeping multiple puffers together. If they cannot establish their own territories away from each other, the fish can become easily stressed. Hardscape can also add interest.

Driftwood, rocks, and even loose oak sticks from your front yard can all be used to spruce up your aquarium.

Some good, sturdy aquarium plants that you can use include:

• Java Fern
• Java Moss
• Crypts
• Swords
• Bacopa
  

Since these fish come from slow-moving waters, the filter output shouldn't be too strong. The smaller fins on the puffer aren't made to keep up with the large current. Sponge filters work well for this instance. They produce very little current, but a decent amount of surface agitation which helps oxygenate the water.

As for lighting and substrate, these fish aren't picky. All they need is clean water through regular water changes and a vibrant, interesting environment.

Feeding

Feeding time for pea puffers is notoriously messy as these fish only eat live and frozen foods. Small snails seem to be one of their favorite foods. Adding live pest snails like pond, bladder, and ramshorn snails provide your puffer enrichment through hunting. Observing your puffer hunt down and slurp up their prey can be an exciting event.

Live or frozen bloodworms are also a big hit with the pea puffer. White worms (mosquito larvae) and blackworms are known favorites. While worms and snails seem to be favorites, a varied diet is important to the health of any fish, so try feeding brine and mysis shrimp as well!

Flake and pellet food shouldn't be a part of this fish's diet. Not only will the puffer not eat it, but everything a puffer needs in its diet can be found in the live and frozen options listed above. The pea puffer is a carnivore and needs nothing other than animal protein.

Sexing and Breeding

Males of the species tend to have more identifiable markers than females. They will have telltale "wrinkles" behind the eyes and a black line that runs the length of the belly. Males will also typically have a yellower belly than females. The tell-tale eye wrinkles on the male can be seen here:

Pea Puffers will breed on their own when in optimal tank conditions. Water changes are going to be your best friend, and the puffer's. Clean water will induce your puffers to breed as well as provide pristine water for healthy fry.

The second thing needed to successfully breed these puffers is plenty of plant coverage. Pea Puffers spawn and release their eggs all while remaining completely hidden. Without adequate cover, it is unlikely that your fish will breed.

The actual breeding process happens very quickly. The male begins by chasing down and "wooing" a female. The pair will find a spot hidden by vegetation, or maybe even a natural cave. The eggs, once fertilized, are scattered into the plants. The male then chases away the female and tends to the eggs, fanning them with his tail, until they have hatched.

Any adults left in the tank should be removed after the fry have hatched. The young puffers can be fed live infusoria, baby brine shrimp, and micro worms, practically any live food that can fit in the newborn's tiny mouths.

The Spotted Puffer ( Tetraodon nigroviridis )

At a Glance

Adult Size: 6 inches

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons

pH: 8.0

Diet: Omnivorous, mainly meat-based.

Behavior: Aggressive

Habitat: Brackish

Origins

The Spotted Puffer, also known as the Green Spotted puffer, is native to estuaries throughout Southern Asia. This species spends their entire adult lives in brackish water, only going into freshwater to spawn. The young live in freshwater only until they mature, and then they return back to the brackish waters along the coast, living the rest of their lives there.

Color and Appearance

The markings and colors of the Green Spotted Puffer have an uncanny resemblance to that of a leopard. The pale yellow, slightly green, body of this fish is dotted with irregular black spots. The belly is bright white.

A small mouth and two large eyes give this puffer a unique look. Their rounded body is very close to the shape of a blimp, only tapering at the small tail. From a quick glance, The Green Spotted Puffer seems to have no pectoral fins, but they're there! The pectoral fins are very small, translucent, and are only used for steering. Their tail is their sole method of propulsion.

This is one of the larger species of puffer that can reach a size of over 6.5 inches!

Did you know? The Green Spotted Puffer has two ways to protect itself from predators. One: They can inflate their stomachs, making themselves much larger and harder to eat. Two: They secrete natural toxins in their bodies. If a predator is unfazed by their inflatable prey and still tries and goes in for a bite, they will surely regret it!

Behavior and Tankmates

Extremely aggressive and territorial, this puffer is best kept alone. Their strong teeth can take a chunk out of any tankmates. Avoid unnecessary trauma and deaths. Do not house this puffer with any other fish or invertebrates.

Tank Setup

A large tank of at least 55 gallons is what's needed to properly house this puffer. Being a brackish fish, the only way to keep them thriving through their ten-year lifespan is to only keep them in brackish setups. You can get away with a specific gravity as low as 1.005, but you can also go as high as 1.015.

Also a tropical fish, a temperature of 72°F-80°F is required. Having little tolerance for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates, a fully cycled and regularly maintained aquarium is the best way to ensure the health of this animal. They prefer a slightly higher pH of around 8.0.

The Spotted Puffer is a fan of having their own territory, so giving them plenty of plant cover, rocks, and hides gives them many different nooks to call home. Twisted driftwood and roots not only add an interesting look to the tank, but replicate some aspects of their natural environment.

These puffers are notoriously messy eaters! A good HOB (Hang on Back) or canister filter provides both mechanical and biological filtration. That's twice the cleaning power! These filters along with regular water changes will help keep the tank, and the puffer, in tip-top shape! Strong filters also aid in producing a decent current, which replicated the natural water flow they experience in the wild.

Feeding

The diet of wild Green Spotted Puffer consists of invertebrates, mollusks, fish, and small worms and insects. Since all GSP's are wild-caught, it is important to replicate this diet as well as you can. Live options like feeder shrimp and snails provide both a good source of protein and enrichment. Prey with decently strong shells should be offered regularly, as the regular munching will help the ever-growing teeth of the puffer stay at a healthy length.

Frozen options such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp can be fed as well. And since this species is omnivorous, algae and other vegetable matter should be offered on occasion, but not too often as meat-based foods should be the majority of their diet.

Sexing and Breeding

Currently, there are no known ways to distinguish the sexes. Breeding this species in captivity is just as difficult. No hobbyist has managed to successfully breed the Green Spotted Puffer yet. All specimens seen in the trade today are wild-caught.

The Congo Puffer (Tetraodon miurus)

At a Glance

Adult Size: 5-6 inches

Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons

Water Temperature: ​74°F - 80°F

pH: 6.5 - 7.8

Diet: Carnivore

Behavior: Aggressive

Habitat: Freshwater

Origins

As the name suggests, Congo Puffers are found in the Democratic Republic of Congo located in Central Africa. The waters they inhabit have a moderate to strong current and high levels of oxygen. This species is native to freshwater rivers and basins, so no marine salt is needed to keep them.

Common in the wild, but rare in the aquarium trade, you may have trouble finding this fish in store.

Color and Appearance

This specific puffer is not known for its good looks. Their malformed, potato-like shape and colors have earned them the nickname "Potato Pufferfish". Their look serves a purpose, however. Congo Puffers are sit-and-wait predators, and their natural camouflage tricks observant prey. After partially burying themselves in the sand, the congo puffer looks much like a rock or piece of wood covered in algae. The eyes are located on the top of the head. This allows the puffer to see its prey even when buried.

Like the Green Spotted Puffer, the Congo Puffer typically maxes out at a size of 6 inches.

Behavior and Tankmates

Another aggressive puffer, Congo Puffers do best when they are kept solitary. Being an ambush predator, and a voracious one at that, any movement from other fish or invertebrates can lead this puffer to strike.

Tank Setup

A 55-gallon tank is a good starting size for the 6-inch puffer. But bigger is always better! The more room your fish has the more able it is to perform its natural, interesting behaviors. An important component of a quality Congo Puffer tank is a very soft, sand substrate. Since they burrow into the substrate so often, it is paramount that the substrate is soft enough for the fish to easily bury and unbury itself. Sandy substrate also ensures that the puffer won't get injured by jagged rocks and gravel. Pufferfish do not have scales, and therefore they are more susceptible to injury.

A strong filter or powerhead is needed to produce a hearty current and plenty of oxygenation. They are strictly freshwater and prefer a temperature range of 74°F to 80°F. A neutral pH between 6.5 and 7.8 is just right for them.

Again, with all puffers, this species enjoys plenty of cover. Decorating your tank to the point where your fish's line of sight is broken is beneficial to the animal's health. Give your puffer ample opportunities for establishing territories, even when it is kept by itself. Smooth rocks can be also added to the aquarium.

Feeding

This puffer should be fed various crustaceans, inverts, and small fish. Live is best, as the Congo's natural behavior is to pounce upon live prey. Hard-shelled organisms should be fed regularly to avoid overgrown teeth, which if left untreated can leave the fish unable to eat. Snails, shrimp, mollusks, and crabs all satisfy this need.

Frozen foods also provide important nourishment. Here is a complete list of all of the frozen choices that would make a healthy puffer:

• Bloodworms
• White Worms
• Daphnia
• Brine Shrimp
• Mysis Shrimp
• Scallops
• Mussels
• Prawns
• Crab
• Krill
  

Sexing and Breeding

There is no known information regarding sexing a Congo Puffer, nor has anyone successfully bred them in captivity. In the wild, they have been observed to lay their eggs on the surface of flat rocks or directly onto the substrate.

Did you know? Although pufferfish inflate themselves from time to time to avoid predation, you should never try to invoke inflation yourselves. Puffing up is a tiring and risky behavior, and it is only done to protect themselves. Each time a puffer expands it stretches out its stomach and skin. Sometimes this process can go wrong and be fatal.

Know your stuff, don't make them puff!

Closing Thoughts

Fresh and brackish water pufferfish are new to the aquarium hobby, but gaining popularity fast. Each puffer has its own distinct personality. They are true characters. If you've ever wanted a fish that will interact with you through the glass, you've found it! All three of the species listed above would make amazing pets. And heck, maybe one day you can be the one to figure out how to breed them in the aquarium!

Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Is there something we missed? Shoot us a message below! Your feedback is always welcome and appreciated!

How to Tell if a Green Spotted Puffer Is Pregnant

Source: https://fishtankadvisor.com/freshwater-puffer-fish/

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