| Common Names: |
Congo Puffer |
Also Known As: |
|
| Synonyms: |
Tetrodon miurus |
Family: |
Tetraodontidae |
| Origin: |
Congo Basin, Africa |
Main Ecosystem: |
River, occasionally rapids |
| Salinity: |
Freshwater |
Temperament: |
Aggressive |
| PH: |
6.8-7.6 |
Temperature: |
76-84F (24-28C) |
| Maximum Size: |
6 inches (15.2cm) |
Minimum Tank: |
29 Gallons (US) |
| Activity: |
Lurker |
Lifespan: |
5 |
| Gender: |
No sexual dimorphism |
Breeding: |
Unknown |
| Diet: |
They should be fed Krill, crayfish, ghost shrimp (gut-loaded), shell-on shrimp and bloodworms. |
| Care: |
These fish enjoy a sand substrate in which to burrow. It should be as deep as the fish is long to avoid the fish crashing into the bottom of the tank. As with all other puffers, this species should only be introduced into a fully cycled tank as they are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites. They seem to do best alone, but if more than one is going to be kept, the tank should be heavily planted and/or decorated to break line of sight. Because they are very messy eaters, 50% water changes should be done once a week as well as overfiltration to prevent biological overload. |
| Notes: |
It it vital to train this fish to eat dead meaty foods. This can be accomplished by dangling a piece of food, a shrimp/krill for example, from a string in front of the fish and bouncing it lightly to simulate movement. Placing the food in front of the filter on string should also simulate this. Once this is accomplished, the fish will readily accept most frozen or dead foods. They will eat very large amounts of food at a time and because of this they should only be fed every other day while small, reduced to every 2-3 days around 2″, later, reduce to every 3-4 days around 3″, and then once a week around 4 inches. |
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