Tag Archives: Tetraodon

Tetraodon schoutedeni

10. December 2021

In the 1960s Tetraodon schoutedeni was one of the most common freshwater puffers in the trade. Also the breeding of the animals succeeded regularly. The fish are free spawners without brood care. But the civil war in Congo changed the situation drastically and even nowadays catchers are reluctant to go to the occurrence areas of the species.

We are happy that now once again we succeeded in importing some animals. The fish are about 4-6 cm long, fully grown they are 7-10 cm. Males often remain smaller, seem to be more contrastingly colored and have longer snouts, but overall the sex differences are not particularly distinct. Tetraodon schoutedeni, also known as the Leopard Pufferfish, is considered one of the most peaceful pufferfishes, but one must always keep in mind with pufferfishes that they are individualists. Leopard Pufferfish are pure freshwater dwellers.

For our customers: the animals have code 191603 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale. 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pao abei (formerly: Tetraodon or Monotrete abei)

10. December 2021

In Southeast Asia a group of freshwater puffers exists that is extremely difficult to tell apart on a specific level. They are called the Eyespot-Puffers or the Pao-leiurus-complex. These puffers live in streams and rivers, some also in ponds and lakes, always in pure freshwater.

Among the most enigmatic species is Pao abei, which has been described scientifically in 1998 from the Mekong river in Laos. Preserved specimens are very dark, almost black, with tiny yellow or orange spots. This was exactly how the freshly collected fish looked on the photos that were sent to us by our supplier from Thailand! But the very same fish he sent look very different when kept in aquaria. This is the tricky thing with freshwater puffers: they can change their coloration very fast and very drasticallly. Additionally every individual has a slightly different pattern. There are only very few constant anatomical features that allow a determination, most of them overlap in the different species. So, do the fish we could recently import – they have a size of 7-10 cm – really belong to the species Pao abei? Who knows… Anyway, they are beautiful and interesting fish!

For our customers: the fish have code 461245 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Leiodon cutcutia THAILAND

24. July 2019

The first tropical freshwater puffer fish, which was imported in 1903 for aquaristics and soon bred, was the common or emerald puffer fish, at that time still known as Tetraodon cutcutia. The species remains quite small with a maximum length of 9 cm, is attractively colored and easy to keep, but unpredictably biting against conspecifics and other fish, which is why it is only rarely on offer.

L. cutcutia was described scientifically from the Ganges in India, from where the imports usually also take place. Since this is a pure freshwater species that even avoids brackish water, it is amazing that L. cutcutia also occurs in Thailand, although India and Thailand are separated by mountains that are insurmountable for freshwater fish by land. According to Thai nature guides, L. cutcutia only occurs in the extreme south of the country in the Malay Peninsula.

We have now received a nice number of this puffer fish from Thailand. As typical for the glow-eye puffer fish, the animals can change their colouring drastically. 

For our customers: the animals have code 461403 on our stocklist. Please note that we only deliver to wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Dichotomyctere ocellatus (formerly: Tetraodon biocellatus)

29. March 2019

The green pufferfish (genus Dichotomyctere) are the best known aquarium pufferfish. They are brackish water animals, which, in case they should be cared for in fresh water, paying special attention to their pH value. A pH below 8 does not get them in the long run and the water should be as hard as possible. The easiest way to care for them is in brackish water, 5-10 grams of sea salt/litre are enough.

Dichotomyctere species can sometimes become quarrelsome and then bite off the fins of other fish. One must therefore be a little careful when keeping them in a community tank. It is best to care for them in groups, 6-10 specimens are ideal.

The smallest Dichotomyctere species is D. ocellatus; it becomes only 8 cm long and is extremely pretty. Very early it was confused with the dragon pufferfish (Pao palembangensis) and therefore it can be found in the older literature under the name Tetraodon palembangensis. Of this the common name Palembang puffer remained, but it is also often called „Figure Eight Puffer“ due to the pattern on the back. 

We currently have very nice specimens in different sizes in stock.

For our customers: the animals have code 262504 (4-5 cm) and 262505 (5-6 cm, these are the photographed specimens) on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Pao suvattii (= Tetraodon suvattii)

1. February 2019

This freshwater pufferfish originates from the rivers of Thailand. Here it imitates stones and lurks for clueless feeder fish. In the aquarium it can be easily fed by large pieces of frozen food given by a forceps. The fish becomes around 12-15 cm long and looks very much alike the African cousin Tetraodon miurus. However, the always visible V on the back makes Pao (formerly placed in Tetraodon) suvattii unmistakable.

For our customers: the fish have code 461554 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer