The Congo Puffer is one of the most remarkable species of freshwater puffer fish at all. The strictly solitary living species is a predator. It prefers to spend the day completely burrowed in sand. Only the mouth and the eyes peep out of the lair. If a potential prey comes along the puffer shoots out of the sand and bites the poor victim‘s belly off. Later the complete fish becomes eaten.

 

The ability to change the coloration is also remarkable. They can be brick red (as on the photos), but they can also be black, grey with black dots or marbled olive green. The puffer uses this ability in case no sandy bottom is available. In this case the fish simply mimics a stone.

 

The maximum length of Tetraodon miurus is about 15 cm. It is necessary to keep this species in a single-species tank as a single individual. This tank, however, can be comparatively small, for the puffer does not swim a lot.

 

For our customers: the fish have code 191303 (6-8 cm) and 191305 (9-12 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade. Available in very limited numbers only! Order Today!

 

Common name: Congo Puffer

 

Lexicon: Tetraodon: means "with four teeth". miurus: means "curtailed".

 

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer