![]() The first thing to check is that your fish is still eating a stressed puffer that is eating can easily be saved! This is referred to as “glass-surfing” and indicates that the fish is bored and stressed. If you find your fish is swimming up and down the side of the tank, you should be concerned. You can also add plenty of driftwood and rocks to keep your puffer occupied. A full list of brackish plants can be found here. Luckily, some of the easiest plants in the hobby can actually withstand relatively high salt levels and will do fine. Believe it or not, there are many different brackish plants from which to choose to keep your puffer entertained and comfortable in a natural setting. Like all puffers, figure 8’s are very easily bored and require a densely planted and well-decorated tank with a sandy substrate. One of the trickiest parts of owning these fish is getting the water chemistry right, which we will discuss later. These puffers need heavy filtration, as they produce a lot of waste and are messy eaters. Figure 8 puffer tank requirementsĪlthough they’re one of the easier puffer species to keep, figure 8 puffers (and most pufferfish except for the tiny dwarf puffer) are not a great choice for beginner aquarists, as they require relatively specific care.įor a single figure 8 puffer, an aquarium of at least 30 gallons (113.6 liters) or a 20-gallon (75.7 liters) long tank is required. Unfortunately, because their exact needs aren’t entirely known and, therefore, rarely met, many aquarium fish do not make it to this age. Surprisingly, these little puffers can live to be 15 years old! Though small, these feisty fish can last a long time. If you’re really having difficulty telling these species apart, make sure to go to a reputable seller that can tell you their scientific names. Interestingly, this fish can close and blink its eyes, which arguably adds to its curious pufferfish personality!įigure 8’s are sometimes confused with young Ceylon puffers ( Tetraodon fluviatilis) or green spotted puffers ( Tetraodon nigroviridis), though you can tell the difference by looking at the shapes and concentrations of their black spots or bands. Like other puffers, the figure 8 has a beak mouth that allows them to crush through shells and other invertebrates. ![]() Their common name, figure 8, is derived from the eight-shaped marking on their heads. These fish have a creamy white belly, yellow body, and black markings. Their appearance is quite striking and earns them their name. With a maximum size of around 4 inches (10.2 centimeters), figure 8 puffers stay relatively small. However, because the Mekong River meets and mixes with the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea, it’s likely that these puffers mostly occur in mainly brackish waters. There, they prefer calm waters in estuaries, mangrove forests, and small streams.Īs we’ll discuss later, it has not fully been determined yet if the figure 8 puffer is a freshwater or brackish water puffer like other species in areas of rivers that are close to saltwater, these puffers probably migrate to different salinities based on seasons and mating. These fish have been studied in the Mekong River throughout Cambodia, as well as in Malaysia and Indonesia. Not much is known about the figure 8 fish’s natural habitat, which is why there is some controversy about how these puffers are best kept within in the aquarium hobby. Now, there are only six species in the Dichotomyctere genus, including fresh- and brackish water species from South and Southeast Asia. T etraodon biocellatus, though technically outdated is still how they are usually classified even though they have been moved to Dichotomyctere ocellatus. Scientifically, things get a little more confusing. These fish will usually be labeled as figure 8 puffers in pet stores, but you might also see them for sale as figure eight puffers or eyespot puffers. The figure 8 puffer has many names, both scientific and common ones. If you’re looking for a freshwater fish, check out our guide on strictly freshwater pufferfish species here. Note: Figure 8 puffers belong in brackish tanks. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about figure 8 pufferfish, what water conditions they need, and how to keep one of these entertaining fish in your aquarium! Though their size requirements are minimal, these fish can be more difficult for beginner hobbyists due to their brackish tank and dietary requirements. This smaller species of puffer is extremely popular and can bring life and excitement to tanks that might not have a large floorplan. Pufferfish are known for their fun and boisterous personalities in the aquarium hobby, making the figure 8 puffer a popular choice for beginners and more advanced hobbyists.
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