Description
This snail-eating fish of fast-moving water is a real character but may nip inappropriate tankmates. Best kept in groups in a well-maintained aquarium
Puffers are fascinating fish in the aquarium hobby because of their unusual, globelike shape and intelligent personalities, but many species grow incredibly large, require brackish water, or are too aggressive to be kept with other tankmates. Fortunately, the Amazon puffer is one of the few freshwater “community puffers” that only grows to 3 inches (7.6 cm) long and can live with other fish. Find out how to care for this amazing oddball and see if it’s the right pufferfish for you.
Colomesus asellus is known by many common names, including the Amazon puffer and South American puffer (SAP). Its golden yellow body is covered with splotchy, dark bands that look like a bumblebee pattern, and it has a white underbelly with a black spot near the base of its tail. The SAP is found all over the Amazon basin and surrounding areas in many different kinds of habitats, ranging from floodplain lakes to rushing rivers.
Because these puffers are fairly active swimmers, we recommend keeping them in at least a 30-gallon aquarium, but 55 gallons would be even better. Because they live in such a wide variety of habitats in the wild, they are quite hardy and can be kept in pH levels of 6.0-8.0, soft or hard water, and 72-82°F (22-28°C).
How many Amazon puffers can you keep in a tank? They are best kept either as an individual or in a group of six or more. If you decide to go with a number somewhere in between, they could start fighting and get into territorial disputes. Add lots of decorations, aquarium plants, and hardscape to block their line of sight and give them interesting areas to explore.
Use tall background plants like vallisneria as moving obstacles for the pufferfish to swim around, thus providing greater enrichment in their environment.
Can Amazon puffers live with other fish? Yes, we consider them to be “community fish” compared to other puffers, but they still have a bit of attitude and sometimes can nip at slower, long-finned fish. Also, they are prone to eating invertebrates like snails and shrimp. Instead, keep them other similar-sized, peaceful fish that are equally as energetic, such mollies, swordtails, larger tetras and rasboras, and dwarf cichlids.
Why do my Amazon puffers keep glass surfing? “Glass surfing” is when a fish repeatedly swims up and down along the tank walls, and it could be caused by stress, boredom, defense of territory, and other reasons. While there is no guaranteed cure for this behavior, many hobbyists have tried covering or painting the tank walls in black to reduce reflection, increasing flow with a powerhead , blocking their favorite corner with tall decorations or plants, adding tannins to the water with catappa leaves to decrease visibility, and feeding different kinds of live foods for them to hunt.
