Red Eye Red Tailed Puffer (Carinotetraodon irrubesco) CareSheet

The Red Eye Red Tailed Puffer is a real freshwater puffer that prefers warm acidic conditions. It is a seldom encountered dwarf puffer species found in Borneo and Sulawesi. They live in loose aggregations in the wild, although they are not as sociable as some other freshwater puffer species. Aquariums should have calm water, low water movement, and enough of cover in the form of driftwood, aquatic/floating vegetation, or rockwork to mimic their natural environment as nearly as possible. Tannins from botanicals like Indian Almond Leaves assist this species adapt to its new environment in the aquarium. Their unique teeth create a beak, which has to be worn down by hard-shelled food items like freshwater snails or hard-shelled shrimp, in addition to other protein-rich live or frozen prey, as with other freshwater puffers. The Red Eye Red Tailed Puffer is a generally calm species that may be maintained in groups if enough room is given. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males having characteristic horizontal stripes throughout the body and females displaying a more reticulated/spotted appearance.



Origin: Wild Indonesia
Locale: Kalimantan Borneo
Diet: Micropredator and carnivore. Feeds largely on molluscs, insects, and insect larvae in the wild
Adult Size: 2.5"
Recommended Tank Size: 20 gallons+
Compatibility: One of the more peaceful species of puffers, but may still nip fins of tankmates or harass slower moving fish
Preferred Water Parameters
pH: 6.0 - 7.5 Temp: 76 - 82F
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 30ppm