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Figure Eight Puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii›Tetraodontidae
📍 Southeast Asia & Philippines
Small, characterful puffer with a figure-eight pattern on its back. Prefers slightly brackish water. Personality-packed fish that recognises its keeper. Will eat snails and hard-shelled foods.
Care Guide
Diet
Figure Eight Puffers are carnivorous and require hard-shelled prey to maintain their continuously growing teeth. Feed small snails (Malaysian Trumpet Snails, Ramshorn Snails), small crustaceans, and frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp once daily in small portions. Supplement occasionally with quality sinking pellets formulated for puffers.
Behavior
Highly intelligent and curious, Figure Eight Puffers recognize their keepers and display distinct personalities. They are aggressive toward other puffers and most fish, preferring solitary or species-specific setups. Expect active mid-water swimming with frequent exploration and interaction with tank décor.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is extremely rare and poorly documented. Spawning requires pristine water conditions, specific brackish salinity levels, and significant space. Fry care is difficult, making captive breeding impractical for most hobbyists.
Tank Mates
Provides natural hard-shelled prey; puffer will hunt and consume them as part of diet
Suitable prey species; helps maintain puffer's dental health through natural feeding behavior
May be too aggressive for puffer; only attempt in larger tanks with plenty of hiding spaces
Provides cover and enrichment; helps maintain water quality in brackish setup
Hardy plant that withstands brackish conditions and provides shelter without being uprooted
Common Diseases
Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis)
White spots on body and fins, rapid breathing, flashing against décor
Gradually raise temperature to 28-30°C, perform 25% water changes, use copper-free ich treatment; maintain brackish salinity as puffers are sensitive to medications
Fin Rot
Frayed or deteriorating fin edges, discoloration at fin bases
Improve water quality with frequent partial changes, reduce ammonia/nitrite, use antibacterial treatments if severe; ensure proper brackish salinity
Dental Overgrowth
Inability to eat, mouth deformity, weight loss despite feeding
Provide abundant hard-shelled prey (snails, small crustaceans); may require manual filing by experienced aquarist in severe cases
Brackish Water Stress
Lethargy, loss of appetite, color fading, increased susceptibility to disease
Maintain proper salinity (SG 1.004–1.008), perform regular water changes with brackish water, avoid freshwater-only conditions
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Quick Facts
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- diet
- carnivore/hard-shelled prey
- maxSize
- 3 inches
- salinity
- SG 1.004–1.008
- minTankSize
- 15 gallons
- temperature
- 75–82°F (24–28°C)
Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C