Data sheet giant puffer fish / golden ringed puffer fish
German name:
Giant puffer fish / gold ring puffer fish
Scientific name:
Tetraodon mbu
Origin:
Africa
Size:
Body length 35cm – 70cm
Aquarium
Length:
Length from 250 cm width and from 50 cm width
Contents:
750 liters
water values
Temperature:
22°C – 26°C
pH:
6 – 7.5
GH:
2° – 15° dH
Behave
Area:
lower third
Lining:
Mussels, crabs, red mosquito larvae
Behave:
mostly peaceful, territorial
Number:
Individual housing, possibly small groups
Difficulty level:
advanced
Cedricguppy – Loury Cédric, Tetraodon mbu – aqua porte dorée 02, CC BY-SA 4.0
These giant puffer fish are also known as ringed puffer fish or Congo puffer fish. They can grow to around 15 cm within the first six months of life and reach a remarkable 40 cm by the age of two. Adults can weigh up to 6.5 kg, making this species of puffer the largest of its kind found in freshwater.
The basic color of each animal may vary. Yellowish, greenish and brownish colors often occur here. The belly is usually golden-yellow in color, while dark spots are distributed over the rest of the fish body.
Its natural habitat is in Africa. Here it mainly inhabits the large rivers, lakes and lagoons of brackish water near the bottom. If the puffer fish feels threatened, it comes to the surface of the water to swallow air. This allows it to inflate to a considerable size and protect it from many predators because it simply cannot fit in their mouths. It can also bite considerably and, like most puffer fish, it also produces a poison that can be fatal to other creatures.
It is not suitable as a food fish due to its toxicity. Tetraodon mbu was brought to Germany for the first time in 1954 and has so far only been shown in a few show aquariums. It is only very rarely commercially available for the domestic tank and is therefore not necessarily cheap.
The ringed puffer fish is remarkable because each individual exhibits its own behavior. While one fish can be very calm, curious and trusting, the other is exactly the opposite, namely reserved and shy. The third, in turn, turns out to be extremely aggressive. That’s why it’s not easy to put together a small group of these puffer fish that harmonize with each other and live peacefully together in the aquarium.
food
Feeding Tetraodon mbu is not always easy. Unfortunately, he usually only eats red mosquito larvae and snails as well as mussels. An attempt can be made to offer the zebra mussel from a body of water that is not polluted. Otherwise, the ringed puffer fish can perhaps be persuaded to eat with the meat of crabs, shrimps and fish. Frozen food could also be an alternative. However, mussels and snails are a main part of the diet, because the puffer fish can scuff its teeth by cracking the hard shell. These grow back again and again and would eventually block the mouth. The affected animal would starve to death because it could no longer eat.
gender differences
Gender differences are not known. The females may be slightly larger. This is mostly the case with other types of puffer fish.
breed
Unfortunately, the ringed puffer fish could not be bred in the aquarium until now. Therefore, it cannot be reported here.
socialization
Socialization with other fish can prove difficult, but is possible under certain circumstances. The giant puffer fish are usually peaceful towards their roommates, but there are also animals that behave very aggressively. This simply has to be tried out and, if necessary, the community fish have to be removed again. Pike tetras, tiger catfish, honeycomb shield catfish, antennae catfish and loaches come into question.
Solitary housing is preferable within your own species. However, keeping them in pairs or even a small group could also be an option if the aquarium is equipped accordingly. A very large tank must be available here, which is equipped with many hiding places, such as caves, dense vegetation or roots. The decoration should be placed in such a way that each individual giant puffer fish can establish its territory.
Other Questions
How should the aquarium be equipped?
Fine sand or gravel is recommended for the substrate. Furthermore, the tank should be equipped with many caves, stones and roots so that the puffer fish can withdraw and mark out its territory. Sturdy plants form a good contrast in the aquarium and can be introduced without any problems.
Since the teeth of this puffer fish, like many other species, are subject to lifelong growth, it must have the opportunity to wear them down. To do this, he needs pebbles, coral chips and lava stones. He can also work on his teeth on the root decoration.