Puffer Peacock MED

The Peacock Pufferfish is also known as the Peruvian Puffer. This puffer can be identified by its green body and white belly with black traversing streaks running across the dorsal surface. It can grow up to a size of 12cm and an average size of 7-8cm.

Pufferfish are best recognised for their ability to expand their bodies to avoid being devoured by larger fish. They have a unique appearance and their personalities are why many people consider them true pets.

These fish learn to identify their human friends and will excitedly meet them as they approach the tank. They can also be trained to allow you to hand feed them.

Pufferfish are among the most famous species on the planet! They are related to Triggerfish, Filefish, and the massive Mola Mola, all of which specialise in invertebrate feeding. They use their powerful beak-like teeth to smash through clams, sea urchins, lobsters, crabs, and even hard corals. Unlike humans, a Pufferfish’s teeth grow throughout their lives and must be regularly worn down. This can be done in your aquarium by providing them with plenty of crunchy food. Pellets and flakes are unsuitable as a main food source for their long-term health.

Tank Recommendations for Peacock Pufferfish

The minimu tank size recommended to keep a Peacock Pufferfish is 55 gallons (208 litres), but as with any fish a larger aquarium is always appreciated.

The Peacock Puffer is a messy fish that produces a lot of waste and so requires at least a 6-times-tank-volume-per-hour tank turnover. Live rock and protein skimmers can help control waste levels in the aquarium.

It's important to note that, like most puffers, the Peacock Pufferfish is susceptible to most water treatments (especially those including copper). When fighting illnesses, other medications should be taken. They can bite their owners as well, so caution should be exercised whenever tank maintenance is undertaken and if hand feeding them.

The Peacock Puffer is often sought out by new aquarists due to its vibrant colours and small size. It does, however, have a reputation for being fragile, with many aquarists believing it to be impossible to keep alive. Inappropriate water conditions appear to be at least part of the problem. These are subtropical fish that generally reside in estuaries. They cannot be kept in freshwater aquariums indefinitely, and should only be kept in aquariums that are somewhat chilly. The recommended water temperature is 18-20 C (64-68 F). The amount of oxygen in the water decreases as the temperature rises, while the metabolism of the fish increases, resulting in a fish that dies slowly from asphyxiation.

Breeding Peacock Puffers in aquariums has been done in the past, but the enormous tank size (about 1500 gallons for a large group) makes it impractical for casual aquarists. Young puffers spend the early portion of their life in freshwater before migrating to brackish environments, as the eggs require lower salinities to hatch.

The pH of the water should be regulated because pufferfish enjoy slightly alkaline water that should be kept between 7.5 and 8.5. This pH level can also be achieved by mixing a handful of crushed coral or aragonite into the substrate. Every week, a water test should be performed to ensure that there is no ammonia or nitrate in the water, as these contaminants can harm pufferfish if they grow unchecked in the water. Once a week, at least 25% of the water in the tank should be changed, and a beneficial bacteria solution at the prescribed amount should be added to the tank as a precaution.

Suitable Tank Buddies

When it comes to tankmates, if kept in a big (100+ gallon) tank Common Scats not bother your Peacock Pufferfish. These fish are shy and retiring puffers who like to spend their days buried in the sand and are least agitated when kept alone. They also appear to favour darker lighting. Peacock Puffers who are stressed are more likely to dash into tank decor and walls, perhaps harming themselves.

Usually Compatible

As you might expect, puffers may quickly deplete the population of many reef aquarium occupants. As a result, most pufferfish are best kept in fish-only tanks. There are many species that can coexist harmoniously with them in a fish only time including Dwarf Angelfish, Anthias, Blennies, Butterflyfish, Eels, Filefish, Goatfish, Gobies, Grunts, Hawkfish, Lionfish, Parrotfish, Scorpionfish, and Squirrelfish.

Sometime Compatible

They are often not well suited for a community water tank due to their aggressive nature. Anglerfish/Frogfish, Cardinalfish, Clownfish, Dragonettes, Triggerfish, Wrasse, and Live Corals are usually compatible with Pufferfish, but should monitored.

Rarely Compatible

A predator that catches this fish before it inflates will not be able to survive for long since these fish contain tetrodotoxin, a chemical that makes them not only foul-tasting but also deadly to fish. This toxin is 1200 times more toxic than cyanide and can kill humans. As a result, Pufferfish and Groupers, other Pufferfish, Snappers and Sharks shouldn’t be kept together. Invertebrates and Crustaceans would most likely be eaten by your Puffer and so shouldn’t be kept with them.

Feeding your Peacock Pufferfish

One of the most difficult things about keeping these fish as a pet is their nutrition. They must be fed meat or other hard-shelled meals such as crayfish, clams, oysters, molluscs, scallops, shrimps, snails, and worms because dried foods or flakes do not suit their nutritional demands. Because their teeth can become enlarged, hard-shelled foods must be included in their diet to keep their beak from overgrowing. They usually eat crustaceans in their natural habitat. Although live bloodworms are a good option, they can also eat frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms.