Amazon puffer
Colomesus asellus
- Tank length
- 100 cmabout 3 ft (39 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C73–81 °F
- pH
- 6–7.8
- Adult size
- 6 cm2 in
- Lifespan
- 5–10 yrs
A restless snail-eating puffer that nips fins; needs hard foods to wear its beak and a long tank.A restless snail-eating puffer that nips fins; needs hard foods to wear its beak and a long tank.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Blue lyretail
Amazon puffer may nip Blue lyretailAmazon puffer may nip Blue lyretail
Congo tetraAmazon puffer may nip Congo tetraAmazon puffer may nip Congo tetra
- Featherfin squeaker
Amazon puffer may nip Featherfin squeakerAmazon puffer may nip Featherfin squeaker
- Filament barb
Amazon puffer may nip Filament barbAmazon puffer may nip Filament barb
- Guppy
Amazon puffer may nip GuppyAmazon puffer may nip Guppy
Pearl gouramiAmazon puffer may nip Pearl gouramiAmazon puffer may nip Pearl gourami
Threadfin rainbowfishAmazon puffer may nip Threadfin rainbowfishAmazon puffer may nip Threadfin rainbowfish
- African knifefish
African knifefish may eat Amazon pufferAfrican knifefish may eat Amazon puffer
- African pike
African pike may eat Amazon pufferAfrican pike may eat Amazon puffer
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Amazon pufferAlligator gar may eat Amazon puffer
- Altum angelfish
Amazon puffer may nip Altum angelfishAmazon puffer may nip Altum angelfish
AngelfishAmazon puffer may nip AngelfishAmazon puffer may nip Angelfish
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–27 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6–7.8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 5–20 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Amazon basin, South America | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 5–10 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 100 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |