Ceylon puffer
Dichotomyctere fluviatilis
- Tank length
- 120 cmabout 4 ft (47 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–26 °C73–79 °F
- pH
- 6–7.8
- Adult size
- 15 cm6 in
- Lifespan
- 8–15 yrs
Needs brackish water as an adult and hard-shelled snails to wear down its beak; nips and kills tankmates, so plan a species tank.Needs brackish water as an adult and hard-shelled snails to wear down its beak; nips and kills tankmates, so plan a species tank.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Blue lyretail
Ceylon puffer may nip Blue lyretailCeylon puffer may nip Blue lyretail
Congo tetraCeylon puffer may nip Congo tetraCeylon puffer may nip Congo tetra
- Featherfin squeaker
Ceylon puffer may nip Featherfin squeakerCeylon puffer may nip Featherfin squeaker
- Filament barb
Ceylon puffer may nip Filament barbCeylon puffer may nip Filament barb
- Guppy
Ceylon puffer may nip GuppyCeylon puffer may nip Guppy
- Irian Jaya rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Pearl gouramiCeylon puffer may nip Pearl gouramiCeylon puffer may nip Pearl gourami
Threadfin rainbowfishCeylon puffer may nip Threadfin rainbowfishCeylon puffer may nip Threadfin rainbowfish
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Ceylon pufferAlligator gar may eat Ceylon puffer
- Altum angelfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
AngelfishCeylon puffer may nip AngelfishCeylon puffer may nip Angelfish
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Ceylon pufferArapaima may eat Ceylon puffer
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–26 | 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 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 5–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | South and Southeast Asia, coastal rivers and estuaries | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | middle | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | 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 | Yes | 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) | 8–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 18 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 120 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |