Arrowhead puffer
Pao suvattii
- Tank length
- 39 cm15 in
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–26 °C73–79 °F
- pH
- 6–7.8
- Adult size
- 13 cm5 in
- Lifespan
- 8–12 yrs
Sits motionless in the sand and strikes at anything passing; must live alone and needs shelled foods to keep its beak trimmed.Sits motionless in the sand and strikes at anything passing; must live alone and needs shelled foods to keep its beak trimmed.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
Amano shrimpArrowhead puffer may eat Amano shrimpArrowhead puffer may eat Amano shrimp
Assassin snailArrowhead puffer may eat Assassin snailArrowhead puffer may eat Assassin snail
Black neon tetraArrowhead puffer may eat Black neon tetraArrowhead puffer may eat Black neon tetra
- Black phantom tetra
Arrowhead puffer may eat Black phantom tetraArrowhead puffer may eat Black phantom tetra
- Bleeding heart tetra
Arrowhead puffer may eat Bleeding heart tetraArrowhead puffer may eat Bleeding heart tetra
- Blue emperor tetra
Arrowhead puffer may eat Blue emperor tetraArrowhead puffer may eat Blue emperor tetra
- Blue lyretail
Arrowhead puffer may eat Blue lyretailArrowhead puffer may eat Blue lyretail
Celestial pearl danioArrowhead puffer may eat Celestial pearl danioArrowhead puffer may eat Celestial pearl danio
- Checker barb
Arrowhead puffer may eat Checker barbArrowhead puffer may eat Checker barb
- Cherry barb
Arrowhead puffer may eat Cherry barbArrowhead puffer may eat Cherry barb
Cherry shrimpArrowhead puffer may eat Cherry shrimpArrowhead puffer may eat Cherry shrimp
- Cherry spot rasbora
Arrowhead puffer may eat Cherry spot rasboraArrowhead puffer may eat Cherry spot rasbora
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–26 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), 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 | Mekong basin, Thailand and Laos | 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 | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | predatory | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | 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) | 8–12 | 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 |