Brown puffer
Tetraodon turgidus
- Tank length
- 52 cm20 in
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–26 °C73–79 °F
- pH
- 6–7.8
- Adult size
- 13 cm5 in
- Lifespan
- 8–12 yrs
Solitary and nippy; house alone and offer snails or shellfish regularly to keep the teeth worn.Solitary and nippy; house alone and offer snails or shellfish regularly to keep the teeth worn.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Irian Jaya rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Brown pufferAlligator gar may eat Brown puffer
- Altum angelfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Antenna ray
Antenna ray may eat Brown pufferAntenna ray may eat Brown puffer
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Brown pufferArapaima may eat Brown puffer
- Asian arowana
Asian arowana may eat Brown pufferAsian arowana may eat Brown puffer
- Australian pearl arowana
Australian pearl arowana may eat Brown pufferAustralian pearl arowana may eat Brown puffer
- Bullseye snakehead
Bullseye snakehead may eat Brown pufferBullseye snakehead may eat Brown puffer
- Butterfly peacock bass
Butterfly peacock bass may eat Brown pufferButterfly peacock bass may eat Brown puffer
- Channel catfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Chocolate zebra pleco
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Clown knifefish
Clown knifefish may eat Brown pufferClown knifefish may eat Brown puffer
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 | Congo basin, Central Africa | 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 | 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 | 14 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |