Figure eight puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
A small puffer with a figure-eight pattern for fresh or slightly brackish water; it loves snails and nips slow tank mates.
Key facts
- Body length
- 3.1 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 22 gallons
- Group
- Alone is fine
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 3 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Snails, frozen bloodworm, krill and shrimp
- Origin
- Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia
- Hardier than14%
- Bigger than51%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Figure eight puffer tank mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bronze coryGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Clown loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Convict cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- DemasoniGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Firemouth cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Golden mbunaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Jewel cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Peacock cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Peppered coryGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Rainbow sharkGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Red-tailed black sharkGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Tiger barbFigure eight puffer eats small fish: Tiger barb (PROP).Risky
- Black widow tetraFigure eight puffer eats small fish: Black widow tetra (PROP).Risky
- Cherry barbFigure eight puffer eats small fish: Cherry barb (PROP).Risky
- Chinese algae eaterChinese algae eater eats slow fish: Figure eight puffer (SF: присасывается к бокам крупных соседей, объедая слизь).Risky
- Glowlight tetraFigure eight puffer can eat young or small Glowlight tetra; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- KribensisFigure eight puffer eats small fish: Kribensis (PROP).Risky
- Neon tetraFigure eight puffer can eat Neon tetra: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- Harlequin rasboraFigure eight puffer can eat Harlequin rasbora: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- Fancy guppyFigure eight puffer can eat Fancy guppy: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- OtocinclusFigure eight puffer can eat Otocinclus: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- Cherry shrimpFigure eight puffer nips fins; Cherry shrimp is vulnerable (slow swimmer).Avoid
- BettaFigure eight puffer nips fins; Betta is vulnerable (long fins).Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for figure eight puffers: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 8 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 17.92 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 7.34 BU
- Min. water
- 68 L net
- Min. footprint
- 75 × 30 cm per specimen
- Group
- 1+ (best 1)
- Swims in
- middle, bottom
- Flow
- low
- Body / fins
- round, normal fins
- Diet type
- carnivore
- Fin nipper
- notorious
- Sensitive to
- copper
Care notes
Figure eight puffers come from rivers and coasts of Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia and grow to about 3 inches. They live mostly in fresh water, sometimes slightly brackish.
One fish needs a 30-inch tank of about 20 gallons. It eats snails eagerly and nips slow or long-finned fish, while fast tetras, rasboras and barbs usually cope; singles tend to live longer than groups.
Questions
What size tank does a figure eight puffer need?
At least 22 gallons (68 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 3.1 inches without fins.
How many figure eight puffers should be kept together?
One is fine. They do not need company of their own kind.
What water do figure eight puffers need?
72–79 °F, pH 6.5–7.5 and 5–12 dGH. Figure eight puffers come from Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
How long do figure eight puffers live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with figure eight puffers?
Good tank mates include Panda corydoras, Bronze cory, Clown loach, Convict cichlid and Demasoni. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.