Green spotted puffer
Dichotomyctere nigroviridis
A bright brackish puffer of about 6.5 inches with a predator's temperament; it needs a roomy tank, salt and hard shelled food.
Key facts
- Body length
- 6.7 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 34 gallons
- Group
- Alone is fine
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Care level
- 4 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Snails, mussels, krill, frozen shrimp
- Origin
- Coasts and rivers of South and Southeast Asia
- Hardier than3%
- Bigger than80%
- Calmer than14%
Water: their range vs yours
Green spotted puffer tank mates
- Clown loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- SeverumGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Three spot gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Kissing gouramiGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Pictus catfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Weather loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Yoyo loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Banded archerfishGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Silver monoGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Chinese algae eaterTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 10350 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- Convict cichlidTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 6300 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- Firemouth cichlidTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 7200 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- Golden mbunaTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 9000 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- Jewel cichlidTwo territorial bottom-dwellers: need ≥ 7200 cm² of floor, tank has 5612 cm².Risky
- KribensisGreen spotted puffer eats small fish: Kribensis (PROP).Risky
- Neon tetraGreen spotted puffer can eat Neon tetra: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
- Harlequin rasboraGreen spotted puffer can eat Harlequin rasbora: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
- Fancy guppyGreen spotted puffer can eat Fancy guppy: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
- Panda corydorasGreen spotted puffer can eat Panda corydoras: prey body depth 2.4 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
- OtocinclusGreen spotted puffer can eat Otocinclus: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
- Cherry shrimpGreen spotted puffer can eat Cherry shrimp: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 4.3 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for green spotted puffers: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 17 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 171.96 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 32.80 BU
- Min. water
- 108 L net
- Min. footprint
- 120 × 30 cm per specimen
- Group
- 1+ (best 1)
- Swims in
- middle, bottom
- Flow
- moderate
- Body / fins
- round, normal fins
- Diet type
- carnivore
- Fin nipper
- notorious
- Sensitive to
- copper
Care notes
Green spotted puffers live in coastal brackish waters and rivers from India to the Philippines. They are usually aggressive to their own kind and can become nasty with age.
Plan a 4-foot tank of 29 gallons or more per fish, with brackish water around 1.005 specific gravity or higher. Feed snails and shelled foods to keep the teeth worn, and avoid slow or long-finned fish.
Questions
What size tank does a green spotted puffer need?
At least 34 gallons (108 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 6.7 inches without fins.
How many green spotted puffers should be kept together?
One is fine. They do not need company of their own kind.
What water do green spotted puffers need?
75–82 °F, pH 7.5–8.5 and 10–20 dGH. Green spotted puffers come from Coasts and rivers of South and Southeast Asia.
How long do green spotted puffers live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with green spotted puffers?
Good tank mates include Clown loach, Severum, Three spot gourami, Kissing gourami and Pictus catfish. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.