Irrubesco Puffer

Carinotetraodon irrubesco is one of the most colourful of the dwarf Carinotetraodon species, with sexually mature males displaying striking red-orange or deep rust colouration along the flanks that intensifies during courtship. Females and juveniles are brownish with subtle spotting. It is native to slow, blackwater-influenced rivers of Sumatra and Borneo, where tannin-stained water with low pH and conductivity is typical. In the aquarium it thrives in a heavily planted setup with dried leaves and driftwood. Unlike some puffer species it tolerates the proximity of other Carinotetraodon if space is generous, though males will display aggressively to one another. A single male with one or two females is a workable group arrangement.

Water: pH 5.5–7.0, temperature 24–28°C, soft and acidic; blackwater extract or peat filtration beneficial. Tank: 40 L minimum per specimen; dense planting, driftwood, leaf litter; avoid bright light. Feeding: Small snails critical; frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp; varied diet essential. Breeding: Egg scatterer on plant leaves; male guards eggs; soft acidic conditions trigger spawning. Compatibility: Males territorial toward each other; females more tolerant; avoid mixing with fin-nippers.