Description

South American Puffer (Colomesus asellus):

Complete Care Guide:

• • Tank Size: Minimum of 115 to 140 litres (30 gallons) for a small group; a 210-litre (55-gallon) tank is highly preferred to accommodate their constant swimming. 
  • Water Flow: Moderate to high current is necessary. They naturally inhabit fast-moving river sections. 
  • Oxygenation: High oxygen levels are critical. Use powerheads, air stones, or strong filter outlets to keep water oxygen-rich and prevent stress or diseases like whitespot. 
  • Aquarium Decor: Open swimming spaces are much more important than complex caves. Arrange heavy planting and bogwood around the perimeter to serve as visual barriers and sleeping spots. 
  • Temperature: Maintain a tropical climate between 22°C and 28°C (72°F to 82°F). 
  • pH Range: Slightly acidic to neutral conditions between 6.0 and 7.5 are ideal. 

• • The “Beak” Dilemma: Their four fused teeth form a hard beak that grows continuously throughout their life. 
  • Crunchy Staple Foods: They must be fed hard-shelled invertebrates like pest snails, ramshorn snails, or small crustaceans to naturally grind down their teeth. 
  • Overgrown Tooth Care: Their teeth grow faster than almost any other freshwater puffer. If their diet lacks enough crunchy foods, their beak will overgrow, preventing them from eating. In such cases, owners must manually trim the beak using specialized tools under mild sedation. 
  • Fleshy Foods: They readily accept frozen or live bloodworms and brine shrimp. Use these foods to help them gain weight, but never rely on them as a staple, as they do not trim the teeth.

• • Social Instincts: They are naturally non-territorial, migratory, and happiest in groups. Keeping them solitary or in pairs can cause high stress or localized aggression.
  • Community Compatibility: They are generally considered “community-safe” compared to other puffers, but they are notorious fin-nippers, we recommend to keep these as species only.

• Wild-Caught Parasites: The majority of South American Puffers in the trade are wild-caught. They often arrive thin and carry internal parasites. It is highly recommended to quarantine and preemptively treat new arrivals with internal deworming medication.
• Disease Susceptibility: Because they lack true scales, they are incredibly sensitive to copper-based medications and prone to protozoan infections like Ich (whitespot) or Velvet during acclimation.
• Glass Surfing: Due to their endless energy, new puffers frequently pace up and down the glass. Breaking up their line of sight with layout decorations helps curb this anxious behavior.
• Safe Handling: Never use a traditional mesh net to catch them. If they puff up with air outside of water, it can damage their internal organs and be fatal. Always scoop them using a solid cup or plastic container submerged in water.

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