Striped Red Eye Pufferfish (Carinotetraodon salivator)
The males of this species are detailed and very striking, especially when they display. It is the rarest import of the Carinotetraodon Puffers, but they are occasionally available in more specialised aquarium shops. Since these Puffers are rare and desirable, they tend to command a high price.
While less aggressive than some other Puffers, it is best to keep them with peaceful, schooling Cyprinids that are large enough to avoid predation but not too large to cause a problem.
Although it is only loosely gregarious, males, especially, tend to be territorial; however, it is possible to maintain a group if you provide adequate cover and space.
For Striped Red-eye Puffers, a well-decorated aquarium with driftwood roots and branches is ideal, along with plenty of aquatic plants, including floating varieties for shade.
Adding dried leaf litter further enhances the natural feeling, and water movement will also be appreciated. However, due to this species' sensitivity to deteriorating conditions, you should perform small water changes regularly.
Males have a translucent dorsal fin with a black spot; their pectoral and anal fins are also translucent, and their caudal fin is reddish. In addition, their throat has a barred colour pattern, and they have lines present on the body. In contrast, the females have a cream-coloured ventral surface with continuous black stripes and 7 to 8 bars on their caudal fin.
Photos
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Carinotetraodon salivator |
| Year Described | 1995 |
| Other Names | None |
| Classification | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family | Tetraodontidae |
| Genus | Carinotetraodon |
| Origins | Malaysia |
| Temperament | Semi-Aggressive |
| Aquarium Level | All Levels |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Loners |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Layer |
| Lifespan | 8 - 10 years |
| Water Parameters | |
|---|---|
| Water Type | Freshwater |
| PH | 5.0 - 8.0 |
| GH | 5 - 12 |
| TDS | 18 - 215 |
| Temperature | |
|---|---|
| 75 - 82℉ 23.9 - 27.8℃ | |
Feeding
Because the Striped Red Eye Pufferfish is a carnivore; it would be best if you aimed to feed your fish on a diet primarily of meaty foodstuffs such as live and/or frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, lobster eggs, cyclops, Mysis shrimp and bloodworm. Bloodworm should be used sparingly as it is hard for your fish to digest.
You can also cut up earthworms from your garden or chop up shop brought mussels, prawns, krill and fresh fish (be sure only to use fresh or frozen fish and not fish canned in oil).
You can also try your fish with dried foods formulated for predatory fish and made up of insect material such as Fluval bug bites, which can also be used to supplement the diet.
Get to know your fish and test which foods they prefere and which they ignore but always be sure not to overfeed your fish and remove excessive uneaten food whenever possible.
Sexual Dimorphism
It is relatively simple to differentiate between male and female Striped Red-eye Puffers. The males will display more colouration than the females and will be larger. Additionally, during threat displays and courting, adult males raise their dorsal and ventral keels on their bodies. Generally, females have lightish bellies with a mottled appearance.