Fishician®Diet
Carnivore – hard-shelled foods (snails, clams, mussels, crayfish), frozen shrimp, earthworms
Aquarium species profile
Fahaka Puffer
Tetraodon lineatus · Africa (Nile River, West African river systems)
Minimum tank125 gal
Adult size18"
Care levelDifficult
TemperamentHighly Aggressive
Temperature75–82°F
pH range7.0–8.0
Compatible tank mates
None — strict species-only tank
Tank mates to avoid
Every other fish and invertebrate without exception
Care notes
One of the largest freshwater puffers. Absolutely cannot be kept with any tankmates — will kill everything. Extremely intelligent and personable; recognizes and bonds with owner. Requires hard-shelled prey to wear down constantly-growing beak. Highly toxic if eaten by predators.
Check the whole aquarium. Tank size alone does not establish compatibility. Confirm adult size, water overlap, social grouping, territory, diet, and the individual animals before stocking.