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Golden Puffer

Avocado Puffer ~ Bronze/Golden Puffer

Family: TetraodontidaeAuriglobus modestusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

   With its iridescent gold green coloration and unusual shape, the Avocado Puffer looks more like it belongs in a saltwater tank. Fortunately for the freshwater enthusiast, it will do fine in pure freshwater!

   Puffers are generally known as being aggressive fins nippers and the Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer is no exception. This puffer is more streamlined and quicker than most other puffer species which can cause problems when choosing tank mates. Fish that are slow or have long fins definitely won't last long in a tank with Golden Puffers. Also, most invertebrates will quickly be attacked or eaten so snails and shrimp cannot be kept with this puffer (but they are great as food!).

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Geographic Distribution Auriglobus modestus Data provided by FishBase.org Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Tetraodontiformes Family: Tetraodontidae

Distribution:    The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer are native to Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia where they are found in medium and large rivers.   NOTE: As with so many of the common names for fish, there can be a variety of species called the same thing. Consequently there are several other fish associated with the same common names as this fish.
   The name 'Avocado Puffer' is also associated with the Green Pufferfish Tetraodon fluviatilis and the Ocellated Pufferfish Tetraodon cutcutia. Then there is a very similar looking fish, Xenopterus naritus, that is sometimes called the Bronze Puffer.
   In the saltwater area there are a couple puffers called 'Golden' or 'Gold' puffers. One is the Guineafowl puffer Arothron meleagris and occasionally the Blackspotted or Dog-faced Puffer Arothron nigropunctatus.

Status:    These fish are not endangered.

Description:    The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer has an unusual shape for a puffer, sporting a sleeker body. It has an iridescent gold green coloration getting slightly lighter towards the belly. The fins and tail are translucent.
   Pufferfish have the ability to 'puff' themselves up with water or air if threatened. This apparently helps keep them from being eaten. Another defense of many puffer species is to produce toxic substances in their flesh that is poisonous if eaten. The Pufferfish can be quite long lived in the aquarium, many living for 10 or more years.

Size - Weight:    These fish can grow up to about 4.5 inches (11cm)).

Care and feeding:    The Golden Puffers or Avocado Puffers are omnivores. In their natural environment they will eat shrimps, terrestrial insects, whole fish (only occasionally), and surprisingly enough, seeds. They prefer live or frozen foods such as shrimp, ghost shrimp (gut-loaded), bloodworms, and snails. Sometimes they can be trained to eat freeze dried foods such as krill.
   Puffers have strong teeth that grow throughout their lives. The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer is prone to overgrown teeth and will need to be offered hard shelled live food often to keep their teeth worn down. Feeding snails daily will help to wear down the teeth. If the teeth get too long, they will be unable to eat, requiring the owner to clip the teeth.
   Since puffers do not have gill covers or scales, they are thought to be more susceptible to diseases, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels. This puffer is especially sensitive to nitrites and ammonia. Consequently, like all puffers, they are not a good fish to cycle an aquarium with. Also because they usually don't eat all of their food (messy eaters!), these fish will usually put more load on the aquarium filtration requiring more frequent water changes and better maintenance in general. A generous weekly water change of 30% to 50% is the standard recommendation for a puffer aquarium.
      The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer don't require a large aquarium but if you want to keep more than one or some other species with them, a well planted 50+ gallon tank is recommended. This will give the other fish plenty of room to escape in case they get chased by the puffer(s). This pufferfish is a freshwater species.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:    The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer will swim in all parts of your aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:    Temp: 74° - 82° F (23 - 28°C)

Social Behaviors:    These pufferfish are quick and aggressive so tank mates need to be fast to survive. Larger Danios or danio-like fish would be good choices. Other puffers that have reportedly been kept successfully with them are the Malabar or Dwarf Pufferfish Carinotetraodon travancoricus and the Carinotetraodon asellus.

Sexual Differences:    Sexual differences are unknown.

Breeding/Reproduction:    Has not been bred in captivity.

Availability:    The Golden Puffer or Avocado Puffer are commonly available.

Author: Ken Childs
Additional Information: Clarice Brough CFFS

Lastest Comments on Golden Puffer View all 5 comments on Golden Puffer Add Your Comment

Mary - 2012-01-20 I have a 10 gallon tank along with 5 goldfish, I've got hiding spots and decor and fake plants. I was at Walmart and saw the litter spotted green puffer. The lady in the fish department gave me very little info on him. She said he eats just flakes, and use the aquarium salt. I bought him and the Jungle aquarium salt. Thankfully I still have a can of blood worms to hold him over besides the flakes until I go buy some other foods/snails for him. Little did I know what I was getting into. What kind of snails would I buy to feed him? I'm going to go buy some real plants for him to nibble on too. Do you think my little guy will survive in my tank? Click For Replies (4) Editor's Note - 2012-01-20 Spotted Puffers (Tetraodon nigroviridis) from Walmart are typically brackish water and will not survive, sadly in your tank. Puffers are referred to as 'aqua dogs' due to their personality, and the fact that they chew on whatever they can. Keep your wires out of reach. They will grow up to 5' and they are semi-aggressive. They really need their own tank and brackish water is not too hard to keep, sort of between salt and fresh. As little juveniles, like many fish, they are found in fresh water, then migrate to estuaries, or brackish water. If it is still young enough to deal with the fresh water, it will go after your goldfish. I would suggest buying another tank for your puffer if you are in love with it, and look up a little more information and your puffer will reward you with years of companionship. They do need to be entertained too! If you don't want to do all of this, then I would say to return the puffer to the store. If you want a TRUE FRESHWATER puffer, they are out there, just do the research before buying, and even then, do not put in with goldfish. Hope that helps and have fun with your spotted aqua dog! Mary - 2012-01-20 They are not gold fish but *GLOfish* their little neon tetra sort of fish and I've been keeping a eye on them and they seem to be getting along. I do plan on getting him a 20gal tank tomorrow just for him. He is quite adorable and I do want to keep him, Hoping he lives and heals because his fins are severely chewed up. I read they are omnivorious and need alot of meat like live crustaceans and freezed bloodworms or shrimp and snails to keep there teeth in check. He's only a inch big right now, would anyone recommend what to feed him till he gets bigger? Jay - 2012-01-26 Mary, those glow fish will be a meal soon. The amazon puffer is a brackish water fish when young then requires full marine conditions when fully grown. Despite what you read online most puffers are salt water fish. In the long run your glow fish will be eaten or killed and the puffer will die from living in the wrong environment. This is what happens when you buy fish from the know nothings at walmart. Scott Emberly - 2012-01-31 Hey I just did a bit of homework after purchasing probably the same freshwater puffer. I already have salt as well as brakish water but they need snails clams and other hard shelled live food to trim there teeth or they will grow to long to eat an die or if you are brave enough you might have to trim the teeth they also like brine shrimp as a treat as well as frozen blood worms Reply

sheila - 2011-09-07 I have 2 avocado puffers thier teeth are over grown. I have snails in the tank but they won't eat them. How do I clip thier teeth? Click For Replies (1) Toby Jungle - 2011-09-08 I have no idea. I did find this site on U-tube where it shows how to clip a puffers teeth. It worked. There are also several other people that have comments on how they do it, why they do it etc. Here is a link from U-tube showing someone clipping a puffers teeth. It's obcviously real - now I don't exactly understand the second bowl of water - maybe just the temrature difference and the puffer sorta falls asleep. Don't panic - the puffer is just fine and the comments talk about this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJzJtH2e2bg Reply

Kris - 2009-02-14 can avocado puffers live in brackish water and if they do how high should the gravity be?? Click For Replies (2) Anonymous - 2010-10-13 No please don't make the fish suffer. It's freshwater only. chris - 2011-05-12 Actually, it needs a GRAVITY of 1.005-1.008 but CAN surrvive in a FRESH WATER aquarium. Reply

Mhairi Tooey - 2011-02-22 Hi I just inherited two avocado puffers there seems to be really mixed info on what other fish if any can live with these and how the tank is ideally should be set up. Reply

Matthew - 2010-03-18 Man this fish is a sleeper. When the light is on he's real chill an minds his own buis. However when the lights go out he's on killing spree for anything that moves. be careful! Reply

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