Colomesus asellus (Tetradontidae) Pufferfish

DISTRIBUTION: Peru, Colombia, Brazil. The Amazon Basin.

HABITAT: Mostly warm freshwater and coastal streams.

APPEARANCE: Max size: 7.5 cm, green above, white below, and patterned with black transverse bands across the dorsal surface.

DIET: An active carnivore, especially of snails.

REPRODUCTION: Pairs breed during the wet season, spawning in rivers. Small eggs are scattered on the substrate and hatched larvae are carried downstream.

MORTALITY and LONGEVITY: Life span: 10+ years.

REMARKS: Continuous growth of teeth keeps these fish ready for their crunchy and abrasive diet of crustaceans and snails. In captivity, these puffers should have a daily dose of snails to prevent beak overgrowth.

Like other puffers, can inflate themselves when threatened, presenting a much larger and spineladen body to suddenly disheartened predators.

Flooded Amazon Cardinal Tetra Exhibit.  AM14

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