Zebra tetradon

Zebra tetradon or Zebra pufferfish, scientific name Colomesus psittacus, belongs to the Tetraodontidae family. A fish that is famous for its ability to swell up in case of danger. It is not friendly towards other species, therefore it is kept in splendid isolation. Not recommended for beginner aquarists due to behavior and difficulties that may arise during acclimatization.

Habitat

It comes from Central and South America, in the territories lying on the side of the Analytical Ocean – from Brazil to Mexico, also found in the Caribbean. Previously, it was mistakenly believed that the habitat extends along the shores of the Indian Ocean, this error is still often mentioned in various sources. The fish lives in the lower reaches of rivers, estuaries, mangrove swamps, shallow lagoons and other brackish conditions.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 500 liters.
• Water and air temperature – 20-26°C
• Value pH — 7.0–9.0
• Water hardness – medium to high hardness (10-26 dGH)
• Substrate type – any soft
• Lighting – moderate
• Brackish water – yes, at a concentration of 10 grams of salt per 1 liter of water
• Water movement – moderate
• The size of the fish is up to 29 cm.
• Nutrition – meat feed
• Temperament – aggressive
• Single content

Description

Adult individuals reach a length of up to 29 cm. Depending on the specific area, the dimensions may vary downwards. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, there are no obvious differences between male and female.

The fish has a classic body shape for Pufferfish, somewhat “ugly”, small fins, large eyes. In case of danger, it swells to the state of a ball, protruding small needles. The coloration is yellowish with rows of black stripes, the abdomen is white.

Food

Carnivorous species, in nature feeds on mollusks and crustaceans. In a home aquarium, it will accept similar products in live or frozen form. The composition must contain solid components, for example, shells. In tetradons, the mouth consists of two plates, the so-called “teeth”. They grow all their lives, but in the process of feeding they wear down. If this is not taken into account and exclusively soft food is served, serious problems can arise.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for keeping one Zebra tetradon starts from 500 liters. The design is quite simple, it is recommended to use several snags to simulate mangroves, soft substrate, rounded stones, rocks. The presence of aquatic plants is not required.

The aquatic environment has brackish conditions, with a salt concentration of about 10 gr. for 1 liter of water. The accumulation of organic waste should not be allowed, which is very likely with a meat diet. To this end, the aquarium is equipped with a productive filtration system. Regular maintenance procedures are carried out – weekly replacement of part of the water (30-50% of the volume) with fresh water and cleaning of the soil and decorative elements.

Behavior and Compatibility

At a young age, the fish gather in flocks for protection, but with age they begin to lead a solitary lifestyle. The zebra pufferfish is quite aggressive towards relatives and other fish, so it should be kept alone. In very large aquariums (from 1000 liters) it is possible to combine with other species that live in brackish conditions.

Fish diseases

This species is not bred in the artificial environment of aquariums and is mainly caught from the wild. When placed in an aquarium, acclimatization may be difficult, so it is recommended to set the water conditions identical to the place of purchase. If this is not done, the risk of skin diseases is high. Another problem may be “teeth”, which can grow so much that they interfere with food intake, this was mentioned above.

In a favorable environment, health problems do not arise. For more information on symptoms and treatment methods, see the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.