Carinotetraodon Irrubesco

[Install]

Hi there, I've recently begun poking around on some fish databases which I remember from a while ago. Anyway, Carinotetraodon irrubesco came to mind as something I'd wanted for quite a while now, and I was wondering what sort of tank setup would be a good requirement for either a single fish or perhaps a pair - size being the most important factor here.

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

They aren't difficult to keep, but I'd suggest a bigger tank than you'd suppose, i.e., at least 90 litres/23 US gallons. In small tanks they seem to be very shy. But given space, they swim about a lot. I kept 4 specimens in a 180-litre system, and they were out and about all the time. I didn't see any male/female aggression either. Because they're fairly sociable fish when it comes to choosing tankmates, you might want to keep them in a mixed species set-up, and thereby justify a somewhat bigger aquarium than you'd use to keep a pair on their own.

Cheers, Neale

Hi there, I've recently begun poking around on some fish databases which I remember from a while ago. Anyway, Carinotetraodon irrubesco came to mind as something I'd wanted for quite a while now, and I was wondering what sort of tank setup would be a good requirement for either a single fish or perhaps a pair - size being the most important factor here.

Thanks

 

[Install]

Ah I see, well that's the dream over for another year or so , thanks for the quick response. I'll probably end up with peacock gudgeons then.

 

[ZoddyZod]

nmonks, that's interesing info. When I saw these in a LFS before I did a bit of reading and generally found that they are territorial and don't like their own kind. Very different to the experience you had!

 

[nmonks]

Well, there are a couple of things to bear in mind. First, lots of retailers mix this species up with C. lorteti, and I dare say many reports of aggression come down to that confusion, too. Secondly, I kept mine in busy aquaria. Lots of rocks and plants, but also lots of fast midwater fish. I think this stops puffers from becoming either bored or overly-territorial. Curiously, I found the females more likely to chase other fish, though only short distances and only when the female was guarding her favourite hiding places. Males seemed happy to swim about and sometimes puff themselves up at their own reflection on the back glass (I used black paper there, so it reflected better).

Your own mileage may vary, but if you look at C. irrubesco and C. lorteti kept in retailer's tanks, you'll notice that it's the C. lorteti that have all the bite marks. I don't think C. irrubesco is all that aggressive, really.

Cheers, Neale

nmonks, that's interesing info. When I saw these in a LFS before I did a bit of reading and generally found that they are territorial and don't like their own kind. Very different to the experience you had!