Species Profile
Figure 8 Puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
Also known as: Eyespot Puffer
Pufferssemi-aggressive
Adult size
3″
Minimum tank
20 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
7.5–8.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
mid
Grows from juvenile
Typically sold at ~1″ and reaches 3″ over ~10 months. Plan tank size for the adult, not the fish at purchase.Diet
Snails, frozen krill, mysis, clams — needs hard-shelled prey to wear teeth down
Notes
Brackish puffer that needs low-salt water (specific gravity 1.005-1.010), not pure freshwater despite store labels. Compact 3″ adult. Famous figure-8 patterns on the back. Best in species-only tanks.
Photo: ColdmachineUK / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-2.5