Species profile
Figure Eight Puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
Aggressive
Hard care
100 L minimum aquarium
6–8 cm adult size
Mid bottom
Can be kept singly
About this species
General notes for hobby use.
Figure Eight Puffer. Current FishBase treats this species as freshwater; maintain stable, clean water and do not assume salt is mandatory. Aggressive towards conspecifics and best treated as a specialist puffer.
Water parameters
Suggested general range for long-term care.
Temperature
22–26 °C
pH
6.5–7.5
GH
5–12 dGH
KH
Not yet documented
Flow preference
Low–moderate
Data confidence
Verified
Behaviour
General behaviour traits used by TanksConnected compatibility checks.
Minimum group size
Can be kept singly
Tank zone
Mid bottom
Territory level
High
Predation risk
Inverts
Bioload factor
1.8
Predatory on snails and other invertebrates and capable of fin damage. Keep tankmate assumptions conservative.
Compatibility flags
Quick cautions for common tank-planning issues.
Fin nipper
Yes / caution
Plant safe
Yes
Shrimp safe
No / caution
Snail safe
No / caution
Cave breeder
No
Digs substrate
No
Jump risk
Yes
Natural history & care
Research-backed context for long-term aquarium care.
Lifespan
Not yet documented
Diet type
Carnivore
Minimum aquarium volume
100 L
Minimum footprint
60 × 35 cm
Accepted scientific name
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
Alternative names
Figure Eight Puffer, Tetraodon biocellatus, Dichotomyctere biocellatus
Native range
Southeast Asia, including lower Mekong-associated and coastal-drainage regions.
Natural habitat
Freshwater lowland waters in Indochina, Malaysia and Indonesia. Aquarium literature has historically recommended brackish conditions, but current FishBase explicitly lists the species as freshwater; TanksConnected does not encode salt as a requirement.
Diet & feeding
Hard-shelled invertebrates such as snails are important for feeding behaviour and tooth wear, supplemented with varied meaty foods.
Breeding & sexing
Research-backed guidance for identifying sexes and reproductive behaviour.
Sexing
Reliable external sexing is not established for normal aquarium identification.
Breeding
Captive breeding reports are limited and should not be presented as routine; use species-specific evidence before adding a detailed breeding recipe.