Figure 8 Puffer (Dichotomyctere ocellatus)

Origin: Collected. Native to Southeast Asia, including parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Figure 8 Puffers (Dichotomyctere ocellatus) inhabit lowland rivers, estuaries, tidal waterways, mangrove-influenced areas, and other environments where freshwater and coastal systems meet. Depending on location and season, these habitats can range from freshwater to brackish conditions. That natural flexibility helps explain why there has been so much disagreement in the aquarium hobby over whether the Figure 8 Puffer should be considered a freshwater or brackish fish.

These environments are anything but empty. Submerged roots, branches, rocks, leaf litter, vegetation, and changing shorelines create complicated hunting grounds filled with snails, small crustaceans, insect larvae, mollusks, and other prey. Figure 8 Puffers are visual, inquisitive predators that actively search these structures rather than simply waiting for food to come to them.

That behavior is one of the first things you'll notice in the aquarium. A Figure 8 Puffer will investigate holes, follow the contours of driftwood, inspect the substrate, and return to places where it previously found food. Giving this fish an environment worth exploring is an important part of keeping it mentally and physically active.

A good Figure 8 Puffer aquarium should feel more like a territory to explore than an open box of water. These fish are intelligent and naturally curious, so we like to create multiple pathways, visual barriers, shaded areas, and open spaces that encourage the puffer to move throughout the entire aquarium.

Driftwood & Roots – Branching driftwood and root-like pieces create tunnels, shaded areas, and broken sight lines. This becomes especially important if more than one Figure 8 Puffer is being attempted because individuals need opportunities to move out of one another's view.

Rockwork & Caves – Smooth stones, small caves, and carefully arranged rockwork create additional areas to investigate. Leave enough open space around the hardscape for the puffer to maneuver easily and make sure everything is secure; puffers have a habit of investigating places you didn't necessarily expect them to reach.

Substrate – Fine sand is an excellent choice and complements the estuarine appearance of the aquarium. Scattered smooth stones, shells, and pieces of natural hardscape can add additional texture without creating sharp surfaces.

Plants – Plant selection becomes more challenging once salt is introduced. Java Fern, Java Moss, Anubias, and some Vallisneria may tolerate mildly brackish conditions depending on salinity, but not every freshwater aquarium plant will. Rather than forcing a heavily planted look, we would build the aquarium primarily around wood, rock, roots, and open swimming space, then use salt-tolerant plants where appropriate.

One of the things we like about designing an aquarium for a Figure 8 Puffer is that the aquascape can actually become part of the fish's enrichment. Moving a small piece of hardscape occasionally or allowing the puffer to search different areas for food gives an intelligent predator something to investigate instead of feeding from exactly the same spot every day.

Painting the Aquarium

Picture a shallow Southeast Asian waterway near the edge of a mangrove forest. Tangled roots reach into the water while weathered branches, smooth stones, and scattered shells create dozens of small spaces to investigate. Light filters through the vegetation above, leaving alternating areas of brightness and shade. A Figure 8 Puffer moves deliberately through the roots, stopping to inspect a crevice before turning sideways to examine a snail on the substrate. The aquarium isn't crowded with decoration. Every piece gives the fish another place to hunt, investigate, or explore.

Figure 8 Puffers are carnivorous predators with a particular appetite for snails, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and other meaty foods. A varied diet is especially important with this species because feeding isn't simply about nutrition. What the puffer eats also plays an important role in maintaining its continuously growing teeth.

We recommend regularly offering appropriately sized hard-shelled foods such as freshwater snails along with frozen or live foods including bloodworms, blackworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and pieces of shrimp or other suitable crustaceans. Young Figure 8 Puffers can handle smaller prey, while larger foods can be introduced as the fish grows. Feeding different foods also encourages the hunting and investigative behaviors that make puffers so interesting to keep.

One mistake we would avoid is relying entirely on soft frozen foods. A Figure 8 Puffer may eagerly eat them, but a diet without enough abrasive, hard-shelled prey can allow the teeth to become overgrown. Once that happens, the fish may have difficulty eating and intervention can become necessary. Providing appropriate foods from the beginning is considerably easier than dealing with overgrown teeth later.

Figure 8 Puffers can also be messy eaters. Remove uneaten pieces rather than allowing them to decay, and pay particular attention to filtration and water quality after heavier meals. A puffer that enthusiastically tears apart its dinner is fun to watch, but the leftovers can become a water-quality problem surprisingly quickly.

Individual Figure 8 Puffers vary considerably in temperament, and there are reports of the species being maintained with other brackish-water fish. However, that does not make those combinations predictably safe. A Figure 8 Puffer may tolerate another fish for an extended period and later begin chasing, biting, or injuring it. Because there is no reliable way to predict an individual puffer's behavior, Aquatic Arts recommends keeping the Figure 8 Puffer in a dedicated species aquarium rather than recommending specific tank mates.

Shrimp Safe: No

Figure 8 Puffers should not be considered safe with freshwater or brackish-water shrimp. Shrimp are much closer to food than tank mates from a puffer's perspective, and the same hunting behavior that makes Dichotomyctere ocellatus so entertaining can make short work of small crustaceans.

Neocaridina Shrimp, Caridina Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, and other ornamental shrimp should not be expected to coexist safely with a Figure 8 Puffer. Even larger shrimp may be investigated, bitten, or eventually eaten. Dense plants and hiding places may allow an occasional shrimp to avoid the puffer for a while, but we would not consider that reliable compatibility.

This is also one case where feeding the puffer well doesn't solve the problem. Hunting and investigating potential prey are natural behaviors, so a well-fed Figure 8 Puffer may still pursue shrimp simply because the opportunity is there.

Breeding Difficulty: Extremely Difficult / Not Established for Routine Home-Aquarium Breeding

Reproduction Type: Egg Layer

Very little reliable information is available about successful captive reproduction of the Figure 8 Puffer, and Dichotomyctere ocellatus should not be considered a species that can currently be bred predictably in the home aquarium. Unlike many commonly bred freshwater fish, there is no established hobby method that consistently produces Figure 8 Puffer offspring.

The species' natural connection to freshwater and estuarine environments may mean that seasonal changes, salinity, water chemistry, diet, or other environmental cues play roles in reproduction that are difficult to duplicate in captivity. This is one area where we would rather be clear about what isn't known than repeat breeding claims that haven't been well documented.

For the average aquarist, the goal should be providing excellent long-term care and enjoying the remarkable behavior of the fish rather than expecting to reproduce it. As more becomes known about Figure 8 Puffer biology, successful captive breeding would be an exciting development for both the aquarium hobby and the future availability of this species.

Are Figure 8 Puffers freshwater or brackish-water fish?

Figure 8 Puffers (Dichotomyctere ocellatus) occur naturally in waters influenced by both freshwater and brackish conditions, which is why you'll find conflicting answers to this question. For long-term aquarium care, Aquatic Arts recommends maintaining Figure 8 Puffers in stable, low-end brackish conditions rather than treating them as conventional freshwater community fish. Use a marine salt mix and measure the salinity rather than adding an estimated amount of freshwater aquarium salt.

What specific gravity should I maintain for a Figure 8 Puffer?

For a low-end brackish Figure 8 Puffer aquarium, a specific gravity around 1.002–1.005 is commonly used. Stability is important, and salinity should be measured with an appropriate hydrometer or refractometer. Figure 8 Puffers should not simply have aquarium salt occasionally added to otherwise freshwater conditions.

Can I keep a Figure 8 Puffer permanently in freshwater?

Although Figure 8 Puffers can occur in freshwater and may be sold or temporarily maintained in freshwater, Aquatic Arts recommends low-end brackish conditions for long-term aquarium care. Rather than asking whether the fish can survive in freshwater, we prefer to provide conditions that give it the best opportunity for long-term health.

Can Figure 8 Puffers live in a community aquarium?

We do not recommend Figure 8 Puffers for conventional community aquariums. Individual puffers vary considerably in temperament, and a fish that ignores its tank mates initially may later begin chasing, biting, or fin-nipping them. Because this behavior cannot be reliably predicted, a dedicated species aquarium is our preferred recommendation.

What fish can live with a Figure 8 Puffer?

Aquatic Arts does not recommend specific fish as reliably safe tank mates for the Figure 8 Puffer. There are reports of Figure 8 Puffers living with other brackish-water species, but successful individual examples do not establish predictable compatibility. If your goal is to build an aquarium where every inhabitant can be recommended with confidence, we would keep the Figure 8 Puffer by itself.

Can Figure 8 Puffers live together?

Multiple Figure 8 Puffers are sometimes maintained together, but we would not describe another Figure 8 Puffer as a guaranteed companion. Territorial behavior and individual temperament can change as the fish mature. Keeping a single Figure 8 Puffer removes that uncertainty and allows the entire aquarium to be designed around one fish.

Are Figure 8 Puffers aggressive?

Figure 8 Puffers can be territorial, aggressive, and persistent fin-nippers. Individual temperament varies considerably, which is part of the problem when predicting compatibility. Their small adult size can also be misleading; a Figure 8 Puffer has a powerful beak capable of seriously injuring another fish.

Are Figure 8 Puffers good for beginners?

We would not consider the Figure 8 Puffer an ideal beginner fish. Keeping one successfully requires understanding brackish-water preparation, maintaining stable water quality, providing an appropriate carnivorous diet, managing continuously growing teeth, and recognizing that this species is not a typical community fish. None of those requirements are especially difficult individually, but together they make the Figure 8 Puffer better suited to someone prepared to build an aquarium specifically for it.

How large do Figure 8 Puffers get?

Figure 8 Puffers remain relatively small, generally reaching around 3 inches (7.5 cm) as adults. Their small size does not mean they require a tiny aquarium, however. Figure 8 Puffers are active, intelligent fish that benefit from room to explore, complex hardscape, stable water conditions, and adequate filtration.

What size aquarium does a Figure 8 Puffer need?

We recommend at least a 20-gallon aquarium for a single Figure 8 Puffer. Aquarium footprint and usable territory are important because these fish spend a considerable amount of time exploring. A larger aquarium also provides greater water-volume stability, which is valuable for a carnivorous fish that can be a messy eater.

What do Figure 8 Puffers eat?

Figure 8 Puffers are carnivores that should receive a varied diet including snails, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and other appropriately sized meaty foods. Frozen bloodworms, blackworms, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, and suitable pieces of shrimp can provide variety, but hard-shelled foods are especially important because they help wear down the puffer's continuously growing teeth.

Do Figure 8 Puffers really need snails?

Snails are one of the most useful foods you can provide a Figure 8 Puffer. They encourage natural hunting behavior while giving the fish something hard to bite and crush, which helps with normal tooth wear. Snails should be part of a varied diet rather than the only food offered.

Why are hard-shelled foods important for Figure 8 Puffers?

A Figure 8 Puffer's teeth continue growing throughout its life. Biting and crushing snails and other appropriately sized hard-shelled foods helps naturally wear those teeth. A diet consisting entirely of soft foods can contribute to excessive tooth growth, which can eventually interfere with the fish's ability to eat.

What happens if a Figure 8 Puffer's teeth become overgrown?

Severely overgrown teeth can prevent a Figure 8 Puffer from properly capturing or eating food. Correcting advanced overgrowth can require direct intervention, which is stressful for both the fish and keeper. Regularly providing appropriate hard-shelled foods is a much better approach than waiting until the teeth become a problem.

Will Figure 8 Puffers eat shrimp?

Yes. Figure 8 Puffers should not be considered shrimp safe. Shrimp and other small crustaceans fall naturally within the type of prey a puffer investigates and eats. Neocaridina Shrimp, Caridina Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, and other ornamental shrimp should not be expected to coexist safely with a Figure 8 Puffer.

Will Figure 8 Puffers eat snails in the aquarium?

Absolutely. Hunting snails is one of the most natural behaviors you can encourage in a Figure 8 Puffer. Small appropriately sized snails provide enrichment as the puffer searches for them and also contribute to tooth wear when the shells are bitten or crushed.

Can I feed live foods to my Figure 8 Puffer?

Yes. Appropriately selected live foods can provide both nutrition and valuable enrichment for Figure 8 Puffers. Live snails, blackworms, and suitable crustacean foods encourage the fish to search, investigate, and hunt instead of receiving every meal in exactly the same way.

Will a Figure 8 Puffer eat flakes or pellets?

Some Figure 8 Puffers may learn to accept prepared foods, while others show little interest in them. We would not purchase this species expecting flakes or pellets to form the entire diet. Frozen, live, fresh, and hard-shelled foods provide the variety and feeding opportunities that better match the natural biology of the Figure 8 Puffer.

Why is my Figure 8 Puffer constantly watching me?

That's one of the reasons people become so attached to puffers. Figure 8 Puffers are highly observant fish that quickly learn routines and often associate the person approaching the aquarium with food. Their independently moving eyes also allow them to inspect their surroundings in a way that makes their curiosity particularly noticeable.

Do Figure 8 Puffers need enrichment?

We believe so. A Figure 8 Puffer spends much of its time investigating its surroundings and searching for food, so an empty aquarium gives an intelligent predator very little to do. Driftwood, roots, rocks, caves, broken sight lines, and opportunities to hunt for food create a much more interesting environment. Even changing where food is offered can encourage the puffer to search instead of simply waiting at the same feeding location.

Why does my Figure 8 Puffer swim up and down the glass?

Repeated glass surfing can occur when a Figure 8 Puffer is newly introduced, excited by activity outside the aquarium, anticipating food, or insufficiently engaged with its surroundings. Persistent repetitive behavior is worth paying attention to. Check water quality, make sure the aquarium provides adequate space and structure, and give the puffer opportunities to explore and hunt.

Can Figure 8 Puffers live with aquarium plants?

Figure 8 Puffers generally do not target healthy aquarium plants as food, but the brackish conditions we recommend limit which plants can be maintained successfully. Plant selection should therefore be based primarily on salt tolerance. Hardscape, roots, rockwork, and open areas can form the foundation of the aquarium without requiring it to be densely planted.

Do Figure 8 Puffers puff up in the aquarium?

They can, but puffing is primarily a defensive response and isn't something we want to intentionally trigger. A Figure 8 Puffer inflates its body when it feels seriously threatened. Never frighten, chase, or otherwise stress a puffer simply to watch it inflate.

Should I make my Figure 8 Puffer puff up?

No. Intentionally frightening or handling a Figure 8 Puffer to make it inflate causes unnecessary stress and provides no benefit to the fish. Puffing is an emergency defensive behavior, not a trick or normal form of enrichment.

Can a Figure 8 Puffer puff up with air?

A puffer removed from the water can potentially swallow air while attempting to inflate, which can create additional problems. Figure 8 Puffers should therefore remain submerged whenever practical during handling or transfer. There is no reason to intentionally expose a puffer to air to make it inflate.

Why is clean water especially important for Figure 8 Puffers?

Figure 8 Puffers are carnivorous fish and can be messy eaters, leaving small pieces of meaty food behind after feeding. Those leftovers can quickly affect water quality if they're allowed to decay. Strong biological filtration, regular maintenance, removal of uneaten food, and a fully cycled aquarium are particularly important for this species.

How long do Figure 8 Puffers live?

A properly maintained Figure 8 Puffer can be a long-term aquarium resident, with lifespans commonly reported in the range of several years and potentially considerably longer under excellent conditions. Because reliable lifespan data for Dichotomyctere ocellatus are limited, we would rather avoid promising a specific maximum lifespan and focus on the husbandry factors we know support long-term health.

Can Figure 8 Puffers be bred in home aquariums?

There is very little reliable documentation of repeatable captive breeding of the Figure 8 Puffer. We would not consider Dichotomyctere ocellatus an established home-aquarium breeding species, and we would be cautious about repeating breeding claims that cannot be well documented.

Why would Aquatic Arts recommend a Figure 8 Puffer?

We recommend the Figure 8 Puffer to someone who wants the puffer itself to be the reason for the aquarium. This isn't a fish we would choose simply to fill an empty space in a community tank. Give a Figure 8 Puffer its own thoughtfully designed environment, an appropriate brackish setup, a varied diet, and opportunities to hunt and explore, and you get one of the most observant and engaging small fish in the aquarium hobby.

How are Figure 8 Puffers shipped?

Every Figure 8 Puffer is carefully quarantined, observed, and conditioned before leaving our facility. Fish orders are shipped using UPS Next Day Air in our Aquatic Arts Live Arrival Guarantee Box and are backed by our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee.

We stand behind the health and quality of every fish we ship. Each Figure 8 Puffer (Dichotomyctere ocellatus) is carefully quarantined, observed, and conditioned before leaving our facility to help ensure it arrives healthy and ready to thrive in its new aquarium.

Every order is backed by our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee. In the unlikely event that an issue occurs during transit, simply contact our team and we will work quickly to help resolve the situation.

Every fish order is shipped in our Aquatic Arts Live Arrival Guarantee Box at no additional charge. Depending on seasonal conditions, heat packs, cold packs, and insulation may be included to help provide the safest possible shipping environment.

When your Figure 8 Puffer arrives, we recommend acclimating it promptly into a fully cycled aquarium with stable water parameters and excellent filtration. Figure 8 Puffers are best maintained in a dedicated, species-focused aquarium, and Aquatic Arts recommends stable low-end brackish conditions for long-term care. Providing plenty of structure to explore along with a varied diet that regularly includes appropriate hard-shelled foods will help support natural behavior, proper tooth wear, and long-term health.

In addition to our Live Arrival Guarantee, every purchase includes access to our experienced support team. Whether you have questions about acclimation, feeding, salinity, aquascaping, or long-term care, we are here to help you get the most from your aquarium.

For assistance with your order or livestock care questions, please contact us at info@aquaticarts.com.

For complete details about our Live Arrival Guarantee, please visit:

https://aquaticarts.com/policies/refund-policy

Best Fishes,

The Aquatic Arts Team