Moderate
Dwarf Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus)
22–28°C · pH 6.8–8 · 20L
£9.49
A lively true freshwater puffer from South America, prized for its personality, intelligence, and compact size. Moderate care, semi-aggressive. 24-28C, pH 6.5-7.5.
Care at a Glance
Scientific Name
Colomesus asellus
Max Adult Size
up to 12 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Care Level
Moderate
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Temperature
24–28°C
pH Range
6.5–7.5
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Minimum Tank
110L
Diet
Carnivore
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Water Parameters
Temperature
24–28°C
24°CIdeal28°C
pH Level
6.5–7.5
6.5Ideal7.5
Water Hardness
2–15 dGH
2 dGHIdeal15 dGH
Colomesus asellus
Amazon Puffer (Colomesus asellus) - Tropical Fish for Sale UK
Moderate Care
Semi-Aggressive
£33.99Sold Out
1
Get a product-specific stock alert
Confirm your email, then we’ll send an availability message for this exact item if it returns within 180 days.
This request is only for this product—no newsletter or other promotions. A mail-provider retry may very rarely duplicate the same availability message. Unconfirmed addresses are removed after 48 hours. See our privacy policy.
Live arrival guaranteed. If they don’t arrive healthy, email us a short unboxing video the same day for a replacement or refund. Packed in oxygenated bags with insulation and heat packs when needed.
£19.95 tracked delivery — half price (£9.98) from £100.00, free from £200.00. One delivery charge however many fish you add — everything travels together with a licensed live-animal courier.
Read our reviews on Google (opens Google Business Profile in a new tab) or see verified buyer reviews and photos. Human support, careful packing and clear delivery updates for live aquatics.
A lively true freshwater puffer from South America, prized for its personality, intelligence, and compact size. Moderate care, semi-aggressive. 24-28C, pH 6.5-7.5.
Care at a Glance
Scientific Name
Colomesus asellus
Max Adult Size
up to 12 cm
Lifespan
10 years
Care Level
Moderate
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Temperature
24–28°C
pH Range
6.5–7.5
Hardness
2–15 dGH
Minimum Tank
110L
Diet
Carnivore
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Water Parameters
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Temperature
24–28°C
24°CIdeal28°C
pH Level
6.5–7.5
6.5Ideal7.5
Water Hardness
2–15 dGH
2 dGHIdeal15 dGH
Overview
The Amazon Puffer (Colomesus asellus) is the aquarium world's only truly sociable pufferfish — a lively, intelligent, shoaling species that swims boldly in open water rather than lurking alone. Its constant activity, expressive eyes and dog-like personality make it one of the most engaging fish you can keep, provided you can meet its specialist diet and give it the company of its own kind.
12 cm
Adult size
110 L
Min. aquarium
24–28°C
Temperature
6.5–7.5
pH
Moderate
Care level
10 yrs
Lifespan
Appearance & Identification
A neat, torpedo-shaped puffer reaching around 12cm, the Amazon Puffer wears a bright yellow-green back crossed by bold black saddles and bars, fading to a clean white belly. It has the classic puffer ability to inflate when alarmed, independently swivelling eyes, and a small beak formed from four fused teeth that grow continuously throughout its life.
Aquarium Setup
Provide a mature, well-filtered aquarium of at least 110 litres with plenty of open swimming space, gentle to moderate flow and some planting or wood for structure. Keep the water warm (24–28°C) and close to neutral (pH 6.5–7.5), with pristine quality — as a scaleless fish it is sensitive to poor water and to copper-based medications, which must be avoided.
Important
Those beak-like teeth never stop growing, so a diet of hard-shelled foods is essential to wear them down — without it the teeth overgrow and the fish cannot feed. The Amazon Puffer is also a known fin-nipper, so it is not a safe choice for a typical peaceful community.
Temperament & Tank Mates
Unlike almost every other puffer, this species is happiest in a group of three or more and becomes stressed kept alone. It is semi-aggressive and inquisitive, and will nip the fins of slow, long-finned tankmates. House it in a species tank or with fast, robust, short-finned companions that can hold their own.
| Great tank mates | Best avoided |
|---|---|
| A shoal of 3+ Amazon Puffers | Slow or long-finned fish |
| Fast, robust midwater fish | Dwarf shrimp (eaten) |
| Larger, active tetras | Delicate nano fish |
| Sturdy medium catfish | Anything small enough to nip |
Feeding
A dedicated carnivore, it needs regular hard-shelled and meaty foods: ramshorn and small pond snails, mussel, cockle, prawn, bloodworm and krill. The snails and shellfish are not optional treats but essential for dental wear. Feed daily in modest amounts and vary the menu to keep the fish in bright, active condition.
Care at a glance
- Temperament: Semi-aggressive
- Swimming level: Middle
- Diet: Carnivore
- Water: 24–28°C, pH 6.5–7.5
Expert Tip
Keep a steady supply of small snails on hand — a puffer that can crunch shellfish keeps its teeth in check naturally and rarely needs the stressful hand-trimming an overgrown beak eventually requires.
Delivery & Live Arrival Guarantee
Every Amazon Puffer is hand-selected and quarantined before sale, then packed in oxygenated bags with insulation and heat packs when needed and sent by tracked, live-animal courier. Your order is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee, so it reaches you safely anywhere in the UK.
Customer Reviews
No reviews for this item yet. Bought one? Honest reviews only, good or bad.
What customers say about ordering from us
4.6 on Google Maps, rated 4.6 out of 5 (opens in a new tab)4.4 · 117 shop reviews read them, rated 4.4 out of 5
- 5 out of 5Verified buyer
Easy website plenty of info on fish your buying great to pick a time slot
TRACEY DURRANT · 7 Oct 2026
- 4 out of 5Verified buyer
Got some lovely fish thank you
Kevin Mackie · 7 Oct 2026
Reviews of our shop, collected by Judge.me, an independent third-party review collector. Newest first.