Male (left) and Female (right)
Photos © Sean Evans
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| Common name: | Red Eye Puffer, Lortet's puffer, Crested Puffer |
| Scientific name: | Carinotetraodon lorteti |
| Synonyms: | (none) |
| Origin: | Indochina, Malaysia and Indonesia. |
| Size: | Up to approx 5cm (2in). |
| Recommended tank size: | 60 x 30cm (24 x 12in) for a single pair. |
| Tank setup: | A pair can be kept in a species tank as long as some cover is provided as a retreat. Provide plants, bogwood and/or rocks to create a complex aquascape with plenty of visual barriers,
as males will often harass females. |
| Compatibility: | Territorial with their own kind. The boldest and potentially most aggressive of the similar redeye puffer species, mixing with other fish is not generally recommended. |
| Temperature: | 24-28oC (75-82oF) |
| Water chemistry: | A freshwater species. pH around neutral, soft to fairly hard. |
| Feeding: | Live and frozen meaty foods: bloodworm and brine shrimp, cockles, mussel and prawn, snails. |
| Sexing: | Unlike many species of puffers, this species is easy to sex, see photos. |
| Breeding: | The male swims around the female with dorsal and ventral ridges erect. Spawning takes place near the substrate, and some brood care by the male
occurs. Eggs should hatch in about 3 days. |
| Comments: |
A similar species, C. irrubesco, is most easily distinguished by the red tail of the male. Two much rarer imports are also similar: C. borneensis and C. salivator.
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