Myanmar Puffer (pig nosed puffer, arrowhead puffer, pig faced puffer, Mekong puffer) These fish prefer to be fed live foods. However, one can quickly can accustom these intelligent animals to strong spare fodder like frozen and thawed out stinte (?), pieces of fish, earthworms and other rough fodder. these fish do not make special demands in water quality except that it be oxygen-rich and clean. This should actually be however a matter of course. I have maintained them at varying temperatures between 22-28°C without changes in their behavior. Occasionally, in the high summer, the temperatures rise over thirty degrees. Also the puffers stand this, although I strengthen then preventively with additional ventilation. They do not damage aquatic plants. This could change however during the reproduction.
The Thai or Myanmar Puffer, Tetraodon suvattii SONTIRAT, 1989 was exported lately regularly from Myanmar to us. Scientifically it was described originally from the Mekong river in the Thai province Nong Khai. The kind attains full growth with approximately 14-15 cm overall length and shows a beige-brown, finely examined dark camouflage pattern. They have a still more solid and larger head than T. miurus (Congo Puffer). It takes nearly half of its body size with this kind. Their elongated lip, the green eyes and the dark markings lend to this a rather fear-exciting appearance. These animals remind me again and again of Hyaenen (?). Also this puffer shows similarly, as T. miurus, a sophisticated hunting behavior. He loves exactly like that kind rubble dead leaves or sand provide, where he can lie in wait for to his prey due to good camouflage. In this way the volatile puffer can easily be mistaken for a smooth piece of flint or wood. When entrenching, T. suvattii slip with the belly and tail on the sand back and forth. They displace so the sand and sink within few seconds into where only eyes, lip and back of the animals are visible.
The prey is thus caught in the same way as with T. miurus. Often T. suvatti pursue their prey in addition, quite speedily. They are nearly always successful and their attack is optimized by their strong teeth. Small fish are devoured immediately under violent chewing movements in the whole. Larger prey fish are first killed and gradually eaten.
Aggression is not as strongly pronounced with this kind, in my observations, as with the Congo Puffer. Preferable however is a large aquarium with as large, well structured a surface area as possible. There the fish can stay out of the puffer's way. Later assigned animals are usually mercilessly pursued by the puffer already acclimatized. Often an uncommon attitude does not permit the keeping of these fish with other species or even their own kind. If kept with others they should be frequently observed.
To intruders T. suvattii react immediately with great unrest. To begin they will only stare at the intruder. If the puffer is over the opponent in the clear, he ascends with threateningly lowered head, opens the muzzle and swims slowly towards the intruder. Usually this is sufficient to inspire the enemy to leave. If that is not the case, T. suvattii shows the opponent its broadside and inflates its body through water sips to a imposing size. Inflating makes unpleasant noises. Probably the opponent is to be irritated and intimidated by these unusual noises. Threateningly and impressively the inflated puffer swims in a zigzag before the opponent back and forth. The head is lowered and the open muzzle with the sharp teeth displayed. If the intruder does not vacate at this point the puffer will inflict serious bites.One can simulate this interesting behavior with the help of a small hand mirror. The puffers will attack their own mirror image.
