Arrowhead Puffer
Arrowhead Puffer
Arrowhead Puffer (Tetraodon suvattii), also known as the Pig-nose Puffer or Mekong Puffer, is one of the most unusual-looking freshwater fish available — the dramatically upturned snout with nostrils positioned on top creates a distinctly pig-nose profile unlike any other puffer. The arrowhead name references the pointed, wedge-shaped head. This is an ambush predator that lies still on the substrate waiting for prey — behavior very different from the active foraging of most puffers.
Feeding & Care Tip: Hikari Clams on the Half Shell and Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms are the primary staples. Whole mussels, prawns, and large snails are essential for dental wear — feed hard-shelled foods several times per week. Large puffers have powerful beaks and should always be fed with tongs or a feeding stick — never by hand. Feed 2–3 times per week; puffers have slow metabolisms and do not need daily feeding.
Native to the Mekong River basin in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia — a large river with strong seasonal flow variation. The Arrowhead Puffer inhabits areas with sandy or rocky substrate where it can lie motionless, camouflaged against the bottom, waiting for prey to come within range before striking explosively.
All puffer fish have fused, beak-like teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. Hard foods — snails, shellfish, and crustaceans with intact shells — are essential for wearing down the teeth. A puffer fed only soft foods will eventually develop overgrown teeth that prevent eating, a condition requiring veterinary intervention. Snails and hard-shelled foods are dental care, not just food. The ambush hunting strategy means this species needs live or visually stimulating foods to trigger feeding — bloodworms dangled on tongs near the substrate work well. Hard shellfish are essential for dental wear.
Keep singly in a species tank. The ambush predator lifestyle means any tankmate is eventually at serious risk. Sandy substrate allows natural resting behavior.
Care & Ideal Parameters
| Difficulty | Moderate — Advanced |
| Temperament | Aggressive ambush predator — species only |
| Typical Adult Size | 7.0 inches (18 cm) |
| Min. Group Size | Singly — species tank |
| Ideal Temp | 74–82°F (23–28°C) |
| Ideal pH | 6.5–7.5 |
| Ideal GH | 5–15 dGH |
| Ideal KH | 2–8 dKH |
| Staple Food | Hikari Clams on the Half Shell; Hikari Frozen or Freeze-Dried Bloodworms |
| Treat / Supplement | Whole mussels; prawns; large snails (dental essential) |
| Origin | Mekong River basin — Thailand, Laos, Cambodia |
| Notes | Also Pig-nose or Mekong Puffer. Dramatically upturned pig-nose snout. Ambush predator — lies still waiting for prey. Sandy substrate for resting. Feed with tongs near substrate. Species only. |
