Edit Colomesus psittacus

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Name

Scientific name

Colomesus psittacus

Described by

Authority Bloch & Schneider, Year 1801, Bracketed

Family

Tetraodontidae

Common names

Banded Puffer

Photograph credits

All 1 credited

Summary

The banded puffer, Colomesus psittacus, is a large puffer of coastal waters from Colombia and Venezuela through the Guianas to northeastern…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

290mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 180 cm, Minimum depth 60 cm, Minimum height 60 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–26°C, pH 7–9

Hardness

10–25dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Bahamas, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, French Guiana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Amazon, Orinoco

Writing

Etymology

Colomesus: from the Ancient Greek χωλóς (cholós), meaning 'physically defective, crippled', and μέσος (mésos), meaning 'middle', presumably in reference to the…

Distribution

This species' known range extends eastwards from the Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona in Magdalena Department, Colombia, across northern Venezuela, the Gulf of …

Habitat

Although it does penetrate the lower basins of rivers, particularly the Amazon where it has been collected from the rio Xingu several hundred kilometres from i…

Aquarium size

An aquarium measuring 180 ∗ 60 ∗ 60 cm is suggested as a bare minimum, but even this may prove too small for long-term care.

Maintenance

Choice of décor is not especially critical though it should be maintained in a well-decorated set-up, perhaps containing some driftwood roots or branches in or…

Choice of décor is not especially critical though it should be maintained in a well-decorated set-up, perhaps containing some driftwood roots or branches in order to mimic its natural mangrove habitats.

It is intolerant of organic waste and require spotless water in order to thrive. Moderate levels of dissolved oxygen and water movement are also recommended, meaning additional powerheads, pumps, etc., should be employed as necessary. A linear flow pump may prove a useful addition, while weekly water changes of 30-50% should be considered mandatory.

Wild examples can be delicate and sensitive to white spot/ich post-import, so a lengthy quarantine period may be required. Maintenance in pure freshwater may also present problems, so the addition of marine salt to a standard gravity of ≥1.010 is recommended.

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Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

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DOI

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Title

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Authors

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Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

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Anything worth adding

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Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Chiefly carnivorous and feeds almost exclusively on molluscs and crustaceans such as Cirripedia (barnacles) and Brachyuran crabs, taking increasingly mobile pr…

Behaviour and compatibility

Juveniles apparently form loose aggregations in the wild, but in the confines of an aquarium this species is likely to prove aggressive in all but the largest …

Sexual dimorphism

Unknown.

Reproduction

Unrecorded.

Notes

This species is also referred to as 'parrot puffer' in the ornamental trade, although it is not a popular aquarium fish. Within the genus Colomesus, it can be …

References

10 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References