Red-tailed Red-eye Puffer – Carinotetraodon irrubesco

Red-tailed Red-eye Puffer (Carinotetraodon irrubesco)

The Red-tailed Red-eye Puffer, Carinotetraodon irrubesco, is a small true freshwater puffer with bright red eyes, a compact body and attractive red to orange tail colour in mature males. Also known as the Red-eye Red-tail Puffer, Irrubesco Puffer or Red-tail Dwarf Puffer, this Indonesian species is full of personality but should be treated as a specialist fish rather than a general community choice. It is best suited to a mature, well-planted aquarium with soft cover, careful feeding and tank mates chosen with extreme caution.

Common Name:
Red-tailed Red-eye Puffer, Red-eye Red-tail Puffer, Irrubesco Puffer, Red-tail Dwarf Puffer, Red-eye Puffer.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Carinotetraodon irrubesco

Maximum Size:
Usually around 4–5 cm.

Water Type:
Freshwater

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Native to Indonesia, with records from Sumatra and Borneo, including the lower Banyuasin river basin in South Sumatra and the Sambas river basin in West Kalimantan. It is associated with quiet, shaded freshwater habitats with plants, roots, submerged branches, soft cover and low to moderate water movement.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–28°C
pH Range: 5.5–7.2
Hardness or Salinity: Soft to moderately hard freshwater; best in clean, stable, slightly acidic freshwater with low to moderate flow.

Temperament:
Semi-aggressive and predatory. This species may be calmer than some puffers, but it can still nip fins, bite slow tank mates, eat small invertebrates and defend preferred areas. It is often safest in a species aquarium or with very carefully selected fast, peaceful fish that are not long-finned and do not compete directly for space.

Diet:
Carnivorous. Offer small snails, frozen bloodworm, mosquito larvae, brineshrimp, daphnia, mysis, blackworm, chopped prawn, chopped mussel and other small meaty foods. Many individuals ignore dry foods, so flakes and pellets should not be relied upon. Small snails and other hard-shelled foods are useful for natural feeding behaviour and tooth wear.

Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 60 litres is recommended for a single specimen, with 90 litres or more preferred for a pair or carefully managed group. The aquarium should be heavily structured with plants, wood, caves, leaf litter and broken lines of sight.

Behaviour & Activity:
A curious, intelligent puffer that explores slowly through plants, wood and shaded cover rather than constantly swimming in open water. It may lurk, investigate objects, stalk food and interact with the aquarist in typical puffer fashion. Males can be territorial, and individual personalities vary, so close observation is important. Dense planting, floating cover and quiet resting areas help reduce stress.

Aquarium Category:
Semi-Aggressive
Best kept in a species-focused aquarium or a carefully planned specialist community. Avoid long-finned fish, slow fish, tiny tank mates, ornamental shrimps, snails you want to keep, delicate bottom dwellers and aggressive fish that may stress or injure the puffer. Success with tank mates depends heavily on the individual fish and the amount of cover provided.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
This is a specialist freshwater puffer and should not be bought as a standard community fish. Provide a mature aquarium with excellent water quality, plenty of cover and a varied meaty diet. Keep a supply of suitable small snails or hard-shelled foods for enrichment and beak maintenance. Avoid copper-based treatments and rough handling. Never intentionally make a puffer inflate, as this is stressful and can be dangerous for the fish.

Suitable for:
Experienced fishkeepers

Availability:
Rare or occasional in trade / Specialist import

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.