Red-eye red-tail puffer

The red-eye red-tail puffer is a small freshwater pufferfish (family Tetraodontidae) from Southeast Asia, one of the few puffers adapted to soft, acidic blackwater. It has a brownish back, pale belly, red eyes, and males show a red-orange tail and flank markings, with clear sexual differences in coloration. It is a small but feisty fish that can be nippy and territorial toward tankmates. It is often kept in a species tank, or cautiously with fast, non-competing fish, and multiple puffers need space to avoid conflict. A planted tank with hiding places and gentle flow suits it. Like all puffers it is a carnivore requiring hard-shelled foods such as snails, small crustaceans, and frozen bloodworms to wear down its continuously growing teeth. Its small size makes it suited to nano setups managed by attentive keepers.