Fish
Figure-8 Puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus · also called figure 8 puffer
A pattern of interlocking loops resembling the numeral eight marks the back of a figure-8 puffer as it hunts for snails in the brackish estuaries of Southeast Asia, ready to inflate sharply into a spiky ball at the first sign of danger.
Overview
The figure-8 puffer, Dichotomyctere ocellatus, is native to brackish estuaries and coastal waters across Southeast Asia. Its distinctive figure-eight back pattern, dependence on brackish rather than purely fresh or marine water, and continuously growing beak-like teeth make it one of the more specialized small pufferfish kept in home aquariums.
A fish that needs a mix
Unlike most popular aquarium fish, which thrive in either fresh or marine water, the figure-8 puffer requires a brackish mix of the two, a specific habitat need that reflects its natural home in Southeast Asian estuaries where rivers meet the sea.
Status
Not Evaluated for conservation status, found across suitable brackish habitat throughout Southeast Asia.
Figure-8 Puffer: common questions
Why is it called the figure-8 puffer?
It shows interlocking loop-shaped markings along its back that resemble the numeral eight, a pattern that gives the species its common name.
Does the figure-8 puffer need salt water?
It needs brackish water, a mix of fresh and salt water, rather than purely fresh or fully marine conditions, making its care requirements different from many other popular aquarium fish.
How does the figure-8 puffer defend itself?
Like other pufferfish, it can rapidly inflate its body by gulping water when threatened, making itself a much larger and harder target for a predator to swallow.
Why does the figure-8 puffer need hard-shelled food?
Its fused, beak-like teeth grow continuously throughout its life, and eating hard-shelled prey such as snails helps wear the teeth down and keep them at a manageable length.