Humpback Puffer

About

Found in the lakes and rivers of Southeast Asia, Pao palembangensis is a freshwater puffer native to Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Like most puffers, it carries the classic puffer body plan. A rounded, somewhat boxy frame, fused beak-like teeth capable of crushing hard-shelled prey, and that distinctive waddling locomotion that makes puffers look like they own whatever tank they're in. Adults can reach a respectable size, making them one of the more substantial freshwater puffers you might encounter in the hobby. In the wild this fish turns up in local food markets, where it's kept alive until preparation. A detail that tells you something about its hardiness. In the aquarium it's a committed carnivore that needs meaty foods and hard-shelled invertebrates to keep those ever-growing teeth worn down. Puffers as a group are notorious fin-nippers and can be aggressive toward tankmates, and there's little reason to think this species is an exception. Most keepers do best housing them alone or with carefully chosen, robust companions. This isn't a fish for a community setup, but for someone with a dedicated species tank and some puffer experience, it's a genuinely interesting and long-lived animal.