Care
The Spotted Congo or Leopard Puffer is known from Pool Malebo (formerly Stanley Pool), a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Here it is found in rocky habitats amongst the swiftly flowing, highly oxygenated waters, where it is may be observed lurking between crevices in the rocks or riparian vegetation, ready to ambush any small fish or crustaceans that venture past.
The Spotted Congo Puffer requires a good sized, mature aquarium with a soft, sandy substrate and plenty of caves and crevices to hide between. As these fish are voracious eaters and can create a fair amount of waste, decent filtration should be employed (an external canister is ideal). There should be areas of moderate water movement and a high level of oxygenation, perhaps achieved by a powerhead with flow diverter angled up towards the surface of the water, or by keeping a slightly dropped water line so that water returning from the filter splashes down onto the water's surface.
This is the smallest species of African pufferfish and is much sought after by oddball enthusiasts, however, imports from this region became quite sporadic due to political unrest and health issues, so wild specimens became one of the rarest pufferfish in the trade, despite being more widely kept in the mid twentieth century. As such, there were only a handful of reports of this fish being kept in the home aquarium in more recent times, and although most suggest that this particular pufferfish is relatively peaceful towards its own kind and other species, it would be prudent to be cautious and have a means of separating tankmates if necessary - particularly after spawning. Ensuring there is an abundance of visual barriers within the aquarium will provide the best chance of keeping a group (introduce simultaneously, and observe very carefully), and any possible companions should be short-finned and fast-swimming. Rocks, driftwood, and hardy current-tolerant plants can all be utilised in an aquascape for these puffers. As with other puffer species, this fish can inflate when frightened or cornered. It should never be provoked into doing so, and never above water where it can take on air, which can prove fatal. If moving a Spotted Congo Puffer to larger quarters, the fish should be herded into a solid container under the water so as to remove the necessity of netting and lifting it clear of the water. Spotted Congo Puffers are capable of colour change, depending on their surroundings or mood. As a scaleless species, be aware that these fish can be sensitive to medications. Lastly, please remember that pufferfish can vary in temperament, and there may be exceptions to the expected behaviour of the species - even fish that have been deemed 'compatible'. It is always a good idea to have some sort of tank divider - or even a spare aquarium - handy, should circumstances necessitate their use. Spotted Congo Puffers are intolerant of poor water quality - as already mentioned above, make use of a decent filtration system and perform plenty of regular partial water changes.
Feeding
Meaty frozen foods such as Mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, earthworms, chopped cockle and mussel meat, chopped shell-on prawns, small snails, partially opened cockle-in-shell etc should be given. Hard-shelled foods MUST be offered on a regular basis to help keep the beak in check. Some aquarists breed small aquatic snails in a separate nano aquarium, where they reproduce rapidly and can be easily harvested for feeding times. Snails and live shrimp can be gut-loaded with dry food before use to boost their nutritional value and care should be taken to avoid excessive feeding of cockles and mussels due to the risk of thiaminase problems.
Breeding
This species was spawning in home aquaria many years ago when it enjoyed greater popularity, and with the rise in captive bred individuals, it's good to see that this is something that can be achieved by dedicated hobbyists. Best results seem to come from using soft water. Males are smaller than females and courtship involves passionate biting and driving of a conditioned female, often by multiple males. A large number of eggs (up to 2,000 in some accounts) are scattered amongst vegetation and no parental care is given, with adults being able to respawn in less than a fortnight if fed well. Eggs hatch after around five days and the tiny fry may be too small to accept newly-hatched Artemia, with successful accounts reporting a need for rotifers in the first week. Partial water changes should be performed daily and after six weeks, a wider range of foods should be offered.
