As I was writing a more in-depth post about my experiences with both freshwater aquariums and saltwater tanks and what I love about keeping both of them at the same time, I kept asking myself- “Which freshwater fish would made a splash in saltwater community?” There are many candidates, but I think one of the most unique fish that lives exclusively in freshwater and close relative to its saltwater counterparts, the Tetraodon travancoricus, known better as the Indian Dwarf Puffer

My quite large (100 g) freshwater planted tank would never “feel” the same without the presence of its smallest inhabitants- a pair of Indian Dwarf Puffers. In this post, I present to you a fish that is entertaining to watch, beautifully colored, and packed with personality, that comes in the tiniest of packages. These smart little predators (they hunt pest snails with passion) are absolutely comical in appearance, great to observe (when you spot them, which not always is an easy task), and an all-around amazing addition to a planted tank. They are native to the Pamba River in southern India, only grow to 1″ long, and form groups that hunt together with a vigor of a lion pack.

Just look at the picture- aren’t they awesome?

Image details:

Photographer: Marcin Smok

Camera: Nikon D810

Lens: Sigma 105mm f/2.8

Focal Length: 105 mm

Shutter speed: 1/200 s

Aperture: f/22