Spotted Congo Puffer

Tetraodon Schoutedeni populations are often distributed throughout the Congo Basin, with much of the wild-caught populations being from the Ubangi River Basin. This species is believed to have invaded into freshwater from the northern coast of Africa 17–38 million years ago. Based on current studies, it is assumed that this species was the result of a single common ancestor between T. schoutedeni and four other species which diverged within the Congo Basin, giving us the species we observe today.

The modern range of T. schoutedeni is largely relegated to the Ubangi River Basin and the Lua River. While there isn't much information regarding other bodies of water, it is generally accepted that these species are widespread throughout this general region of the Congo River. Due to the demersal nature of the species, these fish are found within the large river systems where they can feed on benthic invertebrates, predominantly insects and mollusks. These fish are also strictly freshwater, making their environment more unique when compared to most other pufferfish, which are usually suited towards brackish or marine ecosystems.

Given the political turmoil that made accessibility of this fish limited for the pet industry, in captivity breeding efforts have developed greatly to better understand and distribute these pufferfish. Considering this, fish ethologists have come to understand their courting behavior greater than most other fish, especially because T. schoutedeni is so unique in this area.

The initiation of mating behavior begins with tandem swimming events where no actual spawning behavior occurs. In this unique case for this African freshwater puffer, a female can initiate in a pair or even trio with two males clung to its stomach. This has been observed to occur twice, often starting in the afternoon with actual spawning occurring in the late afternoon. Successful spawning behavior led to the male initiating biting behavior, which exhibits the male biting and clinging to the female's abdomen. This is then followed by the first round of tandem swimming, which leads to periods of the male biting and clinging to the abdomen of the female until she is ready to mate. Once the female is ready, there is a reorientation of the male before spawning which aligns the bellies of the two fish to initiate a successful spawn. The weakly adhesive eggs will then scatter onto the substrate or any décor to be left unguarded by either parent. Standard batches can generally range from 3–50 eggs. …