Hairy Puffer (Pao baileyi)

Hairy Puffer (Pao baileyi)

Quarantined specialty puffer for carefully planned freshwater aquariums in Canada.

The Hairy Puffer is a rare ambush-style freshwater puffer known for its unusual textured appearance and cryptic behaviour. It is a collector oddball fish for aquarists who appreciate specialized species rather than constant open-water activity.

Why This Fish Stands Out

• Highly interactive oddball fish with strong personality
• Specialty species for aquarists who want behaviour, not just colour
• Best for a planned species-focused aquarium rather than a casual community tank

Aquarium Setup & Behaviour

Provide a mature, strongly filtered aquarium with stable water, hiding places, and careful long-term planning. Provide a dedicated aquarium with strong filtration, subdued areas, hiding structure, and careful feeding access.

Best treated as a solitary ambush puffer. Tankmates are not recommended.

Feeding

Puffers need a varied meaty diet and should not be treated as flake-food community fish. Feed varied meaty foods; avoid overfeeding and maintain high water quality.

Natural Colour & Livestock Integrity

Colour and pattern come from the fish's natural appearance and healthy conditioning. Topick Aquarium does not use dye or hormones to artificially enhance colour.

Topick Aquarium Livestock Standard

All fish at Topick Aquarium are carefully quarantined and conditioned to our stable local tap water before sale. Some oddball and specialty species still have very specific long-term needs, so we recommend matching each fish to the right aquarium size, diet, tankmates, and maintenance routine before purchase.

Care Summary

• Scientific Name: Pao baileyi
• Adult Size: Approximately 12–15 cm
• Care Level: Advanced
• Recommended Tank: Mature aquarium planned around this species' adult size, behaviour, diet, and tankmate compatibility

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called a Hairy Puffer?
It can develop a textured, filament-like appearance that helps with camouflage.

Is it active like an Amazon Puffer?
No. It is more of an ambush puffer and may spend time waiting motionless.

Can it live with other fish?
It is best kept alone because ambush puffers can bite tankmates.

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