Think of them as tiny puppies!

Every time you see one in a fish tank you want one, you just seem to fall in love with this oddball swimming around and looking back at you, the pufferfish.

With that distinctive round body, comical swimming behaviour and eyes that stare right back at you, its not hard to see why.

However, due to their size, water requirements and often aggressive streak, it is not possible for people to keep these fascinating fish in your average home aquarium.

But let me introduce you to an unbelievably cute (yes I said cute!) member of the pufferfish family which makes owning a pufferfish a viable option. I am talking about the Malabar or Dwarf puffer.

Now when I say dwarf, I am not kidding. These little bundles of joy are roughly 1” (2.5cm) long when fully grown, so we are talking about small fish here. Due to the size of these fish, filtration is important, avoid anything to powerful as strong waterflow isn't ideal for these fish.

They are a very inquisitive fish that get bored easily, try to provide an aquarium with lots of plants, caves and wood. Anything to provide these fish interest and cover. Blocking lines of sight can also help dilute aggression should you have a couple of stroppy males trying to show each other who's boss. They need good quality water, so efficient filtration and regular water changes are essential.

They can be kept singly but really do better in a shoal of 6 or more, a ratio of more females to males is always ideal, but sexing these small fish is not an easy thing. For such a small fish they are still boisterous and can be nippy, so tank mates need to be chosen carefully. I would avoid long-finned fish, those tails and fins can be a little too tempting. Bigger fish are obviously a none starter unless you are happy for them to be fed pea sized snacks! If you keep them well fed you can curb the nipping, but I think these really do best in a species only set up or with a few small Corydoras catfish or Khuli Loach for company.

Meaty foods are important: blood worm and daphnia are a great base menu. They also love snails and are often bought to keep problem snails under control, many shops will let you have a few snails from their systems if you ask nicely.

One of the biggest appeals of this family of fish is the way they develop a real personality. They will often recognise their owner and swim up to the glass to say hello. I have a customer who swears that whenever his wife comes near the tank, his dwarf puffers all hide until she has gone, I tell her not to take it personally.

These are a fantastic little fish with bundles of personality and one of the cutest little faces you will ever see in the hobby.