Taxonomy & naming
Bleeker described the species in 1853 in Tetraodon; it is now placed in Dichotomyctere, the genus that holds the green and spotted Asian freshwater and brackish puffers, so the authority is in parentheses. The type locality in the Catalog of Fishes lists two places, Maros in southwestern Sulawesi and Ambon Island, which suggests the original description covered more than one locality. The Catalog of Fishes (Eschmeyer, CAS) is the authority for the valid name. The family is Tetraodontidae.
Morphology
The epithet means red band in Greek, referring to a red stripe or band in the original description. FishBase gives a maximum of 3.5 in TL.
Habitat
FishBase says the species occurs usually in brackish water but is also found in the fresh water of tidal creeks and rivers, and is very common in some mangrove areas. It is listed as freshwater, brackish and demersal, in a tropical range from Indonesia to Papua New Guinea. Salinity needs should therefore not be assumed to be zero.
Feeding
Pufferfish have a fused beak and generally take snails, crustaceans and other hard-bodied prey. The diet of this species has not been studied specifically.
Mating
Courtship has not been described for this species.
Breeding
Spawning has not been described, in the wild or in captivity.
In the aquarium
Puffers of this lineage are often aggressive, need hard-shelled food to keep the beak worn down, and can require brackish conditions as adults. Given FishBase's account of a mainly brackish mangrove fish, plan on brackish water. Confirm the identity and origin of any stock.
Conservation
The IUCN assessed Dichotomyctere erythrotaenia as Least Concern in 2020, meaning it is not currently considered at risk. Mangrove loss is a general pressure on brackish-water fishes in the region.