Saltwater Aquarium Puffer (Tetraodontidae)

Their skin is highly sensitive as they have no scales, but they can puff themselves up with air and water in the event of any danger. Their teeth, joined together like a parrot's beak, enable them to break corals and the shells of crustaceans. Do not be tempted to feed them out of your hand, to avoid getting bitten. They are easy to keep in captivity, but it is best to keep them singly as they cannot stand other puffers, and invertebrates should obviously be ruled out.

Dogface Puffer
(Arothron Nigropunctatus)
The gray color of the dogface or hushpuppy gets darker with age. It can get so accustomed to an aquarist that it will even allow him or her to scratch its back! There are other puffers on the market, particularly the meleagris puffer, A. meleagris. Size: 20 cm.

Yellow Puffer (Arothron Citrinellus)
The yellow puffer is easy to acclimatize. It is active and needs space for swimming, along with hiding places in which to shelter. It appreciates a vegetable complement to its animal food. Size: 20-25 cm.

Star And Stripes Puffer (Arothron Hispidus)
The stars and stripes puffer is not only aggressive towards other puffers but can also turn against smaller species if the aquarium is too small. It is easy to acclimatize and can sometimes be tamed. Size: 50 cm.

Canthigaster
This is a small family, closely related to the Tetraodontids; like them, they are commonly known as puffers because they can blow up their bodies. Easy to keep, they feed on crustaceans and mollusks. They are aggressive towards members of their own species, but are placid in the company of other fish.

Peacock Puffer (Canthigaster Margaritatus)
The peacock puffer is distinguished by a black patch framed in pale blue. It adapts well to an aquarium, though its animal food supply must be complemented by vegetable material. Size: 12 cm.

Valentini Puffer (Canthigaster Valentini)
The Valentini puffer, which can be recognized by its two black bands, is less common in the aquarium trade than the peacock. If Canthigaster are not fed properly they may start nibbling at the fins of other fish. Size: 20 cm.