Porcupine Puffer (Diodon holocanthus)

Porcupine Puffer

Fish Facts

Minimum Tank Size
180 gallons
Full Grown Length
12 inches
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Reef Compatible
No
Diet
Omnivore
Eats Flake Foods
No
Known primarily for their ability to inflate themselves to 2 to 3 times their normal size, Pufferfish are a moderately aggressive, medium sized family of fish. In the wild, they're considered the second most toxic animal on the planet. When raised in captivity, though, they are non-toxic since the toxin that they normally absorb from their environment is not present.

Pufferfish a curious, personable family of fish that require plenty of rock-work to explore. They're not extremely picky eaters and will eat most frozen foods, but they do require multiple feedings each day. It's possible to house them in a reef tank but there's a decent chance that they'll pick at coral in the tank and eat smaller fish and vertebrae like shrimps and crabs.

Puffing up doesn't actually hurt the fish, but it is a sign of intense fear and is almost certainly a traumatic experience. They'll generally puff when being transferred between tanks so avoid using a net and instead try to capture them in some type of container to avoid them getting tangled in the net.

Similar Size & Care

12" 180 gal No
12" 180 gal No
12" 180 gal No
14" 180 gal No
10" 180 gal No
10" 150 gal No
10" 150 gal No

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