Pufferfish (assorted)

Pufferfish are fish of the family Tetraodontidae. This group entry covers sightings where the species was not recorded. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) lists Tetraodontidae as an accepted family.

Wikipedia says pufferfish are typically small to medium in size, although a few species can exceed 50 cm, and that they are characterised by four beak-like teeth. It describes them as similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large external spines, while the thinner spines of the Tetraodontidae are hidden until the fish puffs up.

Wikipedia says the majority of pufferfish species are toxic, some among the most poisonous vertebrates in the world. A conservation status is not given here, because this entry covers a whole family.

Wikipedia says pufferfish are most diverse in the tropical zone, relatively uncommon in the temperate zone and completely absent from cold waters. Most species live in marine or brackish water, and about 35 tropical species spend their entire lives in fresh water.

Where Divers Find Them

In Tulamben, Bali, Blue Season Bali names puffer fish among the fish seen away from the wall at the Drop Off, without saying which species.

Wikipedia says the pufferfish diet typically consists mostly of algae and small invertebrates, and varies with the environment. It describes the fish as highly manoeuvrable but very slow, and calls its eyesight and a sudden burst of speed its first defence against predators.

If pursued, it fills its elastic stomach with water until it is much larger and almost spherical, which also presents its pointed spines. The neurotoxin tetrodotoxin is found mainly in the ovaries and liver, with smaller amounts in the intestines and skin.

Underwater Encounter Behavior

The sources cited here do not describe how pufferfish react to divers.