How long do blowfish live

Fat puffers, i. A majority of the species lives in the ocean, but many of those are capable of venturing into brackish or fresh water to feed or breed. There are also several species of freshwater puffers. Pufferfishes that live in the ocean will typically stay near coral reefs close to the shore, but some prefer to live in the deep sea.

As you can see, the family Tetraodontidae is a diverse family and it is very important to research the species you are interested in before you make a purchase. Never force a puffer to live in an environment that is unhealthy for it in the long run.

The abovementioned genus Arothron is a good choice if you want to keep puffers in your saltwater aquarium. There is often relationship between the body coloration and the amount of toxin produced by the fish brighter colors are often associated with large quantity of toxin in the fish. Puffer fish do not have scales.

Their skin is thick and rough. Some species have spines on the skin, which offer additional protection against the predators. The most elastic part of their body is skin on the stomach area. When puffer fish ingests water, skin on the stomach expands several times of the normal size of the fish. Puffer fish have four teeth that are fused in the beak-like structure. They use their teeth for opening of mussels, clams and shellfish.

Despite using their fins to help them swim with a tail fin acting as a rudder , puffer fish are notoriously slow-moving. However, they do have other methods for deterring—or defeating—predators out to get them, said Claricoates, including:. Puffer fish do not have scales, but instead have spines which you may not be able to get a good look at until they puff up , said Claricoates. As a fish owner, you have to be sure that the water quality is excellent—specifically nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels in your tank.

If these levels are high, it often indicates a dirty tank, and can create health issues for your fish, she said. Water checks can be done by fish stores for you on a monthly basis or you can purchase a home kit to test your water, she said. A puffer fish, if kept in an ideal environment, can live up to ten years. In the wild, puffer fish are predators, and eat a variety of snails, shellfish, crustaceans and other fish, said Claricoates.

In captivity, puffers will eat almost anything, so a variety of foods should be offered to allow for a healthy mix, she said. Claricoates recommends a diet consisting of foods with shells, including blue crab, mussels, clams, shrimp, live snails and bloodworms.

She also advised that when or if you are offering live food, it must be quarantined in a separate aquarium for a month prior to feeding it to your puffer fish. This ensures the food is healthy and prevents puffer illness from unhealthy food.

Many fish species have teeth that stop growing at some point, but puffer fish do not. Because they eat hard foods, they have teeth also called beaks that continuously grow throughout their lives, said Claricoates. The diet of the pufferfish includes mostly invertebrates and algae. Large specimens will even crack open and eat clams, mussels, and shellfish with their hard beaks. Poisonous puffers are believed to synthesize their deadly toxin from the bacteria in the animals they eat. Some species of pufferfish are considered vulnerable due to pollution, habitat loss, and overfishing, but most populations are considered stable.

All rights reserved. Common Name: Pufferfish. Scientific Name: Tetraodontidae. Type: Fish. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: School. Size: Up to 3 feet. Size relative to a teacup:. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.