Boxfish & Blowfish
Members of the family Tetraodontidae, Boxfish, Blowfish or Pufferfish and their cousins Cowfishes and Porcupinefishes can be very personable and quirky pets, for the prepared.
They are not thought of as an ordinary aquarium tank mate, but are quickly gaining popularity. They do pose a hazard in the community tank however. They are capable of releasing a very powerful toxin which can kill other fish and in some cases, the boxfish itself. They generally only use it when threatened or dying, but can become disturbed easily with aggressive tank mates or overcrowded aquarium. Generally they are reef safe, though they will pick at invertebrates if not fed well enough.
Many people think puffed up Pufferfish, like in the picture, are cute, but an owner should never subject their pet to this as they are often unable to expel the air should they be out of the water. To prevent this, never remove a puffer from the water.
| Common name | Image | Taxonomy | Reef safe | Care Level | Description | Max size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden puffer | Arothron meleagris | No | Easy | 700148000000000000048 cm (18.9 in) | ||
| Hawaiian blue puffer | Canthigaster papua | No | Easy | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | ||
| Hawaiian saddle puffer | Canthigaster coronata | No | Easy | 700114000000000000014.0 cm (5.5 in) | ||
| Hawaiian spotted puffer | Canthigaster jactator | No | Easy | 70009000000000000009 cm (3.5 in) | ||
| Helmet cowfish | Tetrasomus gibbosus | Caution | Expert | Tan with dark speckles and brown spots at the base of the caudal fin. | 700130000000000000030 cm (11.8 in) | |
| Immaculate puffer | Arothron immaculatus | No | Moderate | 700128000000000000028 cm (11.0 in) | ||
| Longhorn cowfish | Lactoria cornuta | Caution | Expert | Grayish tan with very distinctive "horns" near the eyes and under the caudal fin. | 700146000000000000046 cm (18.1 in) | |
| Scribbled boxfish | Ostracion solorensis | Caution | Moderate | Dark navy blue with iridescent "scribbling" and spots. | 700112000000000000012 cm (4.7 in) | |
| Dogface pufferfish | Arothron nigropunctatus | Caution | Moderate | Tan with a brown mask over eyes and other over mouth. Also has yellow markings on the pectoral and dorsal fins. | 700133000000000000033 cm (13.0 in) | |
| Map puffer | Arothron mappa | No | Moderate | 700165000000000000065 cm (25.6 in) | ||
| Porcupine pufferfish | Diodon holocanthus | No | Moderate | Tan with slightly darker spots throughout and very conspicuous spines that lay flat against the body. When puffed up, the spikes stand up and make the fish completely inedible. | 700150000000000000050 cm (19.7 in) | |
| Spotfin porcupinefish | Diodon hystrix | No | Moderate | White and covered in small black spots. | 700191000000000000091 cm (35.8 in) | |
| Sharpnose pufferfish | Canthigaster rostrata | Caution | Difficult | Cream, with reddish purple topside and underside, and yellow on the caudal fin. | 700112000000000000012 cm (4.7 in) | |
| Star puffer | Arothron stellatus | No | Easy | 7002120000000000000120 cm (47.2 in) | ||
| Stars and stripes puffer | Arothron hispidus | No | Moderate | 700150000000000000050 cm (19.7 in) | ||
| Striped dogface puffer | Arothron manilensis | No | Moderate | 700131000000000000031 cm (12.2 in) | ||
| Valentini pufferfish | Canthigaster valentini | Caution | Moderate | Tan with giraffe-like spots and dark brown markings that resemble saddles over the back. Has distinctive bright green eyes. | 700111000000000000011 cm (4.3 in) | |
| Whitebelly puffer | Canthigaster bennetti | No | Moderate | 700110000000000000010 cm (3.9 in) | ||
| Yellow boxfish | Ostracion cubicus | Caution | Expert | Usually seen as a juvenile, bright yellow with little black spots. When it reaches maturity it is gray with yellow lines and pink lips. | 700145000000000000045 cm (17.7 in) |
Read more about this topic: List Of Marine Aquarium Fish Species