
Pufferfish have four fused teeth that look resemble a beak. The pufferfish diet mainly consists of invertebrates These are mostly located in regions of South America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Thirty-five species spend their entire lives in freshwater. There are some species that can live in brackish waters or water that is a mix of salt and freshwater, as well as those that can live purely in freshwater. The majority of them are concentrated in tropical and subtropical ocean waters. There are more than 120 species of pufferfish found worldwide. Their color and unusual ability to inflate their bodies have made them one of the best-loved marine creatures and an often sought-after pet. Some species are also able to change their patterns or the intensity of their colors depending on the environment and if they feel they’re in danger. Pufferfish have excellent eyesight and the ability to move their eyes independently, which is often helpful when trying to outmaneuver predators. They’re quite maneuverable but also easy for predators to catch up to. The latter has large external spines and is slow-moving, like the pufferfish.īoth species use a combination of fin motions to move, including pectoral and caudal. Pufferfish are often compared to porcupinefish. They’re slow, un-graceful swimmers but can use bursts of speed to evade predators. The former is the dwarf pufferfish or pygmy pufferfish, and the latter is the freshwater giant puffer. Pufferfish range in size from one inch to two feet in length. Others still are more monotone, allowing them to blend into their environments.
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#Puffer fish small skin#
Some have spines on their skin that make them even harder to eat, while others have bright markings meant to remind other animals that it might be dangerous to consume them. Pufferfish have long bodies and large, round heads.

Pufferfish have dangerous, toxic spikes on their skin In addition to this very creative offensive mechanism, a pufferfish that’s eaten before its able to inflate its body is incredibly toxic. They ingest large amounts of water and sometimes air, growing their bodies many times their normal size. The pufferfish is best known for its ability to inflate its body or puff up in order to make itself inedible. It is also sometimes referred to as a blowfish, globefish, shellfish, bubble fish, or balloonfish. The family includes fish of the order Tetradodontiformes. Pufferfish is one species in the Tetraodontidae family.
