Porcupine Puffer - Diodon holocanthus

Porcupine puffers, the puppy dogs of the sea! One look into those eyes, and you'll be hooked. These puffers are easily identified by their mottled brown and tan markings,  dermal spikes, and adorable faces. They are a very personable and charismatic fish, and often learn to recognize their owner and take hand feedings. When threatened, they're notorious for their ability to inflate to double their size to deter predators.   

Care

Porcupine puffers reach about a foot long when full grown and require a tank of 180gal or larger. Despite their cute looks, they are predatory and fairly aggressive, and will occasionally bite at their tank mates. They also can't be kept with invertebrates or corals, as they would happily snack on them.       

Diet

Porcupine puffers thrive on a diet rich in large meaty foods, and require regular feedings of hard shelled prey to keep their constantly growing teeth worn down.