Starry Puffer

The Starry Puffer, also known as the Stellate Puffer, has an orange body with dark spots. It grows to be one of the largest puffers in the world. In the home aquarium, it rarely grows over 2 feet in length, but in the wild, it can reach 4 feet. It lacks pelvic fins, but has learned to use the pectoral fins to move about the aquarium.

It has the ability, when threatened or alarmed, to inflate its body to almost twice its normal size to discourage others from trying to eat it. Parts of the flesh are poisonous if digested. Its teeth are actually a fused beak-like structure.

A 300 gallon or larger, fish-only aquarium with a good protein skimmer is suitable. It will eat invertebrates found in a reef tank. It becomes alarmed when netted, therefore, use a container to transfer it.

The Starry Puffer needs a varied diet of meaty foods including; squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 3"; Medium: 3" to 5"; Large: 5" to 8"