PUFFER FISH HAWAII SKIN
The toxins are also present in the skin of some of the puffer species, particularly the tobies and act as repellants to predators, while boxfish secrete the highly toxic, ostracitoxin when under stress. Some parts of the fugu (species from the Takifugu genus), are considered a delicacy in Japan, but have enough poison to kill around thirty people, if wrongly prepared, in just one fish. It is also important to note, that many of the species in these three families harbor a powerful toxin, tetradotoxin, which is found in the viscera and gonads. Here, encountered in Lagon de la Saline, Réunion Island. The blackspotted puffer, which can be light brown, grey, blue-grey or bright yellow, and sometimes grey with a yellow belly, is common on the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. Many of these species are known to bite if handled. If the inflated form of the pufferfish and porcupinefish isn’t enough to put you off going near them, then remember that their mouth parts are capable of crushing hard shells of prey species as well as coral. The boxfish have large, highly patterned scales, often hexagonal in form over much of their body. Their eyes are generally large and appear swollen, while their mouth parts project forward and are described as beaklike. They all have a characteristic way of swimming, using their rear-facing dorsal and anal fins, assisted by mid-body, often quite large pectoral fins, particularly in the porcupinefish. Most of the species in these three groups are very easy to identify. Within this latter group the cowfish also have small horns. The Ostraciidae are encased in a box-like shell of bony plates, with gaps for the eyes, mouth, gills and caudal fin.
While the pufferfish have a flexible but prickly skin the porcupinefish have prominent spines, formed from modified scales. They achieve this by drawing water into a chamber near the stomach. Both the pufferfish and porcupinefish have the capacity to greatly inflate themselves when threatened, preventing attack by predators. This fish has the peculiar habit of coming to the surface and spitting when it is hungry.You’ll find on this page species belonging to 3 closely related fish families: the Tetraodontidae (pufferfish), the Diodontidae (porcupinefish) and the Ostraciidae (boxfish, trunkfish and cowfish). After acclimatization, chopped squid, clams, mussels, and herbivore preparations can be fed. When introduced into an aquarium, the Whitley's Boxfish can be fed a diet of live brine shrimp or bloodworms. Very little success has been achieved in breeding this fish in the aquarium setting. When stressed, this fish will release a poisonous substance, called ostracitoxin, from its mucous glands, which may harm other fish in the aquarium very quickly. Use caution if placing it in a reef aquarium, as it will often nibble at tubeworms. The Whitley's Boxfish should have a minimum of a 50-gallon aquarium. The female of this species is beautifully spotted in red and white. The side of the fish is mostly dark blue with light blue markings outlining the side. The Male is a beautiful dark blue color with many lighter blue spots covering the back. The Whitley's Boxfish is found on the reefs of Hawaii and obtain a maximum size of 5".
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