Meet The Peculiar Puffer Fish

We’re still in the middle of winter — which means you might be tired of slipping in and out of your chunky puffer jacket at this point! But did you know there’s a fish who dons their own kind of puffer protection all year long? Tetraodontidae, better known as puffer fish, describes a family of fish who can balloon in size when under pressure — but their shapeshifting skills are just the beginning. Read on to learn more about this fascinating fish, and the beautiful waterways it calls “home” (including some destinations that are popular among offshore fishing boats, like your Blackfin!).

A One-Of-A-Kind Defense Mechanism

Puffer fish may look kind of fun — after all, who wouldn’t love a cartoonishly round, marine balloon greeting them in the water? However, know that when you see a puffer fish “puffed out,” it means business! In fact, you may have spotted a puffer fish in the wild before and din’t even know — because in its relaxed state, the puffer fish is quite, well, de-puffed. The drastic shape change is a built-in defense mechanism, and is paired with toxic spines that can kill or debilitate predators.

Look, But Don’t Touch (Or Eat)

Because of a puffer fish’s sneaky danger, it’s best to avoid them if you ever come into contact with one. Of course, this is a good rule of thumb for exploring the ocean in general: look, but don’t touch! This won’t only keep you safe, but it will help you preserve the marine environment and, of course, the creature who call it “home.”

Puffer fish tend to snack on algae, marine plants, and small invertebrates, so they’re unlikely to end up on the end of your line by accident. Though you may have heard about puffer fish as a delicacy overseas, like in Japan, the FDA says it’s best to avoid eating or handling this specific type of fish — just like you wouldn’t snack on a jellyfish, this one is best observed from afar!

A Dolphin’s Pastime

While humans are definitely advised against handling puffer fish, it’s a different story in the wild. In fact, according to Smithsonian Magazine, dolphins have actually been observed playing with puffer fish and sharing the fish with friends — then, seemingly entering a “a trance-like state” as an apparent result of the puffer fish’s natural toxins.

Where Do Puffers Dwell?

Though you wouldn’t want to run into a puffer fish, their marine environment will definitely inspire you to hop on your boat, explore, and — who knows? — maybe even meet a pod of hallucinating dolphins along the way. Puffer fish mainly dwell in the tropics and subtropics — think the Caribbean, Hawaii, and beyond.

As anglers, we love learning about all the fish beneath the surface — even the ones we wouldn’t necessarily like to catch! We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s virtual meet-and-greet with one of the ocean’s most puzzling creatures.