Underwater Artists: 15 Remarkable Types of Pufferfish

A recent scientific study takes a look at the intriguing ability of male Japanese pufferfish. The incredible fish utilize a fascinating mating ritual that involves engineering complex designs in the ocean sand. The study focused on how the intricate geometric patterns, which are up to 2 meters in diameter, are able to maintain their shape amid whirling seas. Insights reveal information applicable to human engineering challenges.

Mathematically precise sand patterns aside, pufferfish are known for a variety of remarkable abilities. As their name implies, these fish puff up when they feel threatened. These fish are also pretty adorable, featuring large eyes and diverse colors. The many varieties of pufferfish range in size from scarcely over an inch to several feet in length! Today, we’re covering 15 incredible types of pufferfish!

This post was updated on July 19, 2025 to include information on the pufferfish mating ritual.

Freshwater Pufferfish

Pufferfish are unique-looking fish that are adapted for both freshwater and saltwater. However, about 80% of pufferfish are at home in saltwater, which means that the selection of freshwater pufferfish is more limited. Let’s look at a few of the most popular types of freshwater pufferfish.

1. Congo Pufferfish

The Congo Puffer is native to the Congo River in Africa. They grow to around 5.9 inches (15 centimeters) in length, and are also known as Potato Puffers!

They tend to be spotted and are born in several color varieties. In the wild, their populations are considered healthy. Congo pufferfish aren’t particularly active but will need a sand substrate to wallow at the bottom of aquariums. It’s recommended you feed a congo pufferfish a mix of smaller freshwater fish, prawns, earthworms, and isopods. Puffers require a good amount of space, at least 20 gallons per fish.

2. MBU Pufferfish

MBU Puffers are large, growing to around 26 inches (67 centimeters) long. In fact, they’re sometimes referred to as giant puffers. These giant pufferfish require at least 125 gallons of water per fish, and some sources say 500 gallons is a more appropriate minimum enclosure size. So keeping one in an aquarium can be challenging, especially since water filtration can also be difficult to manage.

They are native to the Congo River and tend to be yellow-white with black markings. Their front teeth (pictured above) allow MBU puffers to feed on shellfish like clams and snails. Another challenge to keeping MBU puffers is that they need hard-shelled food to prevent overgrowth of their teeth.

3. Red-Eyed Pufferfish

Red-Eyed Puffers are black and silver with red eyes. They are quite unique compared to other puffers, and you’ll likely either love or hate their appearance! Red-eyed fish intimidate some people, while others think they’re cool.

They grow to about 2.6 inches (6.5 centimeters) in length and are native to Southeast Asia.

4. Dwarf Pea Pufferfish

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Dwarf pea puffers are also known as dwarf pufferfish, pygmy puffers, and Malabar puffers. That’s a lot of names for a 1.4 inch (3.5 centimeter) fish!

They originated in India and are yellow with black spots. Dwarf pea pufferfish are ideal if you have a smaller tank and want a single-species aquarium (they can be quite aggressive when kept with other fish). These small pufferfish eat forzen bloodworms (pictured above!), brine shrimp, and pest snails.

5. Fahaka Pufferfish

Fahaka pufferfish have striped or patterned bodies in red, grey, yellow, white, and black. They are also known as the Nile puffer and the band puffer, and originate in Africa.

These fish grow up to 1.4 feet (43 centimeters) in length! Due to their size, Fahaka pufferfish require large enclosures. It is recommended you provide a minimum of 55 gallons of water per fish and a minimum tank size of 120 gallons. Which is to say, like other large pufferfish on this list, Fahakas are for very experienced aquarium keepers only. Fahakas are extremely aggressive fish and prefer to eat crustaceans like crabs and crayfish.

6. Amazon Puffer

Any guess as to where these fish originate? The Amazon River, which is located in South America! (They’re also sometimes referred to as South American puffers for obvious reasons!)

They have yellow bellies, and the rest of their bodies are covered in yellow and black stripes. These fish grow to just 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in length on average but can reach more than 5 inches. Amazon puffers are extremely active, which stands in contrast to other freshwater pufferfish like the Congo pufferfish, which can be more sedentary. Because of their activity levels, Amazon pufferfish will require larger tanks. Like other fish on this list, their teeth can overgrow. To help maintain their teeth, they can be fed shellfish in addition to foods like insects, brine shrimp, and plant matter as well.

7. Figure Eight Pufferfish

The figure eight pufferfish is named after the markings on its body, which can sometimes resemble “figure eights.” They’re on the smaller side of pufferfish, and rarely measure over 3 inches in length when fully grown. Like other pufferfish on this list, their teeth can suffer from overgrowth if they don’t eat hard-shelled food such as snails and shellfish. Figure eight pufferfish are aggressive and aren’t ideal for a community tank setup.

8. Imitator Dwarf Puffer

Imitator Dwarf Puffers are similar to Dwarf Peas but have fewer spots. To make up for this, their spots are also larger than the Dwarf Pea.

They grow to just 1.8 inches (4.5 centimeters) and are one of the smallest Pufferfish species. Like dwarf pea pufferfish, imitator pufferfish can be easier to keep because they require as little as 3 gallons of water volume per fish, which is substantially less than larger freshwater pufferfish.

9. Green Pufferfish

Green pufferfish are found in rivers, lakes, and flood plains of southeast Asia. Like many other freshwater pufferfish they’re primarily carnivorous and eat small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks for food. They have a front beak that can become overgrown, and can be maintained through a diet of shellfish and other prey with hardened shells.

Green pufferfish are a medium-sized species of freshwater pufferfish that grow to 7 inches in length. Like many other pufferfish, they can be quite aggressive, which becomes problematic in communal tanks.

10. Blue-Spotted Pufferfish

Blue-spotted pufferfish are red with blue spots and lines. These unique fish have a sun-like pattern around their eyes.

They grow up to 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) long and are native to both the Indian and Pacific oceans.

11. Valentin’s Sharpnose Pufferfish

These fish have a long, but suitable name. They have long, pointed “noses” and beautiful patterns. Their white bodies are covered with black stripes with yellow dots in between, and their tails and fins are yellow.

And, well, don’t you want to be their Valentine?

All jokes aside, this fish is native to the Indian and Pacific oceans. While pufferfish are known for their toxicity, the Valentin’s is especially notable since it has one of the most potent neurotoxins of any fish. In fact, it’s so toxic, that other fish have mimicked its appearance to avoid predation!

12. Golden Pufferfish

Also known as the Guineafowl Puffer, these fish are bright yellow with small black spots. They’re found in the Pacific and also have a dark form that is brown and white.

They reach about 4.5 inches (11.4 centimeters) in length.

13. Northern Pufferfish

North where, you may ask? North America!

Northern Puffers are native to the waters of the Atlantic coast. They are yellow and white with black patterns, and grow to about 14 inches (35.6 centimeters) long. If you’re in the Capital Region of the United States, you may find northern puffers as they’re called “sugar toads” in the Chesapeake Bay region. These pufferfish range from Florida all the way to Newfoundland.

14. Blackspotted Pufferfish

Blackspotted Puffers are also known as dog-faced puffers due to their cute, almost seal-like appearance! They have dark spots around their mouths that kind of resemble a pup’s snout.

These large Pufferfish grow to about 1 foot (33 centimeters) in length and are found in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

15. Porcupine Pufferfish

Porcupinefish are often called porcupine pufferfish, or blowfish, and are actually from a different family than pufferfish! Porcupinefish are similar in the sense they can also inflate their bodies and have incredible poisonous tetrodotoxin in their organs. They also have extremely sharp spines that serve as an additional defense.

Summary of 15 Types of Pufferfish

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