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Black spotted blow fish (Arothron nigropunctatus) — Tetraodontidae

Black spotted blow fish

Arothron nigropunctatus
LC · Least Concern

The Black spotted blow fish (Arothron nigropunctatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Tetraodontidae that grows up to 33 cm.

Length
33 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–60.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Venomous / poisonous
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The blackspotted puffer is a pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 33 cm and has a stocky, dog-like head profile; the colour is highly variable, from grey or yellow to blue-grey, always studded with small black spots. It inhabits coastal to outer reefs with rich invertebrate growth and occurs sometimes solitarily, often in pairs. The fish feeds on coral tips, crustaceans, molluscs, sponges and tunicates. Like other puffers it can inflate itself, and its skin and organs contain the deadly poison tetrodotoxin; therefore do not eat this fish.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Black spotted blow fish?

The Black spotted blow fish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Black spotted blow fish live?

The Black spotted blow fish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Black spotted blow fish get?

The Black spotted blow fish grows to a maximum of about 33 cm.

Is the Black spotted blow fish dangerous to humans?

The Black spotted blow fish is venomous — handle spines with care and seek medical help after a sting if needed.

Is the Black spotted blow fish edible?

The Black spotted blow fish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Hondskopkogelvis sourced
English name
Black spotted blow fish verified
Scientific name
Arothron nigropunctatus
Family
Tetraodontidae
Other names
Black spotted puffer; Black spotted pufferfish; Blackspotted blaasop verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
33.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
60.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Venomous / poisonous sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Arothron

More from the family Tetraodontidae

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