White-spotted puffer

The white-spotted puffer is a large marine pufferfish in the family Tetraodontidae, found widely across the Indo-Pacific on reefs and in lagoons. Its body is grayish-brown to olive above, covered in fine white spots, fading to a paler belly, and it can inflate with water when threatened. It has powerful beak-like teeth used to crush hard-shelled prey such as mollusks, crustaceans, and echinoderms. It grows very large and needs a big marine aquarium with excellent filtration to handle its heavy waste output. It is not reef-safe and will nip or eat invertebrates and slow tankmates. A varied meaty diet including shelled foods helps keep its constantly growing teeth worn down. Given its size, mess, and behavior, it is a fish for experienced marine aquarists with ample space.