All fish / Tetraodontidae

Sharpnose Puffer

Canthigaster rostrata

Also known as caribbean sharpnose puffer, caribbean toby, sharpnose pufferfish, toby puffer, sharp nose puffer, sharpnosed puffer, caution, カリビアンシャープノーズパファー, 尖吻扁背鲀

This is a small toby with a pointed snout. The back is dark brown and the belly pale, with neat blue lines and spots around the eyes and tail, and the tail is edged in dark brown. People keep it because it is hardy, curious and full of character, yet stays small enough for a modest fish-only tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

115 litres

Keep as

Best kept alone; pairs only in large tanks

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, krill, chopped shellfish, squid and hard-shelled snails or clams to wear down the beak

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Atlantic: Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda and Florida to northern South America

Breeding

Pairs lay demersal eggs on algae, and the male guards the territory. Captive spawning is rare, and the tiny larvae are very hard to rear.

Good to know

Not reef safe: it nips corals, invertebrates and slow, long-finned fish. Like other puffers it carries tetrodotoxin and should never be eaten. Its beak needs hard foods so it does not overgrow.