Baiacu, balloon fish, Pufferfish, Blowfish, Toxic Fish

Pufferfish Biography The pufferfish, also known as blowfish or balloon fish, is a fascinating marine creature found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. They are easily recognizable due to their ability to inflate their bodies, swelling up to three times their normal size as a defensive mechanism to scare off predators. Belonging to the family Tetraodontidae, pufferfish include over 120 species, each with unique traits. Notoriously poisonous, many pufferfish species contain tetrodotoxin, a highly potent and lethal toxin concentrated mainly in their internal organs, skin, and certain external glands. This toxin is 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide, making pufferfish dangerous for consumption, though highly prized in Japanese cuisine as fugu, where it is prepared by specially trained chefs. Pufferfish mainly inhabit coral reefs and estuary environments, though some species can also be found in freshwater rivers and lakes. They have a varied diet that includes mollusks, crustaceans, and small fish, thanks to their strong, continuously growing teeth adapted for crushing hard shells.