Jewel puffer

Jewel puffer

The Jewel Pufferfish is known from a wide variety of habitats including sheltered rocky reefs, intertidal reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs, habitually between depths of 10-36m (33-118ft). Adults are often found in pairs, whereas juveniles may be seen in small groups, staying close to corals or under ledges. This species is best maintained in a ‘fish only, with live rock’ aquarium where it would pose no danger to corals, ornamental snails, shrimp and other small prized inverts. Tankmates should be chosen carefully; species with long fins should be avoided, as occasional puffer specimens will nip and leave their tell-tale circular holes in the fins. This behaviour is more likely to become apparent in small tanks, so adequate space must be given. Jewel Pufferfish should be kept singly, unless a mated male-female pair can be acquired, and even then, they should be watched carefully lest the male becomes too aggressive. Will fight with other members of the Canthigaster genus. This species is mimicked by the filefish Paraluteres arqat, which, in the wild, shoals with the Jewel Pufferfish so that predators avoid it – assuming it to be one of the toxic puffers.