PORCUPINEFISH : FACT OR FISHIN’?
Porcupinefish are short and wide with large eyes and beak-like teeth. There’s more to this funny-looking fish than meets the eye. Test your knowledge and find out what else makes this fish so unique.
FACT OR FISHIN’?
When a porcupinefish is threatened or provoked, it can puff itself up to twice its size.
FACT!
Porcupinefish can inflate their bodies by swallowing water (or air) becoming rounder and doubling in size. This makes them appear larger, scaring off potential predators.
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FACT OR FISHIN’?
A porcupinefish gets its name from the round shape of a porcupine’s body and its shy, but curious nature.
FISHIN’
A porcupinefish is covered with sharp spines (up to two-inches long) that lay against its body. When it puffs up, the spines stick out and become sharp spikes (like a porcupine)!
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FACT OR FISHIN’?
Porcupinefish is just another name for puffer fish.
FISHIN’
While the two fish are indeed different, they’re often known collectively as puffer fish or “puffers.” Many people use the names interchangeably, depending on where they’re from. Other puffer fish have soft spines that are unnoticeable in some species, but only the porcupinefish has sharp, protective spines.
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FACT OR FISHIN’?
A porcupinefish sometimes swims upside down.
FACT!
When it puffs itself up, the modified buoyancy causes a porcupinefish to turn upside down, although it’s more bobbing than swimming. When the danger has passed and it’s deflated, it will turn right-side up and continue on its way.
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FACT OR FISHIN’?
Porcupinefish (and other puffer fish) are an exotic delicacy.
FACT
In many parts of the world, porcupinefish and puffers are served in high-end restaurants even though their internal organs contain a neurotoxin that’s 1200 times stronger than cyanide. It takes a trained eye to prepare the fish correctly. In Japan, chefs are required to undergo a rigorous series of training and testing before they can serve the potentially lethal fish that can cause death in minutes. About 20 people are poisoned by the fish each year.
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Come meet Kōkala, our resident spotted porcupinefish. Her name comes from the Hawaiian word for puffers. Like all puffers, she’s smart and can learn to complete simple tasks. Want to know more about the puffers in our care? Visit these fish in our Pacific Coral Reef and Tropical Pacific exhibits.
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