Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster bennetti): Complete Guide

Bennett's Sharpnose Puffer Featured Image

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer is a type of pufferfish found in the Indo-Pacific region. Sometimes, it’s sold for aquariums.

It lives in protected lagoons and reef flats near the shore. It can be alone or in groups.

The primary food source of this fish is green algae strands, but it also eats red algae and some small bottom-dwelling animals.

This fish is not safe for reef tanks.

You can check out what this fish looks like over here.

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer Interesting Facts

  • Bennett’s sharpnose puffer thrives in tropical Indo-Pacific waters, inhabiting lagoons and reef flats near the shore.
  • These fish primarily consume green algae strands but also feed on red algae and small bottom-dwelling animals.
  • They are monogamous, mating with only one partner at a time.
  • Identified by its brown upper half and white lower half, Bennett’s sharpnose puffer grows up to 3.9 inches (10.0 centimeters) long.

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer Habitat

Bennett’s sharpnose puffer is a fish found in the Indo-West Pacific region.

Its habitat ranges from East Africa to South Africa’s Port Alfred, and east to the Tuamoto Islands.

It also lives as far north as southern Taiwan, south to New South Wales, and has been reported in Tanabe Bay, Japan, and the Southeast Atlantic.

Bennett’s sharpnose puffer is usually found around algae-covered or silty reefs, as well as Sargassum plants on shallow rubble flats.

This marine fish lives in reef environments at depths of 1 to 15 meters (3 to 49 feet). It thrives in tropical waters with latitudes between 23°N to 32°S.

Water Temperature:Unknown
Water pH:Unknown
Water Hardness:Unknown

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer Physical Characteristics

Size: 3.9 inches (10.0 centimeters)

Bennett’s sharpnose puffer grows up to 3.9 inches (10.0 centimeters) long.

It has no dorsal spines, but it has 9 to 11 soft rays on its dorsal fin and 8 to 10 soft rays on its anal fin.

There are fewer than 30 small brown dots on the side of the tail area. This fish is easily identified by its brown upper half and white lower half.

The eyes have blue or greenish lines, and there are blue lines on the chin. A pale-edged black spot is present at the base of the dorsal fin.

The body of Bennett’s sharpnose puffer is deeper near the anal fin (2.6 to 3.2 times in standard length), while the head length is about 2.6 to 2.8 times in standard length.

The snout’s length measures around 1.4 to 1.6 times within head length, and the width between eyes ranges from 4 to 4.8 times within head length.

The depth of the tail area (caudal peduncle) comes to around 2.1 to 2.7 times in head length, with a slightly rounded tail fin shape.

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer Reproduction

Bennett’s sharpnose puffer is oviparous, meaning it lays eggs to reproduce.

This fish is also monogamous, meaning it has one mate at a time.

Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer Scientific Classification

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Tetraodontiformes
Family:Tetraodontidae
Genus:Canthigaster
Scientific Name:Canthigaster bennetti
Also Known As:Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer
Conservation Status:Least Concern

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