Crowned Pufferfish

About

The crowned pufferfish (Canthigaster coronata) is actually endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, having been split out from what was once considered a single widespread species ranging from the Red Sea all the way across the Indo-Pacific. That revised status makes it a genuinely local Hawaiian fish, and one with a lot of personality packed into a small package. In the wild it tends to hang out deeper than many reef fish. Typically below about 23 meters, though it does venture shallower onto sand flats, rubble zones, and algal areas near coral reefs. Its diet in the wild reads like a who's who of reef invertebrates: snails, clams, sponges, sea urchins, brittle stars, crabs, worms, tunicates, and more. That dietary flexibility is worth keeping in mind before adding one to a display reef, because those same invertebrates are fair game in captivity. The saddle markings across the back are what set this fish apart visually. A pattern of dark bars that give it one of its other common names, the saddle toby. Despite its reef-wrecking tendencies, it is considered a forgiving fish to keep overall and can work well for hobbyists who are newer to marine tanks, provided a fish-only or FOWLR setup is on offer.