Where in the World Do Pufferfish Live?

Pufferfish are probably best known for some varieties' abilities, when threatened, to balloon their bodies into cactus-like spheres. There are more than 120 species in the world, ranging in size from a single inch to two feet in length. These species of fish are scaleless, and their odd appearances are perhaps compounded by the fact each fish's four teeth are fused together to form a kind of beak. Luckily, it's not too difficult to spot a specimen in the wild, as pufferfish are found all around the world.

  1. Range

    • Pufferfish live in a wide, solid belt of waters that circumnavigate the globe. This belt reaches as far north as the North Atlantic around Scotland and as far south as Cape Agulhas of South Africa -- the southermost tip of Africa and the dividing line between the South Atlantic and Indian oceans.

    Fresh and Saltwaters

    • The Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans are the only oceans in which pufferfish live. However, these animals are not solely saltwater fish. Certain varieties of pufferfish make their homes away from the sea, primarily in rivers. South America, Africa and Asia all have freshwater ecosystems in which pufferfish can be found.

    Reef Terrain

    • Coral reefs are homes to the majority of saltwater pufferfish. Here, they have access to an abundance of food and can use their abilities to camouflage their skins to defensively blend in with the textures and colors that make up a reef's environment. Pufferfish will also gather at artificial reefs, such as sunken ships.

    Water Quality

    • While some pufferfish prefer only the clearest of waters, others are drawn to murky or muddy rivers, bays and tides. However, what almost all pufferfish seem to have in common is a desire to stay close to land whenever possible. Shallow waters that surround coastlines tend to be warmer than open and deep ocean spaces. Most pufferfish are repelled by cold water and, in turn, prefer tropical climates.

    Bottom Dwellers

    • If a saltwater pufferfish isn't spending its days around a coral reef, it will most likely be found on or near the bottom of the shallow ocean in which it lives. Rocky terrain and stacks or mazes of debris entice many pufferfish. This is largely due to the pufferfish's diet, which includes algae, barnacles and other shallow-water shellfish, all of which congregate in sunlit waters where there are sturdy surfaces on which to cling.