Banded puffer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banded puffer |
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The Banded puffer, also known as the parrot puffer or South American estuarine puffer, is a unique type of pufferfish. You can find this fish along the western Atlantic coast of South America. It lives from the Gulf of Paria all the way down to the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil.
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What Does the Banded Puffer Look Like?
This fish has a cool look! Its top side is green, and its belly is white. It also has black stripes, called transverse bands, across its back. If you compare it to a similar fish, Colomesus asellus, the Banded puffer's black stripes are much thinner. It also doesn't have a black ring around the base of its tail fin.
The Banded puffer can grow to be about 28.9 centimeters (about 11.4 inches) long. People know that this fish's flesh can be eaten, but its liver is not safe.
Where Does the Banded Puffer Live and What Does It Eat?
This fish is a euryhaline species. This means it can easily move between fresh water and salty ocean water. In the wild, the Banded puffer is a carnivore. It mainly eats molluscs, which are creatures like snails and clams.
How Does the Banded Puffer Protect Itself?
Like other pufferfish, the Banded puffer has a special trick. When it feels threatened, it can puff itself up! It takes in water or air to become much larger. This makes it harder for predators to grab or swallow it.
Can You Keep a Banded Puffer as a Pet?
The Banded puffer is not often kept in home aquariums. This is because it grows quite large and needs salt water to live. It is similar to Colomesus asellus in how you would care for it. However, the Banded puffer does not like to live in groups. It can even be aggressive towards other pufferfish of its own kind. So, if someone keeps one, it is usually kept alone.
