Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Valentini Puffer
Canthigaster valentini
Also called Valentin's sharpnose puffer, Saddled puffer, Black saddled toby, Black saddle puffer
From Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Durban, east to the Tuamotu Islands, north to southern Japan and south to Lord Howe Island1
At a glance the quick version
Saltwaterfish.com product page says up to 5 years; its puffer care guide says 10 or more years
Looks how to spot one
Small sharpnose (toby) puffer that can inflate
A white body with four bold black saddles over the back, a blue-grey head and blue-grey speckles. The fins and tail have yellow tints, and a small rainbow streak sits behind each eye.2
Personality what they are like
Semi-aggressive but curious. It is usually fine with other small fish, though it may nip at shrimps and clams.34
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Active in daytime, moving with fine control of its pectoral fins, even backwards.23
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Rated easy care. Best in a fish-only tank or a reef with caution. When moving it, use a water-filled container rather than a net so it cannot gulp air.34
Home where they are happiest
A tank of at least 30 US gallons (about 115 L). Saltwater at about 23 to 26 °C (74 to 78 °F), pH 8.1 to 8.4, specific gravity 1.020 to 1.026. Wild fish live among coral heads and rocks of lagoon and seaward reefs at 1 to 55 m.341
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Feed meaty marine foods such as flakes, pellets, brine and mysis shrimp, and chopped seafood, plus shelled foods like clams and mussels. Wild fish graze algae and also eat tunicates and small invertebrates.341
Company who they like around
In the wild a territorial male keeps a harem of several females. In aquariums it is usually kept singly.21
The story where it all began
Pieter Bleeker described the species in 1853. It is named after the Dutch naturalist François Valentijn, who lived from 1666 to 1727.21
Fun facts for the dinner table
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 2011)1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Valentini Puffer. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Salinity checkevery week
- Top-upTop up evaporation with fresh RO water, not salt waterevery day
- Water testevery week
- Water changeAbout 10 to 20% of the waterevery 2 weeks
- Glass cleanevery week
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Canthigaster valentini, Valentin's sharpnose puffer fishbase.seused for distribution, length, depth, habitat, diet, social system, IUCN status, describer
- Wikipedia: Canthigaster valentini en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, colour description, behaviour, mimicry, inflation, naming
- Saltwaterfish.com: Valentini Puffer saltwaterfish.comused for aquarium care, tank size, water parameters, temperament, diet, lifespan
- Saltwaterfish.com: Pufferfish care guide saltwaterfish.comused for water parameters, diet, lifespan
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.