Saddle Valentini Puffer

The Saddle Valentini Puffer, also known as the Black Saddle Pufferfish, Blacksaddled Toby, Valentini Toby, or Saddled Toby. Members of the Canthigaster genus are called Sharp-nosed Puffers or Tobies. The Saddle Valentini Puffer is a bright and colorful fish with dark brown bands across the midsection, brownish-orange spotting on the lower half, yellow fins, and blue striping running along the back. It lacks pelvic fins, but has learned to use the pectoral fins to move about the aquarium.

A 30 gallon or larger, fish-only aquarium is suitable. It will fight with conspecifics such as the filefish, large finned fish, and other tobies. It may be aggressive at times, nipping the fins of tank mates, leaving a circular hole as its mark. It will also eat invertebrates found in a reef tank. Its teeth are actually a fused beak-like structure.

Parts of its flesh are poisonous. It has the ability, when threatened or alarmed, to inflate its body to almost twice its normal size. It becomes alarmed when netted, therefore, use a container to transfer it.

The Saddle Valentini Puffer needs a varied diet of meaty foods including; squid, krill, clams, and hard shelled shrimp to help wear down their ever growing teeth.

Quick Stats:
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Reef Compatible: No
Water Conditions: 72-78° F, sg 1.020-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4, dKH 8-12
Max. Size: 4"
Color Form: Black, Blue, Orange, Tan, Yellow
Diet: Omnivore
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Family: Tetraodontidae

Note: This profile is currently incomplete. Description and/or images are temporarily taken from LiveAquaria and will be replaced shortly. If you are interested in writing a new description, please contact me at info@myfishtank.net. If you have any experience with this particular fish, please leave a comment below and share with us.