Northern Puffer

Sphoeroides maculatus inhabits the shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and seagrass beds of the US Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida. It is a temperate species requiring cooler water than most tropical puffers and is seasonally abundant in coastal waters. It occasionally appears in coldwater marine and public aquarium exhibits and requires cooler conditions than tropical counterparts.

Water: 16–24°C, pH 7.8–8.4, SG 1.020–1.025; temperate marine or high-end brackish conditions. Tank: Minimum 300 L; sandy substrate, seagrass decor, and cooler system management. Feeding: Clams, mussels, bloodworm, shrimp, and frozen marine foods. Behaviour: Moderately aggressive; territorial toward conspecifics and similar-sized fish. Compatibility: Species-only or with temperate marine fish of similar size in cold marine systems.