TankBud

Map puffer

Arothron mappa

Also known as Scribbled puffer, Mappa puffer, Map toadfish, Scribbled toadfish

SaltwaterFish

Map puffer (Arothron mappa)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.0–8.4
Adult size
23.6 in
60 cm
Minimum tank
238 gal
900 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Not reef safe
Family
Tetraodontidae
Origin
Native to the Indo-Pacific, living in lagoons and on coral reefs near sheltered rubble and seagrass.

Overview

The map puffer is one of the largest commonly kept Arothron puffers, growing into a heavy, powerful fish. Each one develops a distinct personality and learns to beg at the glass. It is a fish for keepers with a lot of experience.

Did you know

The scribbled markings around a map puffer's face never repeat. Experienced keepers can recognize individual fish by them, the way you would recognize a fingerprint.

Caring for the map puffer

Only take on a map puffer if you can provide a fish-only tank of at least 238 gal (900 L). It is large and produces a lot of waste, so it needs heavy filtration. Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.0 to 8.4.

Its beak grows constantly. Feed a hard-shelled diet of clams, mussels, crab and shrimp to wear it down.

The map puffer is mostly peaceful, but it is not reef safe. It will crush snails, crabs, shrimp and clams and bite corals, so keep it with large fish only.

Good to know

Arothron mappa belongs to the family Tetraodontidae, and like other puffers it carries tetrodotoxin in its skin and organs. It has no pelvic fins and swims by sculling with its pectoral, dorsal and anal fins, which makes it slow and deliberate. It is named for the maze of dark lines that radiate from its eyes. They scribble across its pale body like contour lines on a map.

In the wild

The map puffer is native to the Indo-Pacific. It lives in lagoons and on coral reefs, near sheltered rubble and seagrass.

Common questions

What size tank does a map puffer need?

A map puffer needs at least 238 gal (900 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a map puffer need?

A map puffer is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.0–8.4.

What does a map puffer eat?

A map puffer eats a hard-shelled diet of clams, mussels, crab and shrimp. These foods wear down its constantly growing beak.

How big does a map puffer get?

An adult map puffer reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).

Related species