Diving In Singapore: Starry Pufferfish

The Cute, Chunky Balloon That Can Kill 30 Humans 🐡😅

Scuba Diving Singapore | Marine Life Spotlight | Pulau Hantu

If you’ve been diving at Pulau Hantu and suddenly felt like you were being judged by a round, spotty fish with serious attitude…Congratulations — you’ve probably met our resident Starry Pufferfish.

Cute? Yes.Chonky? Absolutely.Harmless-looking? Very.Actually dangerous? Oh yes.

Let’s dive into why the Starry Pufferfish (Arothron stellatus) is one of the most fascinating reef residents you’ll ever encounter while scuba diving in Singapore.

Meet the Starry Pufferfish 🌟🐡

Scientific name: Arothron stellatusCommon names:

• Starry Puffer

• Stellate Puffer

• Starry Toadfish

The Starry Pufferfish is commonly found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, including Southeast Asia — which explains why we’re lucky enough to spot them right here in Singapore’s southern islands.

Big, Bold, and Thick-Skinned (Literally 😉)

The Starry Pufferfish has a body shape best described as:

• Oval

• Spherical

• Slightly elongated

• 100% judgemental

This species can grow up to a massive 120 cm in length, making it one of the largest pufferfish species in the world.

Instead of traditional fish scales, the Starry Puffer has:

• Rough, prickly skin

• A tough exterior that offers extra protection

They are quite literally thick-skinned — emotionally and physically 😏.

The Famous Puff: Nature’s Best “Do Not Eat” Sign 💨

The most well-known trait of all pufferfish is, of course, their ability to puff up.

When threatened, the Starry Pufferfish:

• Swallows large amounts of water

• Or air if it’s out of water

• Expands the elastic skin on its stomach

The result?

➡️ A large, round, balloon-like fish that looks way too big to swallow.

This clever defence mechanism makes predators think twice — because no one wants to choke on an angry underwater balloon.

Did You Know? 🤯

The Spots Tell a Story

Here’s a fun Starry Pufferfish fact many divers don’t know:

👉 The spots on a Starry Pufferfish are inversely proportional to its size.

What does that mean?

• Juvenile puffers have fewer but larger spots

• Adult puffers have many smaller spots

So the bigger the pufferfish gets, the more its spots multiply and shrink.

Think of it as nature’s own age and size indicator — no measuring tape required.

What’s on the Menu? 🍽️

Despite looking slow and cuddly, the Starry Pufferfish is a serious eater.

Using only four strong, large teeth fused into a powerful beak, it feeds on:

• Corals

• Sponges

• Crustaceans

• Algae

• Sea urchins

Those teeth are built for crushing hard shells, not smiling for photos — so admire from a respectful distance.

Cute… But Deadly ☠️

Don’t let the innocent face fool you.

The pufferfish is considered the second most poisonous creature in the world.

Yes — second.

A single pufferfish contains enough poison to kill up to 30 adult humans.

The Culprit: Tetrodotoxin

• Stored primarily in the liver

• Called tetrodotoxin

• Extremely potent neurotoxin

• No known antidote

To make things even more interesting:👉 The intensity of a pufferfish’s colour is often linked to how toxic it is.More vibrant colours usually mean higher toxin levels.

Nature’s way of saying: “I look bright because you should not touch me.”

Should Divers Be Afraid? 🤿

Short answer: No — if you behave like a good diver.

Starry Pufferfish are:

• Non-aggressive

• Calm and curious

• More interested in minding their own business

As with all marine life:

• ❌ Do not touch

• ❌ Do not chase

• ❌ Do not harass

If left undisturbed, this adorable danger balloon wants nothing more than to be left alone.

Our Very Own Resident at Pulau Hantu 🇸🇬

Here at Pulau Hantu, we’re lucky to have our very own resident Starry Pufferfish that frequently makes appearances on dives.

She’s:

• Big

• Spotty

• Unimpressed by divers

• Basically underwater royalty

Which brings us to an important question…

Should We Name Her? 😄

Cuddlepuff?Too cute?Too honest?

Let us know what you think — because every local dive site deserves a resident mascot.

Why We Love the Starry Pufferfish 💙

The Starry Pufferfish reminds us why diving locally is so special:

• Incredible biodiversity right at our doorstep

• Fascinating behaviour without needing deep dives

• Proof that Singapore waters are very much alive

Every encounter is a reminder to slow down, observe, and respect marine life.

Did You Know

The Spots on the Starry Pufferfish are inversely proportionate to it's size. This means that smaller, more juvenile puffers will have larger and fewer spots while larger, matured puffers will have numerous smaller spots.

Sharks are the only species immune to a Pufferfish's toxin!