Puffer Fish Cost

One of the most interesting species in this Tetraodontidae family is the pufferfish or blowfish as some people call it. This fish is known for its amazing ability to inflate itself when needed and protect against predators that may try to eat it. Despite its clumsy swimming style, some people might find it cute or funny-looking.

The puffer fish, especially the “Fugu” breed, is seen as a culinary delicacy in Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, and China. Despite it being known to contain powerful toxins that are poisonous and even lethal to humans, many people all around the world still can’t resist trying it at least once in their lifetime.

The sem-freshwater puffers, on the other hand, are famous for their vibrant colors and cute chubby chops. But they’re not always easy creatures to handle as pets.

How Much Does a Puffer Fish Cost?

The cost of a pufferfish will be anywhere from just $2 to $75 or even slightly more. For the most part, you will find that most of the puffers will be less than $30. Usually, a fish that is over the four-inch mark is considered large when talking about puffers. At the same time, the larger it is, the more expensive it will be.

Species	Cost Range
Bandtail Puffer	$50
Arrowhead Puffer	$75
Blue Spotted Puffer	$25
Bennett’s Sharpnose Puffer	$35
Fahaka Puffer	$25
Dogface Puffer	$45
Freshwater Dwarf Puffer	$2
Figure Eight Puffer Fish	$10
Leopard Puffer	$40
Green Spotted Puffer Fish	$6
Narrow-lined Puffer	$35
Porcupine Puffer	$38
Reticulated Puffer	$65
Saddle Puffer	$30
Scribbled Arothron Puffer	$65
Spiny Box Puffer	$25
Stars and Stripes Puffer	$45
Starry Puffer	$85
Twin Spotted Puffer	$13
True Red Eye Puffer Fish	$10

The store That Pet Place has a wide variety of puffer fish available for purchase. From the most expensive one, Crowned Toby – Canthigaster coronata to the cheapest one, Caribbean Sharpnose Toby – Canthigaster rostrata they have it all in stock, for prices between $17 and $60.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a goldfish, a jellyfish, or an octopus.

Additional initial cost

Along with the price of the actual puffer fish, you will also have to budget for the following:

The fish tank

Puffer fish are usually solitary in nature so it’s never recommended to keep more than one of them in each tank. A single blowfish still needs a large tank, though: The small-sized ones need at least 20-30 gallons of water while the larger varieties require 100 gallons for adequate space. Not having enough space will cause stress which will lead to them having lower survivability rates.

A new fish tank can be expensive. You’ll need to consider the size of your aquarium and how you want it designed before making a purchase. A 20-gallon container costs around $169-$379 while the cheapest for 100 gallons is at least $669. Fish Tanks Direct has all sorts of tanks that might work out great for your pufferfish, with prices depending on their set up.

Substrate

As a substrate for your blowfish, try using either sand or gravel. For better results, opt for the latter. It shouldnțt cost more than $10 to $20 per 20 lb bag. Pet Co. Store has CaribSea Arag-Alive Hawaiian Black Aquarium Gravel and Imagitarium White Aquarium Sand, which are available in 20lbs bags and are priced at around $15 each.

A Heater

The pufferfish will need an aquarium with a heater to constantly be within the optimal water temperature of 74-82 degrees Fahrenheit. The range can be translated into 23 – 27.5 C, and if it gets outside this range your pet can experience stress that may ultimately lead to its death.

The average cost for a small blowfish aquarium heater can range from $12-$45. If you have an enormous space like 50 gallons+, it is advisable to purchase one with high wattage (150 W). You can opt for Chewy‘s heaters that cost around $21.59.

Thermometer

The temperature of your fish tank should be kept at a level that is comfortable for the pufferfish. An aquarium heater can stop working at some point, especially if left unchecked, so you will need to make use of an accurate thermometer in order to make sure that you maintain a proper temperature for your water and avoid harming your pet fish. This device will be pretty cheap, only costing about $6.

Hydrometer

Puffers are a type of fish that requires brackish water. The young ones prefer the specific gravity to be 1.006 while adults will like it more at 1.020. You should use hydrometers in order to ensure they have the right salinity level for their tank size. Instant Ocean® Hydrometer from Pet Smart is just right for this.

Filter and air pump

You can’t set up a fish tank without an air pump and power filter! These two items are essential to the setup of any aquarium. An air pump for large tanks will cost around $65, while you’ll need to spend about $84.67 on a power filter for a 30-100 gallon aquarium.

Expected inclusions

Upon the purchase of a puffer, you will most likely be given a small container or plastic for your pet as a temporary vessel. You might even receive some food so that you know what to feed them in the future.

Puffer Fish Maintenance Costs

Food

Don’t let your puffer fish get bored with flakes and pellets. In the wild, puffers will eat usually shellfish, snails, and some other small crustaceans. However, feeding them anything from the wilderness is not advisable as this prey may carry parasites that could harm your blowfish – so stick to mealworms or frozen blood worms. Chewy has a pack of Tetra Frozen Blood Worms that costs $2.99 for 28 oz., ensuring the necessary nutrients for your fish.

Water Treatment Solutions

With water treatment solutions, your aquarium will be free from the growth of unwanted organisms like parasites and fungi. These pathogens can cause problems for fish such as loss of natural color or even death! Think about what kind of solution you need before purchasing one since they vary between freshwater and saltwater products. A 16-ounce bottle might cost around $7.89 – this is a relatively inexpensive way to keep your pet fish healthy.

Factors Affecting the Price

Puffer fish can be found at a wide range of prices, depending on the location and their scale patterns. Usually, the more common species are cheaper than those with unusual appearances. For example, Green-spotted puffers which can be found both in US markets as well as many other countries usually command a lower price because they’re so easy to find.

Additional information

Some people think that it is easy to care for a pufferfish. They are wrong! This type of fish requires much more attention than the average beginner can handle, and should only be kept in an aquarium by those who have been doing so for years already. You must set up everything beforehand – from temperature regulation all the way down to water filtering. The most important thing about keeping this creature happy however is making sure there’s enough space within its tank; just one blowfish per container will suffice. If they are more than one, then they might start fighting each other.

Every once in a while, your blowfish may need something to chew on. Giving it shellfish or other hard foods will help its beak from growing too big and obstructing the fish’s ability for eating. In addition to a common aquarium setup with water replacement and maintenance, make sure you give give special attention to your fish’s unique necessities.

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Alec Pow

CEO at ThePricer Media

Alec Pow is a thorough and methodical Financial and Business Analyst with over 15 years of experience in financial statement analysis, Foreign exchange derivative hedging instruments analysis, modeling, and risk management, with a long history of writing for big news publications like Forbes, MSN.com, Washington Post, and many more.