Manila pufferfish (Arothron manilensis) with cleaner shrimps. This is a symbiotic relationship; the shrimps remove parasites from the fish,which they then eat. When threatened,pufferfish gulp down water. This causes them to swell to up to twice their normal body size. It is a solitary animal found in the tropical Indo-West Pacific. It feeds on corals,sponges and crustaceans,crushing and grinding them with its powerful jaws and sharp teeth. Pufferfish are a delicacy in Japan,where they are eaten as sushi. However,they contain a powerful toxin,tetrodotoxin,that is fatal to humans,and so need to be prepared with care. Photographed in Lembeh Strait,North Sulawesi,Indonesia |