Growing up in Cambodia, the first thing you know about pufferfish is the fact that it will bite men’s genitals. And as I got older, I also learned that pufferfish are also poisonous. There are 9 pufferfish species in Cambodia among 193 in total, and a majority of which is not edible. It is not difficult to recognize one due to its unique appearance and human-like teeth. Feel free to take a read and find out what those pufferfish species are below.
Eyespot Pufferfish (ត្រីក្រពតអុចធំ)
Scientific Name: Dichotomyctere Ocellatus / Tetraodon Biocellatus
The eyespot pufferfish aka the figure 8 puffer is a freshwater pufferfish that is colorful and pretty. This pufferfish grows to around 8 centimeters long, and it has a greenish-yellow pattern on its back. It got its nickname from the markings on either side of the caudal fin that resemble the number 8. The overall color on the upper portion of the body is deep brown while the underside is white. When frightened or stressed, it can inflate itself with air or water to ward off predators.
Native to Southeast Asia, their distribution is from the lower reaches of the Mekong in Cambodia to Borneo and Malaysia Peninsula. Where they live, this pufferfish feeds on benthic organisms like cockles, krill, mussels, snails, and oysters. Their upper and lower pairs of teeth are strong enough to crush shells and feed on the crustaceans. These teeth grow throughout a pufferfish’s life so it must get ground down to keep them at a comfortable length. This is why hard-shelled foods are very important for their daily intake.
Note: The body of this pufferfish species is covered in toxic mucus so they are poisonous for humans to consume. The flesh or skin of the eyespot pufferfish can be fatal upon consumption so make sure not to eat them.
Greenbottle Pufferfish (ត្រីក្រពតបៃតង)
Scientific Name: Auriglobus Nefastus
At a glance, no one can tell that this species belongs to the pufferfish family; the appearance is just so different. The greenbottle pufferfish has a light green to golden color, and it grows to a length of 13 centimeters long. It gets its name from the “bottle” green counterparts that contrast its white belly. What makes it different from other pufferfish species is the fact that it does not have distinct color markings.
As for their distribution, it is from the Mekong Basin all the way to Indonesia where they live in freshwater. They are native to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand as well as many areas in Indonesia and Malaysia. The common habitats of these bottom dwellers are in flowing waters of rivers and streams as well as flooded forests and plains. The greenbottle pufferfish feeds by nipping on the fins and scales of other fish which is a rather strange diet. However, their normal diet includes crustaceans and small insects if they can find any.
Green Pufferfish (ត្រីក្រពតខៀវ)
Scientific Name: Dichotomyctere Fluviatilis
Slightly bigger than some of the family members on the list today, the green pufferfish can reach 17 centimeters long. It has a white underbelly along with a metallic green or yellow on top with black spots. The eyes of the fish are bulging, and these beautiful eyes are metallic blue in color. It has spines on its body that can scare off predators when it inflates its body with air or water. Not different from most pufferfish species, this one also has a sharp front beak that allows it to crush crabs and shellfish.
The green pufferfish is also native to South and Southeast Asia, inhabiting estuaries, flood plains, lakes, and rivers. They prefer fresh to slightly brackish water where they can feed on crustaceans, invertebrates, and mollusks. Along with that, they also eat algae and plant matter as well as fish scales if the main food sources are not available. Regardless, they will need a diet of shellfish to keep their ground down since their sharp teeth continuously grow.
Note: Quite poisonous so don’t eat it.
Hairy Puffer (ត្រីក្រពតបន្លា)
Scientific Name: Tetraodon Baileyi
The hairy puffer is a small pufferfish that grows to only around 12 centimeters, and you can’t mistake it for something else. Just like the name suggests, a hairy puffer has a dense or sparse coverage of epidermal outgrowths (cirri) on its head and body. However, you only see this feature on the juvenile ones as the cirri will reduce or become non-existent when it gets older. Meanwhile, the underside of the fish is usually golden or orange without any markings. The unique appearance that this pufferfish possesses along with its active and smart behavior make it very popular in aquariums.
While most pufferfish species out there live in the open, this one tends to inhabit rocky habitats. They live in the Mekong mainstream and its larger tropical freshwater tributaries across Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The strange thing is that they don’t have the body shape and strong swimming ability for the swift river systems. However, they seem to prefer this kind of environment instead. Hairy pufferfish are strictly carnivores, and they mainly feed on invertebrates and mollusks such as crabs, freshwater shrimps, and snails.
Redeye Puffer (ត្រីក្រពតភ្នែកក្រហម)
Scientific Name: Carinotetraodon Lorteti
The name says it all, a redeye pufferfish does have red eyes, and that is quite unique to look at. It is a small pufferfish species that grows to a maximum length of 7 centimeters, and males are larger than females. The upper body of the fish is grayish with green markings all over while the underside is silver-white. The distribution of the redeye pufferfish is across Southeast Asia including Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. As for their habitats, they live slow-moving to standing water in floodplains, minor tributaries, and shady forest streams. These areas have aquatic or dense riparian vegetation along with branches and fallen leaves that they can hide in. The redeye pufferfish only feed on cockles, crabs, and snails just like other pufferfish out there. And, of course, it is poisonous to consume.
Pao Cochinchinensis (ត្រីក្រពតកូសាំងសុីន)
Scientific Name: Monotrete Cochinchinensis
Here is another small pufferfish that is around 7 centimeters long, and it has quite a negative reputation. It is known to attack people by slicing off bits of human flesh, and it is one of the two pufferfish species that attack humans. More than that it is also extremely poisonous, people died from consuming them. Clearly something to stay away from. Pao cochinchinensis is native to the basins of the Chao Phraya and Mekong Rivers across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Pao Turgidus (ត្រីក្រពតប្រែពណ៌)
Scientific Name: Pao Turgidus
The pao turgidus is a medium-sized fish that grows to a maximum size of 18.5 centimeters long. It has a greenish-brown to black black with a white belly along with small black spots on the head and body. Not different from other freshwater pufferfish out there, this one is also native to the Mekong Basin. Its distribution is across Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam where it inhabits dense vegetation. This pufferfish is a predator that hides and waits to attack any prey items that swim within striking distance. Its common meals include benthic animals, freshwater crustaceans, and small fish species.
Note: This is one of the most poisonous pufferfish species in Cambodia, causing many deaths over the year. People usually catch them from lakes and rivers, and cooking does not remove the toxin in its flesh.
Spotted Green Pufferfish (ត្រីក្រពតអុចបៃតង)
Scientific Name: Dichotomyctere Nigroviridis / Tetraodon Nigroviridis
A spotted green pufferfish has a maximum length of 15 centimeters, and it looks like a cute little ball. It has a white underbelly with green fins, tails, and upper body that are covered in black spots. Spotted green pufferfish inhabits coastal freshwater across South and Southeast Asia but it prefers brackish to saltwater and brackish water habitats. Adults live in flood plains, freshwater streams, and rivers while young are found in brackish waters and mangrove forests. The common diet of this species is primarily of snails but they also feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and some plant materials.
Note: This pufferfish species is also poisonous so don’t eat them.
Pao Abei (ត្រីក្រពតលឿងត្នោត)
Scientific Name: Tetraodon Abei
With a small and cuddly size, a pao abei is around 10.3 centimeters long, but don’t let that tininess trick you. It has beak-like teeth that are strong enough to open the shell of the prey. Trying to provoke one, and it can easily bite a chunk of your flesh off within in a blink of an eye. Its entire body surface is covered in many pale spots on top of the dark background. The spots are usually orange while the background is blackish-brown or brown. Pao abei is a freshwater pufferfish species from the Chao Phraya, Mae Klong, and Mekong River Basins in Southeast Asia. And, of course, they feed on crustaceans and snails just like other pufferfish species on the list.
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