Green Spotted Puffer Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Small puffer, usually under 6 inches (15 cm), with a yellow-green to olive back
• Bold, irregular black spots and blotches scattered across the dorsal surface
• Bright white belly with a sharp, straight-edged boundary separating it from the colored back
• Bulging eyes set high on the head and a rounded, scaleless body
• No barbels or whiskers; smooth skin that can inflate when threatened
• Fins are translucent to pale yellow with little to no patterning

Common look-alikes

• Figure-8 puffer (Dichotomyctere ocellatus): markings form connected loop or figure-eight shapes rather than separate round spots.
• Ceylon puffer (Carinotetraodon imitator): smaller, more slender body with a low midline ridge and less contrast between back and belly color.
• Fahaka puffer: much larger with bold striping rather than spotting, and found only in African freshwater.

Where you'll see one

Green spotted puffers inhabit brackish estuaries, mangrove creeks, and river mouths across Southeast Asia, tolerating a range of salinities and often seen hovering near submerged roots or structure in murky water.