bandtail puffer
Sphoeroides spengleri
Pufferfish of shallow waters and reefs, with round black spots on the head and body, and poisonous to eat.
Also called: baiacu-manchado, baiacu, tamboril manchado, bandtail puffer
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 2–70 m
who is the bandtail puffer
Pufferfish of the family Tetraodontidae, reaching 30 cm. It lives in shallow coastal waters where there is cover, such as seagrass beds and shallow reefs, and also tolerates brackish water. It is common. It eats mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms, plus worms and zooplankton larvae. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from Massachusetts, USA, to Santa Catarina, Brazil. In Ceará it is sold as an aquarium fish, and it shows up in commercial fisheries.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the bandtail puffer; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Body shaped like a typical pufferfish, with round, well-defined black spots on the head and underside. There are many brown skin flaps on the rear of the body, and distinct marks along the lower flanks, which make the species unmistakable. Unlike the pinima puffer (Sphoeroides greeleyi), which has small brown spots in groups, this one has round, well-defined black spots.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America it occurs from Mexico to the Brazilian coast, with records in Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas.
Habitat: Shallow coastal waters, in seagrass beds and shallow reefs, where there is cover.
coast
rules for the bandtail puffer
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
The danger lies in eating it: it is poisonous and must not be consumed, so do not take it home as food. Like other pufferfish, it has strong teeth, so remove the hook carefully.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01738, b = 2.9; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Sphoeroides spengleri (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Sphoeroides spengleriNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
