Pioquinto, Kylee Esther C.

5 - Tanzanite
Puffer fish
Puffer fish can inflate into a ball shape
to evade predators. Also known as
blowfish, these clumsy swimmers fill
their elastic stomachs with huge
amounts of water (and sometimes air)
and blow themselves up to several
times their normal size.

Some puffer fish species also have

spines on their skin to ward off predators. Even if a predator gobbles up a puffer before it
inflates, it won't enjoy the snack. Most puffer fish contain a toxic substance that makes them
foul tasting and potentially deadly to other fish. The toxin is deadly to humans. There is enough
poison in one puffer fish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.

In Japan, they are called fugu and are

a very expensive, delicious treat. They
are prepared only by trained, licensed
fugu chefs. Most puffers are found in
tropical and subtropical ocean waters,
but some species live in brackish and
even fresh water. Some species of
puffer fish are considered vulnerable
due to pollution, habitat loss, and
overfishing, but most populations are
considered stable.