Narrow Line Puffer (Arothron Manilensis)

Also Known As: Narrow Lined Puffer, Scribbled Puffer

Compatibility and Behavior
The scribbling is the signature here. The Narrow Line Puffer (Arothron manilensis) wears a creamy to gray-tan base covered in fine, dark, narrow lines and subtle spotting, the whole pattern looking like someone went at it with a pen, and the rounded head, big expressive eyes, and classic beak-like mouth fill out one of the more charming faces among Arothron puffers. Like its cousins, it tends to become a genuine wet pet, quickly learning to recognize its keeper and cruising the glass to beg at feeding time. Day to day it is a curious, deliberate swimmer that works the rockwork for morsels and investigates anything new you add. Reef safety runs true to the genus: it is not reef safe and will readily prey on snails, crabs, shrimp, clams, and other inverts, and may nip soft corals, so it belongs in a fish-only or FOWLR setup. It generally coexists well with other robust, non-nippy tankmates, though very small, delicate, or timid fish can be at risk of harassment or an exploratory bite, especially around feeding. And as with all puffers, it can inflate when severely stressed, so handle it calmly and keep it from being netted in air.

Aquarium Requirements
This is a small to medium-sized Arothron, so it is more versatile and can handle smaller systems. For specimens in the 1.5 to 3.5 inch range, a tank around 60-100 gallons is a realistic starting point, with larger volumes strongly preferred for the long haul and for community setups. Give it solid rock, caves, and ledges to rest in and feel secure, and avoid sharp decor or unstable stacks that could injure it if it bumps or inflates. Filtration carries extra weight with any puffer, since these are messy, heavy eaters with a significant bioload, so plan on high-capacity mechanical and biological filtration, good surface agitation, and regular water changes. Feeding doubles as dental care: offer a varied meaty diet of shrimp, squid, clam, and krill alongside quality marine pellets, and work in hard-shelled items like crab pieces or clam on the half shell to keep those continuously growing beak-like teeth worn down.

Specifications
Approximate Size: 1.5–3.5" (usually on the smaller end of the range)
Diet: Carnivore; shrimp, squid, clam, krill, and hard-shelled foods like crab or clam on the half shell to help keep the teeth worn down
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Care Level: Intermediate to expert
Reef Safe: No
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Minimum Tank Size: 60 gallons for small specimens, with a larger system required as it grows
Special Considerations: Not reef safe and will prey on inverts and may nip corals; needs hard-shelled foods to keep its beak-like teeth worn down; handle and net with care, and avoid forcing it to inflate in air, which can be dangerous for the fish