The famous ball fish is a native of the Malay archipelago, the Indian coast, Ceylon, the Philippines and Indonesia. This representative of marine fauna is also known by the names of charothel, tetraodon, puffer, pufferfish, dog fish, pufferfish and death fish. This individual is interesting in that in a moment of danger it can swell like a ball in order to appear to the enemy as a sufficiently large object and make him abandon the idea of devouring this representative of the food chain. Thanks to this ability, he scambled and got his name.
Encyclopedic data
The ball fish belongs to the Tetraodontidate family from the order maxillofacial. The latter, in turn, originates from the ancient perciform. To date, the geography of distribution of this family is quite extensive. Thus, the parrot-beetle parrot inhabits the Amazon basin, the leopard tetraodon is a resident of the lower Congo river. Variegated marigold lives in the coastal waters of Southeast Asia. Some specimens of ballfish are found even in the rivers of Southern Primorye.
Among these amazing creatures, there are both dwarfs and giants. For example, the Boulenger ball fish reaches 120 cm, and the Fahaka tetraodon is 20 times smaller - only 6 cm. All species are characterized by the absence of a bone shell on the body and powerful fin spines. But they have the ability to inflate like a balloon. The fish actually has the shape of a ball. And all thanks to air bags filled with air or water. This is clearly seen in the photo in the article. Ball fish can be kept in aquariums. There are about 10 species of tetraodons that are bred by aquarists.
These funny creatures
The considered inhabitants of the sea depths, despite the apparent clumsiness, are very mobile and maneuverable. In movement, the fish resembles a bee swiftly fluttering with wings, which froze in the air near the flower. Young individuals are quite peaceful, often gather in flocks, however, with age, their behavior changes dramatically, and they become unstable and aggressive. These funny creatures with very expressive and moving eyes are closely related to the detachment of marine four-toothed. They are the best snail eaters imaginable. Such outstanding abilities of the fish-ball is due to the special structure of the jaws and body. Pretty quick and nimble, she, raking her pectoral fins, approaches her victim. And then, at the first opportunity, the production is enough for its miniature, but equipped with four special crushing plates mouth. The sharotel has very strong jaws designed to crush the durable shells of mollusks. Gill covers in fish are reduced; the gaps are two holes near the pectoral fins. Due to the structure of the fins, the marrow can dramatically change the direction of movement and even move backward, as well as freeze in place. The scales covering the body have a sharp peak and resemble a spike.
Poison ball fish
The muscles of these creatures, and especially their insides and gonads, contain toxic tetradoxins. But the ovaries of some specimens, which are found off the coast of Japan, contain very toxic poison, which is called "puffer". It acts on the nerve centers and the cardiovascular system. Scientists have found that the body of the fish does not produce toxic substances. It becomes toxic due to its diet, which includes poisonous starfish and mollusks. If the pufferfish adheres to a “dietary diet” from birth, it will be completely safe to eat. However, in this case, dishes from exotic fish will lose their "sharpness". After all, everyone knows that in the spring, when the puffer is the most poisonous, gourmets are willing to pay the highest price for this delicacy.
Deadly dish
Puffer fish is the most expensive and deadly dish of Japanese cuisine. In addition, it is considered one of the oldest foods known to mankind. Archaeological finds confirm that it was consumed by the inhabitants of Japanese islands long before our era.
Tetrodotoxin, a deadly poison, is found in caviar, milk, liver, skin, and genitals. This substance is characterized by a neuroparalytic effect. It is 1,200 times more dangerous than
potassium cyanide . The most dangerous thing about this toxin is that there is no antidote against it. The owner of the restaurant, who claims to have dishes from this fish on his menu, is obliged to provide the medical inspection with detailed reports on the conditions of storage of the puffer. Cutting pufferfish is a unique art that takes a long time to learn. Since 1598, a law has been in force in Japan that obliges cooks wishing to cook a puffer to obtain a state license. To do this, you must pass two exams, one of which is written, and the second practical. About three quarters of the applicants are screened out on the first of them, and during the last, the candidate must eat the dish he has prepared. The price per serving of such a dish can range from 100-500 dollars.
Extreme Confession
Gourmets who have tried this fish describe their sensations as follows: as they eat, a wave rolls in which paralyzes the legs first, then the hands, then the jaws stop working. In this state, only the eyes are able to move. After a short period of time, everything begins to come to life, the gift of speech returns, after which the legs and arms begin to move. Japanese samurai believe that the departure from life is the apotheosis of beauty. Puffer fish allows a person to touch the Japanese understanding of perfection, and if successful, even come back.
Ball fish: aquarium exotic
Dwarf tetraodons live in the south of India in lakes and rivers with a sandy or silty bottom. For such creatures it does not matter how the aquarium is designed, the main thing is that it contains driftwood and thick plants in which you can hide. Due to this, their intraspecific aggression will decrease. When breeding such fish, it is very important to partially replace the water. You need to do this regularly. Experts recommend settling in the aquarium, the volume of which is 20 liters, three tetraodons. Fish feed on snails, worms, mollusks, do not disdain and special food, both live and frozen. But they are reluctant to eat dry food. In the aquarium, puffer fish keep to the daily routine. They wake up at dawn or when the lights are turned on. Then they eat and spread out around the aquarium according to their business. In the afternoon, they become interested in what is happening around. By evening, preparing for bed. For spawning, it is recommended to use one male and three females.