Bandtail PufferorCheckered Puffer
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Bandtail Puffer
Small puffer with a row of dark blotches low on the side and dark bands on the tail.
Bandtail puffer, next to checkered puffer: dark blotches along the belly line, banded tail.
Checkered Puffer
Pale puffer with a dark net-like pattern over the back and bars around the eyes; inflates when handled.
Checkered puffer, next to bandtail puffer: net pattern on the back.
Side by side
| Bandtail Puffer | Checkered Puffer | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sphoeroides spengleri | Sphoeroides testudineus |
| Also called | Puffer | Puffer, Blowfish |
| Waters | Nearshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Do not eat — puffers carry saxitoxin. | Do not eat — puffers carry saxitoxin; poisonings are on record in Florida. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 2 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.
| State | Bandtail Puffer: size · bag · season | Checkered Puffer: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limitSee noteYear-roundCheckFWC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limitSee noteYear-roundCheckFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limitSee noteYear-roundCheckFWC 2026 · likely · checked | No size limitSee noteYear-roundCheckFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, bandtail puffer or checkered puffer, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell bandtail puffer from checkered puffer?
Bandtail Puffer: Small puffer with a row of dark blotches low on the side and dark bands on the tail. Checkered Puffer: Pale puffer with a dark net-like pattern over the back and bars around the eyes; inflates when handled. Checkered puffer, next to bandtail puffer: net pattern on the back. Bandtail puffer, next to checkered puffer: dark blotches along the belly line, banded tail.
Which is better to eat, bandtail puffer or checkered puffer?
Bandtail Puffer: Do not eat — puffers carry saxitoxin. Checkered Puffer: Do not eat — puffers carry saxitoxin; poisonings are on record in Florida.
Do bandtail puffer and checkered puffer have the same limits?
Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.