PorcupinefishorStriped Burrfish
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
Porcupinefish
Balloon with long spines that lie flat until it inflates; dark spots on body AND fins; huge doll eyes.
Porcupinefish, next to striped burrfish: spots instead of stripes; long spines that lie flat.
Striped Burrfish
Spiny balloon with wavy dark stripes and big doll eyes; short spines are always half-raised.
Striped burrfish, next to porcupinefish: short fixed spines and stripes, no fin spots.
Side by side
| Porcupinefish | Striped Burrfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Diodon hystrix | Chilomycterus schoepfii |
| Also called | Spiny puffer | Spiny boxfish |
| Waters | Nearshore | Inshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | 1.62 lb · Texas (2014) |
| On the table | No — toxic like its puffer cousins. | No — leave the puffer family off the table. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 1 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
The two fish are regulated differently in 3 of 3 states with a rule for either. In Florida (Atlantic), porcupinefish is No size limit, 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate while striped burrfish has no rule of its own there. Call the fish wrong and you keep a short one or throw back a legal one.
| State | Porcupinefish: size · bag · season | Striped Burrfish: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| Florida (Gulf) | No size limit5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateOpen year-roundOpenFWC 2026 · checked | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. |
| North Carolina | Not specifically regulated; the state’s default for unlisted species applies. | No size limitNo bag limitOpen year-roundOpenNC DMF 2026 · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, porcupinefish or striped burrfish, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell porcupinefish from striped burrfish?
Porcupinefish: Balloon with long spines that lie flat until it inflates; dark spots on body AND fins; huge doll eyes. Striped Burrfish: Spiny balloon with wavy dark stripes and big doll eyes; short spines are always half-raised. Striped burrfish, next to porcupinefish: short fixed spines and stripes, no fin spots. Porcupinefish, next to striped burrfish: spots instead of stripes; long spines that lie flat.
Which is better to eat, porcupinefish or striped burrfish?
Porcupinefish: No — toxic like its puffer cousins. Striped Burrfish: No — leave the puffer family off the table.
Do porcupinefish and striped burrfish have the same limits?
Not everywhere. They differ in 3 state rulebooks. Florida (Atlantic): porcupinefish No size limit, 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate, striped burrfish no rule of its own; Florida (Gulf): porcupinefish No size limit, 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate, striped burrfish no rule of its own; North Carolina: porcupinefish no rule of its own, striped burrfish No size limit, No bag limit.