Striped Burrfish
Chilomycterus schoepfii
Also called Spiny boxfish.
How to tell it
Spiny balloon with wavy dark stripes and big doll eyes; short spines are always half-raised.
Often mistaken for
Two fish that get called striped burrfish, and what gives each one away.
- Porcupinefish: Spots instead of stripes; long spines that lie flat. Tell them apart
- Northern puffer: No spines, pepper-grain dots. Tell them apart
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida (Atlantic), Florida (Gulf), Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
State records
| State | Weight | When, where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 1 lb 9.65 oz | 2016 | MDMR State Saltwater Records (Conventional) · checked 2026-08-23 |
| Texas | 1.62 lb | 2014 · Gulf of America | TPWD State Records (Saltwater, Rod & Reel) · checked 2026-08-23 |
On the table
No — leave the puffer family off the table.
In the app
Point the camera at a striped burrfish and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about striped burrfish
How do you tell striped burrfish from porcupinefish?
Striped Burrfish: Spiny balloon with wavy dark stripes and big doll eyes; short spines are always half-raised. Porcupinefish: spots instead of stripes; long spines that lie flat.
What is the record striped burrfish?
1.62 lb in Texas (2014), Gulf of America. Other states’ records are in the table.