Fish
Evileye Blaasop
Amblyrhynchotes honckenii
A small pufferfish that inflates when threatened - highly poisonous, common over sand and reef, and never a food fish.
Also known as blaasop, blaasoppie, blowfish, evil-eye, evileye, puffer
- Typical size
- Commonly 15-25 cm
- Habitat
- Sand and reef edges
- Depth
- Shallows to ~100 m
The evileye blaasop is a stout little pufferfish that swells into a ball by gulping water when alarmed. Olive to grey above with a pale belly, it is a familiar sight puttering over sand and reef edges on these spots.
Its flesh and organs contain a powerful toxin, so it is strictly never eaten. Divers know it as a harmless curiosity - but one to keep out of a catch bag.