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Puffers. The curious puffer-fishes (family Tetraodontidae) are solitary omnivores, often seen wandering about the reef in their slow, almost clumsy way and plucking at algae, crustaceans, molluscs, worms and sponges. When threatened they inflate themselves with large quantities of water, which either locks them into a coral crevice, or makes it impossible for a predator to swallow them. In addition to this protection, the skin and most of the internal organs of puffers contain a deadly poison. This poison is absent from the flesh, which in Japan is the highly prized fugu.

A common putter on Indonesian reefs is the dog-faced or black-spotted puffer (Arothron nigropunctatus), which exhibits a great deal of color variability, from the usual dull brown to bright yellow; always with many small black spots.

The related porcupinefishes (family Diodontidae) possess the same defenses as the puffers, with the addition of numerous spines, which become erect when the animal is inflated. The common porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix) is often seen. Boxfishes (family Ostraciontidae) are similar to puffers, except their protection comes in the form of a hard, roughly cubical external covering.