HomeMarine aquarium fishTriggers, puffers & boxfishPrickly toadfish Prickly toadfish (Contusus richei) Scientific name: Contusus richei Fr?minville, 1813 The Prickly toadfish (Contusus richei) is a marine fish of the family Tetraodontidae. Native range: Eastern Indian Ocean, southern Australia. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand. Species factsScientific nameContusus richeiFamilyTetraodontidae (Puffers)OrderTetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length25.4Depth range1–50 m (3–164 ft)EnvironmentMarine; demersal; depth range 1 - 50 mClimateTemperateDistributionEastern Indian Ocean: southern Australia. Southwest Pacific: New Zealand.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.25-0.33) More triggers, puffers & boxfishWhite-banded triggerfishRhinecanthus aculeatusSilver-cheeked toadfishLagocephalus sceleratusLongspined porcupinefishDiodon holocanthusYellow-spotted triggerfishPseudobalistes fuscusFantail filefishPervagor spilosomaRedtail filefishPervagor melanocephalusSee all triggers, puffers & boxfish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026