Thread: Smooth Puffer 'invasion'

aka "Rabbitfish"...
Had to chuckle at this one:
Gulf Coast Smooth Back Pufferfish?An Invasion? Your Experiences Wanted! - Capt. Tommy Thompson's Saltwater Angler's Guides




Here's what Fishbase has to say:
Lagocephalus laevigatus, Smooth puffer : fisheries

Wow! I was impressed by the phylogenetic diversity index of these fish in that reference.

Harley caught one last week that puffed up the size of a basketball---it deflated before I could get a good photo.

Originally Posted by Haywire

Wow! puffed up the size of a basketball---it deflated before I could get a good....

Don't ya just hate when that happens?

There is a Youtube video where a guy shows you how to clean them (emphasizes avoiding the gall bladder) - guy says they are great tablefare.

That said, everything else that I've read over the last 20 minutes of internet research says "the meat is good, but the guts are toxic". It's not nearly as dangerous as the other types of puffer fish with the spines all over them, but the viscera is still bad news.

So basically, are you Ok with cleaning and eating something that has the potential to release neurotoxins with no antidote stocked in hospital shelves?

I think I'll pass on these unless I get really, really, really hungry.

Its called fugu in Japan, its said to be delicious.
Chefs who serve it must apprentice for years and pass a test. Even then, every year people get sick and every few years someone even dies.
I aint going near the stuff.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu