[2] It can be encountered from the coast of South Carolina to Venezuela, including Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, and in the Caribbean Sea.

[4] The Caribbean sharp-nose puffer is a highly toxic species of marine fish due to the presence of tetrodotoxin in its tissues and organs.

In Mexico, Canthigaster rostrata is commonly known as "tamborín narizón" or big-nosed tambourine,[6] an homage to its large pointed snout and rounded body shape.

The Caribbean sharp-nose puffer is a small fish that is roughly the size of a soft ball at its maximum length of about 4 inches.

It is adorned with bright blue spots, and its yellow caudal tail fin is bordered by a darker line.

[8] They are abundant within the Western Atlantic, however they are experiencing a slight decline in population due to coral reef loss.

To accommodate its slow locomotion the Caribbean sharp-nose puffer fish has several natural defense mechanisms that protect it from predators.

[10] The toxin is known to accumulate in the cells of filter feeders like shrimp, a prey item of the Caribbean sharp-nose puffer, who ingest the toxic bacteria.

Few animals are able to overcome the threat posed by the specialized defenses of Caribbean sharp-nose puffer, and thus it is not a common meal for most marine predators.

[13][14] The Caribbean sharp-nose puffer is oviparous, meaning that the female lays eggs and the embryo develops externally.

[4] During reproduction the female releases a cluster of eggs onto the sand or into an algae nest, typically in a seagrass bed.