Inflated Pufferfish Drifting Over Sydney Tide Pool

Soft, diffused morning light falls through a curtain of green kelp fronds, illuminating a swollen pufferfish suspended in the water column. The fish, covered in white spots against a pale belly, floats horizontally above a rocky shelf scattered with small stones and patches of red algae. A fine haze of plankton softens the background, blurring the distant reef edge into a muted blue-grey. Water droplets rest on the kelp tips, while the rocky surface below shows wet, glistening textures in shades of grey and brown. The fish's spines are flattened against its inflated body, creating a smooth, round silhouette. A cluster of tiny bubbles rises from a crevice in the rock, catching the light before vanishing into the murky depths.