It reaches a maximum length of 11 cm. It is also referred to as a black saddled toby. It has four distinct black stripes (saddles) on its back. The head is blue-grey and the main body is white speckled with blue-grey spots. The tail and fins show hints of yellow and there is a rainbow streek of color behind the eyes. It feeds mainly on algae. Valentinni's sharpnose puffer is highly poisonous to eat.
Feeds mainly on filamentous green and red algae, tunicates, and on smaller amounts of corals, bryozoans, polychaetes, echinoderms, mollusks, and brown and coralline red algae. Requires an enriched meaty diet with some vegetable matter, e.g., brine shrimp, earthworms, tubifex, worms, finely chopped fish and shrimp flesh, and should also have some fresh greens to graze upon. Requires numerous daily feedings and may nip tankmates fins.
