HEADLESS HEADLESS
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 10:17
Green Spotted Puffer Fish #1
Hi

I am new to this forum,

Approx 8 months ago I purchased two Green Spotted Puffer Fish for my 10 year old son. When we purchased them I was given a bag of frozen cockles and sent on our way,

We now have a problem with one of them, his/her top beak/teeth has grown so in the future he /she will struggle to eat, the other Puffer is fine

I have tried to obtain from our suppliers snails for the Puffers since we have had them without any luck, always being told to feed blood worm and Cockles

I visited another aquatic store yesterday, again I was told to give them Cockles, after explaining that the Puffers are only 2.5 inches in length and it is impossible for them to break into the cockles on their own I was advised to give him/her cuttle fish, I am no expert but I can not see how the Puffer is going to wear his beak/teeth down in a short period of time on a bit of cuttle fish

I did mention that the fish may need to have his beak clipped but he could not advise me on how or anyone that would help

Can anyone please give me some good advice on what to do?

Will the cuttlefish work?

I do have koi and I am confident to anaesthetise a koi and treat as required (luckily I have not had to do that much)
But a small Puffer is different, can they be anaesthetise? Or is the clipping of the teeth a simple task

Sorry if the thread is a bit long winded

Darrell
Coralline Coralline
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 11:06
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Fish #2
hi darrell, welcome to fk!

not sure about the cuttelfish... it would work fine, if the puffer felt inclined to chew at it at all, but i cant think why it would want to!

apparently clipping puffer teeth is on the same level as clipping hamster teeth, not had to try it myself (either hamster or puffer, lol) so i cant give you any more help from experience down that route, but i do have a green spotted puffer - norman. snails, prawns and shrimp is the main part of his diet, i get small shell on prawns (human food) and i have a selection of freeze dried shrimp which are extra crunchy, i get snails when possible, can be found on ebay most of the time, pond snails are acceptable, (avoid trumpet snails, their shells can break puffer beaks) if you have room for a second small tank somewhere, you could keep some snails in there and let them breed to give an ongoing supply. i have a few planted tanks so i remove any pest snails i see for norman to eat. also possible to get live river shrimp which they also enjoy, not as easy to find as snails. i also have some giant african land snails, which breed regularly, this also provides norman with food, he likes the eggs, and i also feed him baby snails, only the snall ones tho, i cant do it once they get to a certain size.. conscience kicks in, lol!
hope that helps to start with, im sure someone else will be able to help you with the specifics of beak clipping, should it come to that.
Gill

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HEADLESS HEADLESS
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 11:19
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Fish #3
Thanks for the welcome Coralline

I thought if I was to soak the cuttlefish in some fish extract etc... they may have a chew but I think it would effect the water quality

I have done hampsters teeth before but as the Puffers are only tiny it worries me I could do some damage, I will see what other members say

Thanks for the info on feeding etc...better info than what I have recieved from the aquatic centre

I have been feeding prawns in the shell just lately and hopefully it will help in the future

I do have a small spare tank and will try and find someone who has some snails I going so I can build up a food source

thanks again

regards

Darrell
Coralline Coralline
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 11:30
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Fish #4
Quote:

HEADLESS wrote:

Thanks for the info on feeding etc...better info than what I have recieved from the aquatic centre



lol, yep thats what we aim for here!

if you get a couple of giant land snails, they will provide lots of food, it does mean more pets to look after, but they are worth it, the adults are lovely (if you like snails!) and can grow to quite an impressive size!

forgot to mention, look at garden centres with pond sections, as many of them will sell pond snails, it just might be a bit early in the season to find many, they will be abundant during the summer, but worht a look, you should be able to get enough to get going.

good luck
Gill

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HEADLESS HEADLESS
  • Just popping in
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 11:37
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Fish #5
The land snails, are they native to this country or do I get them from a reptile place??

looked on line for Giant land sanils and they are massive

I have all my time taken up with enjoying my koi, I dont think I can spare time for giant snails

We have two dogs, two Guinea pigs, two Puffers and 23 koi, only the koi are mine but I have to clean etc... them all

All the things we do for our kids lol

Darrell
Coralline Coralline
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  • Posted on: 6/4/2010 11:50
Re: Green Spotted Puffer Fish #6
lol, yep that sounds like a handful including the children!

yeah the giant snails are african, so would have to be obtained from either another owner or a shop, but sounds like you have enough to deal with!
Gill

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