Clipping Puffer Teeth

[Jozle]

My pea puffer died yesterday. Jumped out of the tank while I was gone. I got me an Asellus puffer today, did a little research on these guys and read something about manually clipping the teeth. Anyone done this before?

[mistahoo]

Sounds risky! I'd just feed them some snails or frozen shrimp to grind down their chompers

[mnemenoi]

I have had quite a few and they certainly need attention. Great puffers and well behaved, but they will need attention every 6 months or so. Their are numerous sites and vids online and it is not that difficult.

[TexSun]

Re: Clipping Puffer Teeth

Youtubes are notorious for making things look easy.

[Totenkampf]

do they need maintenance even if you feed them plenty of crunchy foods?

[mistahoo]

do they need maintenance even if you feed them plenty of crunchy foods?

+1! Curious to know as well. I thought a lot of crunchy stuff would grind it down enough. Is it not enough?

[cu0ngsayz]

I thought that's how it would be also since they can't get it done manually in nature

[mnemenoi]

I was unsuccessful in keeping them trimmed with crunchy diet fare. I fed them quite a bit of snails and various other fare and every one of mine had issues (I have kept 8 over the years). They are quite peaceful and decent compared to other puffers, but they are the worst when it comes to growing teeth. I can only assume that hard shelled molluscs must be 80-100% of their diet in the wild. I have never met anyone that had them long term without dealing with their teeth. Most eventually starve to death as their teeth become overgrown and eventually they waste away. They do work great in groups and are behaved enough for a community SA tank that lacks bite sized tankmates.

[mnemenoi]

As to clipping their teeth, the most effective technique I used was netting them and isoalting them to a smaller container with about a liter of water in it. Add in 1-2 drops of clove oil and when they became less frantic and calmed a bit, I would simply remove them slightly from the water and clip their teeth with finger nail clippers. I imagine it could be done without the clove oil if you preferred, and done semi annually it is far easier then it sounds.

[mistahoo]

You sir are one brave man. I would sh*t my pants trying to get anywhere near those chompers.

[Totenkampf]

i saw a youtube video where the guy had his trained to swim into his hand and smile. so roy, do you not ever worry about them puffing up when they are exposed to air? i thought that i had read that you never remove them from water, is that overcautious in your opinion?

[cu0ngsayz]

I think "never remove from water" is a little too cautious haha but it would be cool to see a puffer puff up. Never encounter that before!

[mnemenoi]

The South American puffers are far smaller and easily more managable, nowhere near the size of their larger African cousins... about the largest mine ever reached was 2-3" and the largest might have pushed past that a bit...

[mnemenoi]

I originally tried doing it while they were submersed, but it was a bit difficult and made the whole ordeal longer and far more tedious. Mine never inflated while out of the water, but I would do it quickly. I have seen some Fahakas and Mbu's inflate with water when something stressed them in the tank and they eventually expel it out, but it does look weird.

[mnemenoi]