feeding golden puffer

[saltyESQ]

I have the basic stuff down what to feed my puffer, but the LFS where I purchased the puffer fed him live feeder crabs, is this a good idea?
(he tossed one of those red crabs in the tank and the puffer ate it in less than 2 seconds)

The LFS said that not only does it keep his teeth trimmed, but it cleans out his gut.....is this true?

I imagine that it would keep his teeth nice and trimmed.... how many should I feed a week if any?

 

[reefergeorge]

I would be concerned about adding parasites, or disease to my tank with live food. Crab legs, clams, and shell on shrimp do the same for his teeth.

 

[nureefer2008]

I had a hard time feeding my golden puffer. After 10 days of hunger strike, it finally ate but now it only eats freeze dried krill. I tried fresh clam, crab legs and it simply ignores those food.
I would agree with reefergeorge about adding parasite to your tank. Try and introduce your puffer to frozen seafood....that way all the parasites are eliminated.
Good luck

 

[saltyESQ]

Last night he nibbled on some puffer mix, but he really seems to like frozen formula 1 (he ate 2 cubes whole).

 

[pinkie]

I have a Guinea Fowl, so same fish, just different stage in life. He eats anything and everything, from squid, to krill, to nori sheets, to pellet food, to silversides, to table shrimp, and more. I do feed them crabs, but only as a rare treat, like once a month. It really helps to grind down their teeth better than most other foods. I give them clams, and leave the shells in the tank for a while, as they nibble on them from time to time which helps as well.

 

[AquaKnight]

What about some FW crayfish? If only used rarely, like once a month or very couple a weeks to grind their teeth down, the fats shouldn't be too much, right? No worry about diseases this way. Fed my goldbar wrasse a crayfish, loved it, his colors were never to so bright after 'the hunt.'

 

[pinkie]

I have used those as well in place of crabs, they love eating them and have nice thick shells

 

[SaltyMember]

My dogface used to go nuts for little neck clams. I would get them when they were on sale and freeze them. When I wanted to feed I would crack the shell will a nutcracker.

 

[reefergeorge]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12482879#post12482879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pinkie
I have a Guinea Fowl, so same fish, just different stage in life. .

Really?? What do the start out looking like, and what is the adult coloration?

 

[pinkie]

Scientific name for both is Arothron meleagris

They start out with the common name Guinea Fowl Puffer, with the following coloration:

When they get older they change in appearance to the Golden Puffer with the following coloration:

They typically only change coloration in the wild though. If you get a younger guinea fowl with that coloration, they will not become a golded in your aquarium most of the time.

Here is a picture of one that is halfway through his transformation:

 

[reefergeorge]

Thanks Pinkie!!