I need puffer help

[Dogfish666]

I have a client with a stars and stripes puffer that keeps eating sand... Not sucking it in and spitting it out but swollowing it until he turns himself into a beanbag and bobs around the bottom of the tank for 2 days until he passes the sand, then he does it again. Meanwhile he still eats frozen vhp and feeding schedual is normal. the only other wierd thing is he has worn down his beak to where you can barely see it by munching on bowl rock. he has been in the tank for about 2 years and never been sick, no air bubbles, no agressive fish in tank. were stumped I have never seen this before. its a once a week client so we keep very close tabs on their system. anybody ever see this before? Thanks


-Dogfish

 

[aquaman67]

This was copied from another place written by someone who is known as the Queen of Puffers.

Question:

"Lately we have been noticing that our stars and stripes puffer has been eating the sand in our tank. It's not a ton of sand, but still. He seems to do this after feedings, and spits some of it out, but also swallows some as we see him "poop" it out.

Is this a normal activity, could he hurt himself?"

Answer:

"In the ocean, a puffer will often blow & sift sand looking for food. This is natural that some of the sand may be ingested. They may need the extra "roughage" in their diets?

Problem comes in a home aquarium when there is crushed coral and the puffer attempts to sift this and when ingested this can lead to blockage and twisting of the intestines."

If you'd like to know where it came from PM me.

I think it's normal activity for a puffer after reading some other threads.

Oh, and

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

 

[Pufferpunk]

What exactly is the diet?