"Puffer Loc-Jaw"

[bluetmax]

My obsession is my reef tank, but I also have a fish only that contains a spiny puffer that, to say I was fond of, would be an understatement. lol I went in my LFS today, and noticed that the puffer he had for a very long time in the 240 display tank was gone. According to the LFS owner, the puffer died from something called "Puffer Loc (Lock?) Jaw". This I have never heard of. He said that the symptom is caused when a puffer is on a strict diet of freeze dried krill - this somehow contributes to the locking of the jaw (I assume something is lacking either mineral or nutrition wise). He said over a two week time frame that although the puffer (one of the healthiest -outwardly appearing- looking fish I have ever seen) would try to eat whenever the food was put into the tank, he just could not. My guy, is a glutton for krill, but not much else, and this has me terribly concerned. Does anyone know anything about this, or know of somewhere I can do some more reading on the subject? This little guy is the whole reason I still have a FO tank!

 

[Hattie B]

Hi,

Yes, Puffers can get wxactly what you say do to a lack of vitamine/good diet; diet mainly of krill especially freeze dried krill.

the bad thing about freeze dried krill is that once a lot of puffers get the taste for it they really seem to like it and then nothing else even though its bad for them; leads to nutritional deficencies and then possibily lock jaw like you said.

I believe some old threads, possibily by PufferQueen might have some good info on puffers and this issue; I would search there..

 

[REEFRHEAD]

as in lockjaw being that the jaw cant close and eat the food? or meaning that he cant open his mouth enough to eat food? i have heard of puffers having a problem with their teeth because in the wild they will eat things that will wear down their teeth and in our home aquariums they do not have this hard shelled food items most of the time. And if you really want your puffer to eat more nutrients and wont touch any other food you add... even shrimp from the food store? like the uncooked version of course. what about squid? try that yet other fish flesh? but if you really wanted to give it some natural netrients throw a starfish in there for him to eat which he will happily use a choclate chip being that they are cheap but only even once and a while like a treat one a month or something but try to above items and get back to us. maybe even a freshly opened clam would be great for him also you could feed him unwanted crabs from everyone else reef tanks too. as you would be using somethign that most of us just kill

 

[bluetmax]

You know, I am really uncertain as to how exactly the puffer in the store was behaving. As I stated earlier, this is something new to me. I have seen other species of fish who's jaws were locked in an open position, but from what I was told, this is something pertaining exclusively to puffers. I've been reading up on PufferQueen's older threads. (Maybe she will reply to this thread. I think I am gonna PM her) From what I gather, it is somthing nutrient related as opposed to the over growth of their teeth. The one I have is a pig for the freeze dried krill, and will also eat freshwater feeder minnows, but not much else. I had a large red leg hermit that died some time ago from another tank, and he wouldn't touch it even after I pulled it from the shell!! (The lunar and banana wrasse had a hay day.) I tried whole silver sides today to no avail. He bit in to them, but would not eat them. I guess it is just a hit or miss thing with him. I am going to cut back drastically on the krill though.

 

[andrewsmart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9905627#post9905627 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bluetmax
You know, I am really uncertain as to how exactly the puffer in the store was behaving. As I stated earlier, this is something new to me. I have seen other species of fish who's jaws were locked in an open position, but from what I was told, this is something pertaining exclusively to puffers. I've been reading up on PufferQueen's older threads. (Maybe she will reply to this thread. I think I am gonna PM her) From what I gather, it is somthing nutrient related as opposed to the over growth of their teeth. The one I have is a pig for the freeze dried krill, and will also eat freshwater feeder minnows, but not much else. I had a large red leg hermit that died some time ago from another tank, and he wouldn't touch it even after I pulled it from the shell!! (The lunar and banana wrasse had a hay day.) I tried whole silver sides today to no avail. He bit in to them, but would not eat them. I guess it is just a hit or miss thing with him. I am going to cut back drastically on the krill though.

shell fish are a favorite with puffers i had on who would only eat oysters clams and such.

 

[adimal]

mine had this because i only fed him krill. bad mistake, now feeding my new one mussel, krill, squid, mixed carnivore diets, silversides. try everything there are a lot of possibilties.