What to feed puffer to file down teeth

MidnightSmoker · 06/21/2015, 10:36 AM

What can I feed my mimic valentini puffer to trim down his teeth? What do you feed valentini? I was thinking of trying crab legs from the grocery store or a clam or something?

I don't want a ammonia spike, so if he doesn't act interested how long would you wait before you removed the food. - I didn't buy snails or a clean up crew when I got him because I thought he would just eat them, which would of been good to trim his teeth. - I will be buying some online soon.

Dkuhlmann · 06/21/2015, 11:42 AM

Buy some snails, if he doesn't eat them then you have a cuc, if he does you have food... win win!

toothybugs · 06/21/2015, 11:47 AM

Mine chews on my rock periodically.

ichthyogeek · 06/21/2015, 07:29 PM

Is it a mimic valentini filefish? Or is it a valentini puffer? If it's a filefish, good job at getting it to eat. If it's a puffer...

Hermit crabs are only 1$/crab where I am, a few of these a month should keep your puffer VERY entertained.

When mine was alive, I had an old frozen block of shrimp used for feeding. I'd just pull one off, and boom. The puffer was never so happy (mostly because the shrimp was as big as it was).

I also used clams on the half shell, as well as mussels on the half shell. The puffer will eat the clam, but also will chip its teeth getting at the other bits of clam stuck to the shell.

TangingOut · 06/21/2015, 08:12 PM

+1 on mimic vs true valentini

06/21/2015, 10:36 AM	#1
MidnightSmoker Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 81	What to feed puffer to file down teeth What can I feed my mimic valentini puffer to trim down his teeth? What do you feed valentini? I was thinking of trying crab legs from the grocery store or a clam or something? I don't want a ammonia spike, so if he doesn't act interested how long would you wait before you removed the food. - I didn't buy snails or a clean up crew when I got him because I thought he would just eat them, which would of been good to trim his teeth. - I will be buying some online soon.

06/21/2015, 11:42 AM	#2
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Buy some snails, if he doesn't eat them then you have a cuc, if he does you have food... win win! __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

06/21/2015, 11:47 AM	#3
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	Mine chews on my rock periodically.

06/21/2015, 07:29 PM	#4
ichthyogeek Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Arkansas Posts: 742	Is it a mimic valentini filefish? Or is it a valentini puffer? If it's a filefish, good job at getting it to eat. If it's a puffer... Hermit crabs are only 1$/crab where I am, a few of these a month should keep your puffer VERY entertained. When mine was alive, I had an old frozen block of shrimp used for feeding. I'd just pull one off, and boom. The puffer was never so happy (mostly because the shrimp was as big as it was). I also used clams on the half shell, as well as mussels on the half shell. The puffer will eat the clam, but also will chip its teeth getting at the other bits of clam stuck to the shell.

06/21/2015, 08:12 PM	#5
TangingOut Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,511	+1 on mimic vs true valentini