Dwarf puffer teeth

[tttnjfttt]

I am looking to get a dwarf puffer, and so far I have seen very mixed things on whether or not dwarf puffers need to have their teeth trimmed or not. What is your experience with this? I know they do need snails to eat, in addition to live or frozen food.

As of right now, I am plaining on keeping him in a cycled 5 gal tank, with sand and nylon plants.

 

[fish_r_great]

I'm not exactly sure but TFH had a whole article on how to trim their reeth in their newest issue and they made it seem really easy.
You have to numb them by putting them in clove oil and then use a cuticle cutter to trim the teeth. Snails probably help.

 

[SirMinion]

Having kept Dwarf puffers now for quite some time, I can say that with the correct diet, and kept on a sand substrate, Dwarf puffers may never need to have their teeth trimmed.

The only commonly kept puffer that has teeth that will almost certainly require regular trimming is the South American Puffer.

 

[Final Dynazty]

I thought they had beaks?

 

[SirMinion]

I thought they had beaks?

All puffers have four teeth (hence the scientific name tetraodon - tetra-four odon-teeth) Two in the top jaw and two in the lower.

The four teeth are triangular in shape and each pair interlocks, or in some species are fused, to make a beak-like structure.

 

[tttnjfttt]

I can say that with the correct diet, and kept on a sand substrate, Dwarf puffers may never need to have their teeth trimmed.

Correct diet = frozen or live food (mainly blood worms) and snails, right?

 

[SirMinion]

I can say that with the correct diet, and kept on a sand substrate, Dwarf puffers may never need to have their teeth trimmed.

Correct diet = frozen or live food (mainly blood worms) and snails, right?

Pretty much, yes.

the sand is important too, because as the puffer rummage through the sand looking for buried bloodworm & snails, their teeth are ground against the hard sand grains.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Ok, I have sand in all my tanks anyways, so that wont be a problem. Thanks for the advice!

 

[GuppyDude]

a 5g sounds a little small for a puffer, even a dwarf, u might be able to get away with 1 fish. im not a puffer expert thogh. i hear if u feed your puffer live snails, they will ware their teeth down on teh shells.

 

[Pufferpunk]

TFH had a whole article on how to trim their reeth in their newest issue and they made it seem really easy.

I'm glad that article is getting out there & being read & understood. I still don't have a copy of my own article!

 

[tttnjfttt]

Is this magazine usually sold in LPS/LFS? Where might I get a copy of this article, just to have on hand incase it does become necessary.

Unfortunately, the only LPS in town is a small Pets Supermarket, and I don't remember seeing any magazines in there. And right now gas prices are so high ($2.69/gal for the cheap stuff), I don't want to drive 40 miles to a better store.

 

[Pufferpunk]

Some carry them, some don't. It's kinda hit or miss. You can always buy a subscription, but I don't know if you'd get that as your 1st issue. You could try contacting TFH (Tropical Fish Hobbiest) for a back issue order.