Feeding Puffer Fish

[SeanTrollope]

what can you feed purrers that is cheep ( exept pest snails

 ) and that you can buy from local grocery stores and provides all there food requirements

 

[attibones]

They eat brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia, as I've said on your other thread. They don't sell this stuff at the grocery store.

 

[Goggy]

frozen bloodworms is my choice food for puffers
 
from a grocery store you coud get small prawn that will serve as a meal for a puffer, it is not recommended as it is not the most healthy for a puffer

 

[simonero]

Is there a reason you don't want trumpets?  I know they have a bad rep but I personally see them as a necessity at this point.  They mostly hide in the sand when all is good in my tank (moving around and preventing anaerobic pockets), and the sudden appearance of more of them kindly signals tank attention (uneaten food that went undetected, something else I need to attend to, etc).  I have hundreds because it's been a few years and I make a point of keeping them (mostly hidden, when I clean the water/substrate I try to put them back) and have never noticed a substantial bioload increase.  I'm sure they are making one, but I think they are probably canceling it out by cleaning and ingesting algae and larger snails' waste.
 
Also, from my experience with puffers, your population will have no problem staying under control.  It's also been suggested to me by a marine biologist friend that they need a substantial amount of snails to stay alive.
 
Even if you find another alternative, you need to feed your buddy a few snails on a very regular basis.  He needs it for his teeth.

 

[simonas]

what kind of puffer are you talking about?

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

I grow daphnia and mosquito larvae in 5 gallon buckets outside during spring and winter- it helps but mine ONLY eats live foods I've tried everything mainly his diet is mud and trumpet snails if you don't want to feed your puffer fish snails don't get a puffer fish. That's a main part of their diet and some (not IDP's)  actually need to break up shells to keep their beaks down. I suppose you could also offer other crustacean/mollusk type food but you will be spending a lot more money and probably taking unnecessary risk with parasites/disease ect.