Will Dwarf Puffers eat the following foods:

[SilverDollar_03]

Large Snails
Small Snails
Chopped up Earthworm
Ghost Shrimp
Freeze-Dried Bloodworms
Freeze-Dried Brine Shrimp
Frozen Brine Shrimp
Frozen Bloodworms

and does it matter what type of snail?

 

[GP]

Yes, however its best not to feed freeze dried, they lack nutrition. Also, Earthworm i've heard puffers eat however I DO NOT RECOMMEND this, earthworm could carry parasites and "You don't know where it's been!"

 

[SilverDollar_03]

well, thats the same with any live food. any of them could carry parasites. like snails....

 

[appleblossom]

Also in terms of snails, you want to feed them these:

but never these!:

the ice cream cone shaped snails' shells are too hard and may break your puffers teeth

 

[SilverDollar_03]

ok, so they can be that big? they dont have to be small right?

 

[LadyMinion]

ok, so they can be that big? they dont have to be small right?

You'd be surprised how powerful that puffer beak is.

Also, if you are interested in feeding earthworms but worried about disease, there are places you can buy farmed worms. Try looking on google - stores that sell fish bait may be able to help.

In the UK there is an excellent company called Worms Direct which specialises in farmed worms.

 

[SirMinion]

The bigger snails that they can't crush, they will simply suck the snail out of its shell.

Ours have never been interested in dried food, but fresh, live & frozen are all taken with relish.

 

[GP]

My GSP ate eight ghost shrimp in 2 days. Those are very good for puffers. I started mine out with one of them because he is not big enough for snails, and I wanted him to "work for his food".

 

[Opcn]

Earth worms from your own garden should be fine assumeing thatyou dont use chemicals on it.If the snail is bigger than 1/2 an inch your puffer may not be able to get it but if it does the others will join in and eat the snail flesh that is left over.

My ghost shrimp are to big for the Dwarf P to eat but he will often kill them by chewing off there eyes (a vital part of there nevouse system) and the other fish eat the bodies.

And MTS (Ice cream cone snails) dont really pose much of a threat to a Dwarf puffer because they are to crafty. The shell is so thick that the puffer wont attach it and they are quick to retract preventing the puffer from bighting off there rubbery flesh. Plus they are nocturnal and the puffer is diurnal.

But I digress

 

[SilverDollar_03]

okay thats cool, thanks for the info guys. i guess ill just try out a bunch of stuff for them, see what they like!

 

[WheelmanCA19]

My dwarf puffer ate one of the mystery apple snails that I had. Ate a good bit of the shell too

 

[SilverDollar_03]

cool, i guess i can get those snails from the pet store, for they sell them there. Not as their only diet, but just 1 or 2 to see if they eat them....