Puffer dentistry

SeymourDuncan

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In my years previous to now I have been trained in many things. Building houses, figure drawing, business, and even special needs dog grooming. I have a knack for learning any skill tht interests me.

I was raised on fish tanks and finally got my mom a brackish setup (last year) after she got attached to my marine puffers but didn't want the whole salt fiasco as she put it.

Her fish include a knight goby, 2 figure 8 puffers, and more guppies than there is water.

Not surprising that they don't sell brackish snails locally. We have fed the puffers clams but the one never bit the shell like the slightly fatter one would.

So now his teeth are fused together. Looks like I am going to be adding aquatic dentistry to the list of skills

I just ordered the clove oil and now in waiting for it. My mom has been powdering his food bc he actually will suck it through the sides of his beak.

I have complete faith in myself and will infact be taping this procedure as well.


To trim a puffer fish's tiny beak you must remove him from the water. A puffer out of water is much worse than a fish out of water so that phrase can sit in the back. They will try to inflate and if there is no water they can severely damage themselves.

So how do you keep one from puffing? Knock it out. Hold it by its tail and swing him against the...oh wait, 1 drop of clove oil per cup of tank water will knock a puffer out belly up. And if you need to put a fish out of its misery it works painlessly as a euthanasia as well.

Clove oil is for tooth aches ironically

once the puffer flips over pick his floppy golf ball body out with a net so you don't rub off his slime coat.

Use a pair of tiny cuticle cutters and snip the beak as close as you can to the lip without cutting it.

Once the mouth looks like it can fit food in it again you put it in a bowl of clean tank water and nudge him around til he wakes up. Make sure he is healthy and than you are good to go.

And what ever you do never drop the clove oils in your tank or you will have a lot of sleepy fish.

Also you have a limited time before the fish runs out of oxygen so act fast but precise. One wrong cut and you could screw up his cute smile.

Stay tuned for the video.

Might not happen til after Xmas according to the shipping info. No local clove oil here.

This works for all puffer fish period. Salt brackish and fresh. The only thing that will be different is once the puffers exceed 4 inches or so you will need a dremel tool because these beastly hogs can bite through clams. Cuticle cutters just won't cut it. Badabing?
 
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SeymourDuncan

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Yay! It came early! Puffer teeth trimming will be on my todo list today
 

Oceanslayer18

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Ive seen this done before and works well.
The other trick ive seen beside clams for the future is to put seaweed on a frag disc and when they eat it it grinds done their teeth
 
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