Hi everyone, I'm new here and I'm looking for advice on my F8, Patrick. As the title suggests, he is growing a large beak and is struggling to eat. I am going to trim his beak asap! Ive watched videos on how to do this, and I just thought that before I attempt it I'd seek advice from the experts. I know I have to use a drop of clove oil per cup of tank water to sedate him, but I want to get my facts 100% before I give it a go. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Many thanks, James
Figure 8 beak
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
- purplecandle
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Re: Figure 8 beak
I don't use clove oil, I'm horrible at math and I know I would mess it up.
First I set up my area! Use a towel on the counter...if you some how loose the fish it will stick to the towel.
Next I set up a plastic ice cream bucket with some tank water.
I catch the fish with a tea pitcher, gently follow him around the tank and scoop him up.
Wait...
Then pour him slowly into the ice cream bucket.
Wait...
Then use the net to gently pick him up (Stay in the water!). Then I aim his mouth towards me, still under water. Trim. Let go. Wait.
Gently I put the ice cream bucket in the tank and let him swim out.
Use firm hands, they will puff and chatter teeth, the spikes may feel like they hurt you, but they don't...it's just the sensation.
Make sure everything you use is clean and designated for fish purposes.
Have the house silent and calm.
First I set up my area! Use a towel on the counter...if you some how loose the fish it will stick to the towel.
Next I set up a plastic ice cream bucket with some tank water.
I catch the fish with a tea pitcher, gently follow him around the tank and scoop him up.
Wait...
Then pour him slowly into the ice cream bucket.
Wait...
Then use the net to gently pick him up (Stay in the water!). Then I aim his mouth towards me, still under water. Trim. Let go. Wait.
Gently I put the ice cream bucket in the tank and let him swim out.
Use firm hands, they will puff and chatter teeth, the spikes may feel like they hurt you, but they don't...it's just the sensation.
Make sure everything you use is clean and designated for fish purposes.
Have the house silent and calm.
- Pufferpunk
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Re: Figure 8 beak
Or just read this: library/hospital/dentistry/
And then this, so it doesn't ever happen again: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
And then this, so it doesn't ever happen again: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Figure 8 beak
Thanks for the help guys, I sedated him and it went well. He seems a lot happier now! I have read up on the article about feeding correctly so hopefully I shouldn't have the same problem again
Re: Figure 8 beak
The first article says not to feed Malaysian trumpet snails. Does this include feeding them to figure 8 puffers b/c that is what my LFS has...trumpet snails.
- bertie 83
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Re: Figure 8 beak
Trumpet snails can be hard enough to shatter their beak, pond or ramshorns are suitable
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
- Pufferpunk
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Re: Figure 8 beak
From that 1st article:
Do not feed your puffers the ice cream cone shaped snails called Malaysian Trumpet Snails! MTS’s shells are too hard for puffer’s teeth and have been known to crack them, making it difficult for them eat correctly.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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- Mentor
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Re: Figure 8 beak
Huge +1 to the folks saying not to feed MTS to ANY puffer. F-8 incisors are not strong enough for those shells. If that is what the LFS suggests that you use for puffers, I would not trust their advice on anything else either. Ramshorns are the best for F-8s, but are not as productive in breeding tanks as Common Pond snails.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
- hadla
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Re: Figure 8 beak
Evidently my ramshorns didn't get that memo...RTR wrote: Ramshorns are the best for F-8s, but are not as productive in breeding tanks as Common Pond snails.
Never trust big puffers. The fingers you save may be your own. -RTR
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- Mentor
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Re: Figure 8 beak
Ramhorns require longer times or significantly larger tanks to get to near-maximum size (3/4 - 1") . If you are working with small puffers (such as F-8s or SAPs), the time to harvest is closer between those two forms. If you are working with adult GSPs, Fahakas, or worse (T. mbu), the time difference is non-trivial. I could harvest all the F-8 sized food I needed from the T. mbu's tank - he ignored anything under 1/2 to 2/3 inch. But it was only safe to do so when he was asleep, a PITA. He wanted to play if he saw me... massive splashing, then moping.
Where's the fish? - Neptune