Hard foods for SAPs (besides snails) + other questions

[ktmellow]

Hi all. I'm planning on putting 3 SAPs in a 55gal. I'm trying to breed snails first.

1. But besides snails, what other hard foods can you feed to maintain beak length? Also, where would I acquire them?
2. How many snails in a colony is enough snails for 3 puffers long term?
3. Do SAPs ever not get along with one another? Is it a good idea to have another large tank ready?

[Pufferpunk]

library/puffers-in-focus/sap/

[livebearerlove]

I feed my guy:
Morning is snails or any other hard food: I use ghost shrimp, fresh shrimp tails, very small crab legs, small 'cockles' (clams)
Evening is usually a multitude of things- but usually softer: frozen krill, live injured baby fry, fresh steamed salmon/fresh steamed fish (my dinner usually). My guy wont eat blood worms.... annoying.

I also see geogre eat some pieces of algea wafer he steals from the shrimp in the tank, etc.
I get the snails (bladder, ramshorn, etc) from the pet store- but now I have them in a tank to ensure there is no disease, etc. I bought a couple hundred- but they cant breed fast enough to get to the right size that he doesnt swallow them whole (you want him to tear them apart like a dog, chew and spit).

But I would say on average: 1-2 snails the size of his eyeball a day, 1 endler fry (size of his eye). I put in one itty bitty crab leg or tiny cockle that I remove excess after an hour or so. Then in the evening I base the amount of krill or fish on his eye again.

So basically I give 3-5 times the size of his eye in food a day (rough estimate). That seems to keep him happy- and not lazy.

Ill add to answer your question:
They prefer to be kept with more than one.
Make sure you do subtle but regular water changes (sometimes depending on what I feed them I do a 10% water change multiple times a week). Be READY to keep the water PERFECT. They require clean water, and they eat dirty- HAHA. body parts everywhere!

[ktmellow]

Thanks for your super detailed post, livebearerlove! Where do you buy small crab legs, small cockles, and krill?

[Pufferpunk]

Fish dept of your grocery store or Asian market.

[livebearerlove]

Thats correct- often times Asian market is your best bet. I lived in Asia for many years- it is popular to find crabs (the size of your finger) who have tiny legs that make a good meal. It is important to give a wide variety.

When I get the frozen krill from my LFS, I soak it in Vitamins- Boyds Vita chem. (Its important to remember that we are essentially playing god, so we need to do our best to ensure we get them everything they need).

Ghost shrimp are .40 cent a piece at your LFS, and can also help keep that beak trimmed (and they also eat algae in the tank- so it is a double positive!)

[ktmellow]

Thanks pufferpunk and livebearerlove!

I guess I'm lucky to work near Chinatown and that my boyfriend has many shrimp to cull all the time.

@livebearerlove I'll have to scout my options today. Is the diet you feed good enough to keep George's beak trimmed? How long have you had him?

I know SAPs like to be in groups... but I also hear DPs like to be in groups but people often have to separate due to aggression issues. I was wondering if that's a possibility with SAPs.

[ktmellow]

Hmm... I looked at the Chinatowns near me and the only small seafoods I was able to find was cockles (live!). They seem pretty big for SAPs though. Do you think a 1-1.5 inch cockle is edible for these puffers?

[Pufferpunk]

Sure, if you crack open the shell & feed on the half shell, they will scrape their teeth trying to get the meat out. Be sure to freeze live food & then defrost in warm water with a few drops of fish vitamins in it. You can also add a crushed garlic clove.

[livebearerlove]

Hmm... I looked at the Chinatowns near me and the only small seafoods I was able to find was cockles (live!). They seem pretty big for SAPs though. Do you think a 1-1.5 inch cockle is edible for these puffers?

Im on my phone- so hopefully this message goes through.
But in general- if you were to just buy a crab- any leg 'tip' can be 'small'. In MN I can get small crabs about 4 inches- the tiny legs are a real treat. But of course- feeding your friend should be fun.... living near chinatown I have to assume you can find a way

Also consider then ghost shrimp, etc. ghost shrimp can be purchased at you local fish store. Those will definitely help your situation. However that caring for them was what we signed up for.... so it is now our duty. If you just want to avoid the beak trimming... there is no guarantee all these tactics will work. People told me my SAP would eat bloodworms.... hahha.

Ill add- you may never be able to breed enough snails.... its a fact

[pufferbelly52]

I just recently got three SAP. They are still quite small. Mine are very picky eaters and so far only eat bloodworms. They picked at the clam in a half shell and actually spit out the shrimp I fed them. Any tips on getting them to eat hard foods, or do they eat bloodworms exclusively when they are young?

[Pennellapuffer]

Have you tried live foods such as snails with them yet? Otherwise you could soak your food in garlic to get their appetite going.