Food Question

[Jenniferx]

I am looking to introduce my SAP to more foods. At the minute her diet is mainly constituted of mussel meal, prawns in shells (she isn't that keen), snails and bloodworms.

She isn't particulary fond of krill and will just spit out brine shrimp. To be honest she loves the mussel more than anything and can be quite picky about the other stuff but I try to get as much variety in to her as possible.

I was going to buy some crunchy freeze dried foods, such as crickets, and river shrimp. My question is, can I just hold these with some tweezers directly for her to eat or should they be soaked prior to feeding? That I presume shall take away some of the crunch value?

[Nick]

Freeze dried foods are generally a poor choice for puffers. It can be done, but they should not be given them dry, because they may inhale them so fast they trap air in the bellies, and yes, soaking them does ruin most of their crunch value, as well as make a number of freeze dried foods kinda half dissolve. Crickets are ok now and then, but I'd remove their jumping legs first, as they are barbed and if eaten whole could "stick" inside the fish. Btw, her non interest in brine shrimp and krill is good, a diet heavy in either seems to give vitamin deficiencies and krill seems to be a big factor in lockjaw.

[Jenniferx]

I see. Thanks for that Nick. I guess I will give the freeze dried stuff a miss then. I just want to ensure she gets as much crunch as possible. I can't for the life of me find any crabs legs, the cockles cost a small fortune for such a small fish.

Any suggestions of other foods I might try her on, crunchy or soft?

[Nick]

They sell canned river shrimp for turtles at the petco by me, thats good stuff, needs to be refrigerated or frozen after opening tho. My GSP Shakespeare REALLY likes peas. Not sure why, but he inhales them.

[Jenniferx]

Hmmn, well I can get any of the Zoo Med Can 'O foods that include...
Snails (deshelled)
Mealworms
Crickets
Caterpillars
Grasshoppers
Shrimp

Our full line of feeder insects are cooked in the can (called “retorting”) which locks in the flavour and freshness while also softening the exoskeleton for easier digestion.

Of those, what dya reckon would be best?

[Nick]

shrimp, snails and crickets are probably the best of those.